New built start for the La Guitarra 2015

I started a new built for the La Guitarra 2015 a guitar show for nylon strings guitar lovers in San Luis Obispo in September. I have on-going projects for a nylon strings guitar (Myrtle back/sides); however, I will make a new built to finish two guitars together before the La Guitarra. The new guilt is a nylon strings, center sound hole, lattice bracing model. Top is Carpathian spruce and back/sides are Malaysian black wood. I already installed Rosetta. I also finished back joint and profile cut. This guitar also has a Malaysian black wood head plate veneer for the neck. This guitar will be designed for more traditional guitarists for the La Guitarra guests.

Arm rest making

     I was pretty busy for doing the fretting work and strings action adjustment for the 12-strings guitar. I only had time to make an arm rest for the Nylon model. A body for the nylon model already has installed three post bases for the arm rest installation. I drilled three post holes. Arm rest has a clearance between the sound board surface and the armrest surface to avoid touching the top from a player's right arm. This design is able to maximize top vibration. This armrest also is able to improve a comfort level for a guitar player. Before apply finishing, I will apply a black die for the maple armrest. This dieing process makes pretty beautiful flamed pattern on the arm rest.
     Next week, I go to vacation. Sorry, I am not able to update this blog for next two weeks.

Closing box

     I closed boxes for SSJ and Nylon models. Both bodies showed excellent tap tone as usual. Although, the tap tone does not tell 100% tonal characters, Lutuz spruce showed pretty much the same tap-tone as German top. So, this is at least a good sign for me. Nylon model has an European top as my standard, and showed pretty long sustain for a tapping.
      I also completed Graphite rods installation on the 12-strings guitar I made last year. I replace the finger board, and partially re-finished the neck. After 2-weeks of curing the finish, I completed the final polishing. Now, I am working on the fretting work for this 12-strings guitar.

Ready for closing box

Both SSJ and Nylon models are ready for closing box. Both models employ the lattice bracing for the back. This time, I made a super light weight back lattice bracing design. This design is for more lively sound tuning to make better vibrations. SSJ model has massive graphite braces for preventing the body deformation. Nylon model does not need the graphite bracing; however, this model has a massive L-shaped head block with strong but light weight solid linings for the top side. L-shape head block has an extended fingerboard support all the way down to the 24-th fret. This fingerboard support makes crispy sound for very high fret position. After close the box, I will do many detailed jobs for purfling and binding installations.

Side and Back are ready for assembly

I completed 12-strings guitar modification projects. Now, I back to the guitar making. I installed Graphite braces for improving the body rigidity. These graphite braces will be able to prevent a slow neck angle change issue over many years. I also shaved back lattice brace cross sections to minimize weight. Now, the side and back are ready for assembly. Next week, I will close the body.

12-strings model design modification

I changed the body construction for 12-strings model. This is for minimizing a body deformation issue. I have been observing substantially serious action change issues for the 12-strings model. This is due to the strong string tensions. To minimize the body deformation issue, I installed two massive graphite rods from a top of the head block to the bottom of the body wast. This design is not my original idea. Similer techniques have been seen many hand made guitar makers such as Mike doolin guitars and McKnight guitars. I followed those ideas. I hope this design modification improves the action change issue.

Back bracing

Lattice bracing for the backs were installed. African black wood back has three piece jointed structure; therefore, I insulated two joint patches. Myrtle back has a conventional two piece back. Both backs have the 5x5 lattice bracing design. Vacuum clumping is an essential tool to make a void free gluing, because the lattice brace requires even pressure for all bracing at the same time. Traditional clumping technique is not able to install lattice brace properly. Conventional ladder bracing has been using for past two hundred years. Now, we have the vacuum clumping technique that enables to use more advanced bracing technique.