Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

FWIW, finishing Guru, Joe White says always use incandescent light as it enhances scratches. Fluorescent light hides scratches. He didn't mention sunlight!

Happy New Year you Down Under folks! We just turned the clock here on the east coast of the US!

I'm not a steel stringer, but IMO, most folks who scallop braces do it based on a plan and not on the basis for which it was designed. The peaks of the scallops should be a points that should limit vibration in that area, maybe to cut wolf notes, etc. These areas are at nodal points on the top, as I...

Beautiful guitar. Fine work there!

I also print with wfret, check it carefully for accuracy (it gives the measurements from previous fret and nut), and double stick tape it to the board, and cut it on my RA saw, aligning the edge of the blade to the line (not trying to center it).

David LaPlante uses Wonder Rags for his French Polishing. You might shoot him a PM at OLF or an email at his website. www.guitarsbydavidlaplante.com. I know he'd be glad to let you know where he get the stuff. I'd bet it's available at a mail order supplier like HERE

Teeheehee? Kim?

Just don't allow it to be! It's one of the oldest glues known, and use is simple. It's only a mystery because someone told you it was. It's not. I started using it on my first, and have not found anything better. I do use other glues where I think they offer me an advantage, like open time or shorte...

Mighty fine looking classical, there, Martin!

Putting in the item number works. I just ordered one too.

French Polish, Sergy.

I'd like to make one more point, and that is that Rick Turner turned Al onto this tilted saddle. Al, though, has made some of the observations that I mentioned above. Credit should be given where it's due.

Having seen Al Carruth's discussions on this subject. His view is that it reduces the rotaional force on the front of the bridge, and gives a slight increase in the downward, or in this case, angled force against the saddle, which he seems to believe is a good thing for sound, both for pickups and f...

Thanks, Jim.

Many thanks to you all! My plan for this one was to have the little blocks, like my #4, but I started playing around with the Sycamore, and loved the way it looked. I'm hoping I can use it on the next too.

Thanks, fellows! Bob, the Lutz is great for a classical. I find it has to be worked a little differently than German which is stiffer cross grain, but it sounds very similar. I use Lutz bracing too. Shane's stuff is hard to beat. My next will be my first Engelmann. I'm guessing it'll be much like Ge...

Finally got my fifth off the bench, after a re-topping exercise created by my poor proficiency at repairing purfling issues. It was totally caused by operator headspace! Romanillos shape and bracing Cocobolo B&S Lutz Top Lacewood bindings Coco bridge Ebony FB Gotoh Premium tuners with non binding ro...

You are right, Hesh, and the books are worth every penny, and then some! I am in the process of starting my second time through..... I read slowly !

I use it. Jose Romanillos has been using it for as long as he has been building. The joint is not only strong, it is designed for easy repair. It is designed to be glued with HHG, and if it is dropped, instead of breaking the neck, the joint will release, and in most cases can just be glued back tog...

Kim's bevel is perfect for brace carving, as the curve allows the chisel, when used, bevel down, for control in carving softwood braces, to follow the curve of the brace as you carve it. A hollow ground chisel will not allow for a gradually curved taper to the top. If you use it with the bevel up, i...

Personal opinion only, but I believe Greg Smallman just came up with a new idea. It doesn't mean its best for all guitars. Each guitar has it's own personality and the sides play a part in that, as do backs. I prefer a guitar with a very active back in addition to an active top. Done properly it mak...

I had the link wrong, above, but I edited and fixed it.

Rod, it's a classical build, built in a solera. The sides are wrapped around the top, and the "dentellones" are glued in individually. The back goes on last. In this situation, I had a mishap with the purfling on the top, and the only repair was to replace the top. (pictures in Build 5 in my photobu...

I find that interesting too. With the A-4 lining, there is more wood per square inch than anything but solid lining, and when glued to the side, it is as stiff as any other kerfed lining, if not stiffer.

I used some of Kevin Ryan's A4 Kerfed Lining on my #5 build, and I love it. It's expensive as kerfed lining goes, but it bends in every direction, which makes it work well for backs with a lot of curve and dome. Nice stuff, and because I use the dentellones on the top, I can get two guitars out of o...