OO project, Wood working is done

 Wood working for the 00 project is done. I made a bridge from a Brazilian RW stock. I selected a cigar  shape. This shape was able to make a less than 20 grams bridge. I really like the light weight bridge that makes very good sound response. I also installed two additional graphite rods in the neck from the neck head to the finger board edge. Then, I installed the finger board. This finger board has the 650mm scale. After installed the Indian ebony finger board, I completed the neck shaping. Additionally, I did the finger board radiusing and polishing. Then, I installed the fret wires. Before install the fret wires, I removed the fret tangs approximately 80%. Fret tangs makes the neck shape change. To maintain the perfectly flat fingerboard, the fret wire tangs must be removed. The last step for making guitar is the armrest making. This time, I made a floating armrest from a fiddle back maple stock. Bottom side of the armrest has a cavity to isolate from the sound board. When you play this guitar, your right side of arm does not sit on the sound board. This makes the best freedam of the sound board movement. The armrest is installed using 5-mm three carbon fiber dowels. The armrest was black dyed. At this moment, the black dye is a little bit too dark. However, the black dye will be fade-out over years, and it will make very nice fiddle back maple patterns.  

Neck making and joint to the body

 I have been in Japan for my vacation during the Christmas holydays. OO project has been slowly progressing after back from my vacation. I completed the binding install for the body. Now, the body constriction is done. Neck making also has a good progress. Truss rod channels are cut, and the truss rod is also installed. Two more additional cannels are for the carbon fiber rods. Carbon fiber rods will be installed after complete the neck fitting. This neck has the Madagascar RW front side veneer, and the Katalox back side veneer. This neck has the truss rod access hole at the head, because of the sloped neck design. There is no space for the truss rod access from the neck bottom. Finger board material is the Indian ebony. Indian ebony is much herder than African ebony. Although the color is not the jet black as the African Ebony, I really like the much herder Indian Ebony. This material makes really robust fingerboard. I also cut the mortise joint slot to the body. I also completed the mortise slot cut for the neck. I still need fine adjustment and fitting works for the neck joint. The neck fitting work is the time consuming process. However, this is the most important process to make a comfortable action setting.

Closing box and the neck making

 OO project has a lot of progress. The body is closed. Before close the box, I applied two coat of shellac. Inside of the body has nice and shinny surface. Shellac coat improves the moisture sensitivity. I also made the neck blanks from Spanish cedar. OO model has a five piece laminated neck using Spanish cedar, maple, and ebony. Neck head stock was jointed using the V-joint technique. V-joint is a time consuming method for the neck making. However, this technique is able to maximize the material usage. 

Next step is the purfling and binding install. I also will make a beveled edge at the neck joint. You can see the beveled edge in the last photo. 

00 size and Black Limba project

 I have been working on a 14th fret joint 00-size using the black limba back and side. Top is a European spruce with Brazilian RW bridge plate and Adirondack spruce X-bracing. Rosetta is a spoiled Tamarindo and Padauk with black border. Side is a laminate using the limba and Yellow cedar. Bracing design is my standard scalloped X-bracing. This guitar does not have a cut-a-way, because of the small size. I do not want to loose the body space from the cut-a-way. To maintain equally good high position playability, I will use the sloped neck joint. It also called as the raised neck joint that has completely floating fingerboard extension above the 14th fret just like a arched top guitar. I also add a beveled edge to the body at the 14th fret neck joint. Those combination makes excellent high position access.