Guitar #2, the ugly duckling

[Paul Eisenbrey]

Hi all,

About four years ago, I was in Guitar center, wishing I'd win the lottery so I could affort the Martin I was playing, I had a thought (not a frequent occurrance with me). I could either give up the idea of playing a good sounding guitar, or I could learn to make them.

Since I had no woodworking skills, no tools, and no time, naturally I decided to make one.

I've just finished guitar #2. As you can tell from the pictures, my woodworking skills are still a work in progress -- you could throw a cat through the gap between the heel and the body, the back isn't straight, and the finish work is primitive, to put it kindly. And if it weren't for Lillian's timely donation of a really nice piece of spruce to reinforce the soundhole the thing would probably have folded up like a book when I strung it.

The saving grace of the whole thing is that is sounds better than I remember the Martin sounding. Not that guitar center is a good place to listen to an acoustic guitar. Teenagers playing the first two bars of purple haze over and over at top volume on a mexican strat ensure that.

And I've learned an enormous amount about fixing mistakes. I may never be a good guitar maker, but one day I'll be able to hide almost any screwup.

Here is a list of the mistakes, at least, the ones I remember.

1) I didn't check to see that the back was aligned with the centerline before I glued it on.
2) I kept sanding the heel back, long after the tenon was hitting the end of the mortise
3) Using LMI's foolproof fretboard slotting template, I proved that the hadn't thought of a fool like me. I managed to cut two of the slots in the wrong place. A little sawdust and glue, and it is hardly visible.
4) I decided to trim the top to the sides after a long day at work. Using what I was absolutely sure was the flush cut bit on the lam trimmer (I was so sure, I didn't bother to try it first), I cut an inch wide, 16 inch long, 1/32 inch deep channel on the lower bout. Patching that was an adventure.
5) Because I like the look, I bound it with Cocobolo. I now hate cocobolo. I glued it in with very thin CA, which ran down the sides like water and glued the clamps to the wood.
6) I over-thinned the top: my skills with a plane are still a bit rudamentary...
7) Not satisfied with that, I proceeded to over-thin the bottom, too.
I did not come even close with the finish work. The French Polish managed to accentuate the flaws.

I haven't had so much fun in years!

There are two more in progress now: two parlor guitars for my grandchildren.

Anyway, enjoy the pictures -- they make the Martin on the flame thread look good .

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--Paul

[kiwigeo]

The guitar looks good Paul. I think we all have a few ugly ducklings in our shops from time to time. Ive got an ugly duckling classical sitting in mine at the moment.....french polish job went nasty on me. But like your guitar it sounds nice so Im not going to chuck it away.

Cheers Martin

[Allen]

It was fun, you looked forward to getting time to work on it in your free time. And you learnt heaps. I can't think of a better outcome. And you have a guitar that sounds good. Pretty certain that most of those stuff ups won't happen on the next ones too.

I've had some that I put through the band saw, so give yourself a pat on the back.

[P Bill]

You have decent sounding gat to play till the next gets built and you've learned the one of the most important skills in any bit of woodworking. Blending, hiding or featuring any mistakes.

[Bob Connor]

I think you'll find most of us have gone through this Paul so good one you for sticking to it. You now have an instrument as good as that Martin.

I look forward to seeing the next two parlours..

Regards

[ozziebluesman]

Looks good Paul. Congratulations on a fine effort. And yes,I have an ugly duck that was my first effort. There are many methods and designs I used in that build that I will not use again.

Last week I played a Oz company made top of the line acoustic in the music shop up here. It was $4500, had severe runout on the top which looked like a seconds guitar, it played ok but was a very heavy instrument. Some years ago when I worked in the same music shop I ordered in for a customer an acoustic guitar the exact same model as this and it was an outstanding guitar. So they also have ordinary guitars come off the production line yet they have been building for many years.

