Body constraction complete and mortise cut

Both Myrtle and Malaysian BW bodies are completed. I also cut mortises for the neck and the body joint. Both bodies showed extremely long-time lasting tap tone. Center sound hole body has much higher resonant frequency than the off-set body. Location of the sound hole changes the fundamental resonate frequency. Due to the longer physical length of the available surface, the off-set sound hole body shows much lower tap-tone frequency. This lower fundamental resonant frequency makes more strong buss. So, I will use 24.9" strings scale for the off-set sound hole body. Shorter string scale improves play-ability. However, shorter strings scale lowers the string tension. To overcome the low tension issue, I will use the super high tension strings for the offset body. As a result, the offset-body makes super easy playing guitar without sacrificing the sound quality. This guitar is going to be my new Jazz nylon model.
     I will use the 25.4" strings scale for the center sound hole design (Malaysian BW). 25.4" scale is still a relatively short as the standard Classical guitar that has normally 25.59" scale. This body is using a super responsible lattice brace with only 1.6mm minimum sound board thickness. My sound board has different thickness depending on the location. This super responsible sound board does not need the long strings scale to drive the top to generate over tones. So, the center sound hole model is also the player friendly guitar with optimum over tone balance.

Binding install

Binding installation for nylon models are completed except the cut-a-way portion. Myrtle body has the African black-wood binding. Malaysian black-wood body (Negro) has the Bocote binding. Both materials bend pretty easy. The most difficult binding material for bending is Ebony. Ebony is super brittle. Previously, I have been using the Ebony binding. However, I am tired of using the super brittle material. Particularly, the cut-a-way portion is pain-in-the-ass. For me, the African black wood is the best material for the binding. It bends well, and looks excellent. Only drawback is the high price.

Body detailed work

     Purfling materials are made using Black-white-Brazilian RW-white combination. Purfling installation is also done. Remaining process for the body construction is the binding installation.
     Maple neck making has also made a lot of progress. Head stock shaping is complete. Head veneer is Myrtle. Machine head holes are also drilled. Both maple neck and Mahogany neck will install two way truss rods. I will use super high tension strings for those guitars. Conventional no re-reinforced neck is not able to maintain the neck straight shape if one uses high tension strings. When the nylon strings guitars are new, a little bit extra bowing for the neck and finger board requires occasionally. If so, I have to remove all frets and I need to re-shape the finger-board. It is an extremely time consuming process. To improve the neck set-up time and quality, I will install the two-way truss rod. The two-way truss rod is able to bend the neck both forward and reverse bend. Also, the truss rod is able to greatly improve the future neck maintenance quality.

Closong box and Neck making

Negro body was closed. Before closing the box, I added Graphite filament epoxy laminated patches at cross sections on the lattice brace. This makes the lattice brace more stable and strong with minimum weight increase. Before closing the box, I also applied three coats of shellac for the top and the back. After closing the box, I start making a neck. This is a three piece laminated Maple neck using the V-joint for the head joint. To make square slots for the tuning machines, I cut-out the slot first including the head itself. Then, I glue back to make the square slotted head. The head will be V-jointed to the neck. This maple neck material has pretty nice flames. I will use this neck for the Myrtle body.

Ready for closing box

I have done all assembly for the body parts. Sound board has lattice braces, and all fine tunings for braces are done. Back brace assembly is done. Body, linings, and shellac applying are done. So, all body parts are ready for final assembly.

Body assemble and solid lining install

I made a lot of progress for the Negro nylon model. I completed side assemble including block making. Then, I assembled solid linings for the sound board. Solid lining is made from Yellow ceder, Spanish ceder, and Yellow ceder sandwich. The cut-a-way portion has a true solid lining made from a scrap Mahogany block. So, the sound board side of the body has solid linings. This solid lining design makes crispier and focused sound. Traditional nylon strings guitars have been using tentellones that has an array of single pieced parts to make a large glue section for the sound board attachment. However, tentellons makes flexible support for the edges of the sound board. Softer support for the sound board looses the sound board vibration energy. So, it makes sense that the solid lining makes more crispier and focused sound than the traditional tentellons.

Center sound hole nylon

     I made a lot of progress for the center sound hole nylon model. I completed the Rosetta and sound hole opening. The sound hole has a Hawaiian Koa trim. This makes a little bit cosmetical accent for my design. Back board thinning and polishing were done. Back bracing material rough cut has been done. This back will have traditional ladder bracing using Spanish Ceder.
    Side material cut, thinning, bend, and lamination were done. Inner laminate material is Yellow ceder as my standard selection. Laminate has been done by Epoxy glue. Laminate process needs fairly large amount of Epoxy, because entire materials must be soaked with Epoxy completely to avoid any gaps and Epoxy voids. Neck and tail blocks are made by Spanish Ceder.
     Basic design of this guitar is quite similar to my offset sound-hole with cut-a-way nylon model. So, this guitar has a cut-a-way design. However, I will make a little bit more traditional taste for this built for visitors of the La Guitarra 2015. So, I will use darker color back and sides (Negro), ladder bracing back, and center sound hole.