Cheers

Alan

[Nick]

We've all built them Paul & even the best of us here will still raise their hand if you ask them if they've made a mistake in their most recent build. The secret is how well you recover from them.
The fact that you've picked out eight faults shows that you've recognised they are faults & are aware of what to improve on your next build, so from a learning experience this guitar has more value than the components you used to construct it.
It has strings on it (top hasn't caved in), it plays a tune & looks pretty good so I'd say you've done well. I've seen many many worse where the builder thinks their creation is the best thing since sliced bread (none on this forum anymore), that is the sad thing because if they are happy when the quality just isn't there, they will not improve & even the maker with 500 under his/her belt will still be hoping their next is better than their last.
Nice bit of bearclaw by the way
Purple Haze a? It used to be Stairway to Heaven when I was a lurker at the local guitar shops.

[Kim]

Hey Paul,

Awesome attitude mate, with that you are destine for great things in this craft and you now have a great sounding guitar to inspire you along the way. What a gift to have been given so soon as a wood worker and stringed instrument maker. So many valuable lessons in one project AND, a result at the end. This really can be looked upon as a big step forward. So many start and never finish. They walk away having done their time and money taking nothing more from the experience than defeat.

Welcome aboard mate, its a great club to belong to the stayers and players of self belief.

Cheers

Kim

[rocket]

Looks good Paul, glad you stuck with it, an old saying goes,,, you learn by your mistakes, and i've certainly learnt alot in the past few years. One instance comes to mind, it was my second build and i was masking the binding getting ready to spray some laquer, i had the git sitting on a chair instead of a purpose built holder, the damned thing slipped off and got punctured by a piece of timber on the way to the floor, nice big hole in the side of the lower bout. the only thing that stopped me from smashing the thing to a pulp was remembering the amount of time i had already invested in it. I managed to patch it up quite well but my eye always sees when i pick the thing up.
I learned a big lesson that day, don't be so casual with my preparation, you live and learn don't you! Have fun with #3and#4 Paul
Cheers,,,
Rod.

[charangohabsburg]

Paul, You've got quite a strange definition of "ugly".
I only can spot some minor imperfections on your beautiful guitar. Congrats to this one!

I was struggling with structural failure on my first miniature 10-stringer...

Thanks for sharing your incredible adventures (and the pictures, of course) !

[Paul Eisenbrey]

Thanks guys! For the copious help I get from your other posts, and the encouragement on this one. If it weren't for that, this project would have ended up as a pile of kindling.



--Paul

[Lillian]

Paul, it might have a few issues that you aren't pleased about, but you finished it and it sounds wonderful. Those are the two most important milestones for a budding builder. Good for you. And remember, even ugly girls need to be loved.

I'm looking forward to seeing your parlors.

Purple Haze a? It used to be Stairway to Heaven when I was a lurker at the local guitar shops.

Seattle claims Jimi as their own. The statue in the photo is on Broadway as you come into Capital Hill, Seattle's hippie, gay, liberal, progressive, neighborhood. Its also Seattle drug center.

So Purple Haze is every aspiring guitarist song of choice up here.

[Lillian]

Hey Paul, Grizzly is having their tent sale next weekend. If you're looking for a drum sander, you might find a deal on one next weekend and a dust collector as well.

[Clancy]

I always play 'Black Magic Woman'.
I've always thought all the stares were because I was soooo shit-hot at playing it
Now you tell me they're staring because I'm playing the wrong thing

Umm.....does anyone have 'Purple Haze' in tablature

Oh, and nice guitar Paul

[Nick]

Umm.....does anyone have 'Purple Haze' in tablature

Here you go Craig http://www.911tabs.com/link/?5330011 although this version is by some geezer called Hedrix

[Paul Eisenbrey]

Hey Lillian!

Thanks for the heads up about Grizzly. I'll have a look.

Also -- my theory on girls is the same as my theory on guitars. Close your eyes and listen: ears are a much better gauge of beauty than eyes are...

Of course, I am a pre-MTV guy: they don't come prettier than Momma Cass and Ann Wilson

--Paul

[christian]

Hi Paul,

I think you can be very proud of what you have created !!!
The best thing about mistakes is you learn quickly how to not make them, hopefully on your next build you don't find new ones, however sometimes you can come up with very creative ways of fixing mistakes. But never say you have made a mistake until someone can prove you have. hahaha, personally I hate fixing things, so I have made a myriad of fool proof jigs to counter my lack of concentration.

good luck !!!

Christian.