Adjustable guitar complete

[colin north]

A "Tucked " Florentine - I love it!!

[Bruce McC]

Hi Craig

That is one lovely guitar and your detail work is immaculate.
A couple of questions if you don't mind.
1. How did you do the end graft so the grain pattern matches with the sides?
2. Is the mahogany sound hole edging integral with the sound hole reinforcement or inlaid separately?

[Craig]

Rod , Markus, ,Bob ,Colin and Bruce. Always means a lot to me getting compliments from those that share a similar passion ,, or should I say obsession. Many thanks guys and much appreciated.

Hi Craig

That is one lovely guitar and your detail work is immaculate.
A couple of questions if you don't mind.
1. How did you do the end graft so the grain pattern matches with the sides?
2. Is the mahogany sound hole edging integral with the sound hole reinforcement or inlaid separately?

My aim with that end graft was to confuse other guitar builders ! That ,and have the Graft blend in kind of seamlessly. Colin , I played around with a side panel off- cut until I felt I had a match. I kind of booked matched the binding too !Here's a different shot of it :

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To answer you second question Colin regarding the soundhole binding . No, nothing to do with integral soundhole reinforcement , although it probably does offer some reinforcement . It's a binding of the same Mahogany and the same thickness as the soundboard . Worked out really well and I like the look a whole lot. A bit of mucking around , particularly because of the wood being a Mahogany Type as well as being Pommele figured. Makes for a bending challenge .

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[kiwigeo]

Martin ,I've had to really think how to answer your questions.

.......

Sorry Martin ,but that's about as good an answer as I can think of

Thanks for the come back on my questions Craig. I'd love to get with you and see your no oil FP technique. Like you say, FP is a matter of finding what works for you. I tried going for a minimum oil procedure but found that I was pulling lint off the muneca....the problem disappeared with a bit more oil.

Cheers Martin

[Craig]

I'm only sorry I can't be of more help Martin . With French Polishing , it really is a case of " Being there" . I was fortunate during my Apprenticeship to have a French Polisher in our workshop which gave me 'hands on ' experience.

. The more I play this guitar the better it's sounding. I'm finding the Adjustable Neck in particular to be an absolute winner. A Rock solid neck ,yet still adjustable
. Nothing worse than picking up your guitar to find a higher or lower than usual string action due to a climatic change . A higher/lower action also alters your carefully set intonation a little.
. This adjustment is so quick without having to slacken the strings or reach though the soundhole etc. also incredibly handy for alternate/ drop tunings to curb fret slap .
. String length ( Intonation ) is also adjustable . I'm seeing this system as a 'Must' .
. Consistent action/intonation no matter what climatic conditions along with never needing a neck reset !

Pictured, the flush mount (stainless steel) adjuster along with the alternate Strap pin adjuster.

[Nick]

Geez, thank an omnipotent being it's a gif pic, thought my eyesight/brain was on the fritz there for a sec Craig!
Glad your 'mods' are working out so well and that you are happy with it, function matches appearance. Mind you, being you I wouldn't expect anything less!

[Clancy]

I knew it! I just knew it!!
I knew the moment you popped up again it would be to show off a piece of brilliance!!!

[H3ytm@n]

The unbound florentine cutaway mitre was achieved by stacking both the side and cutaway pieces on a shooting board ( as you would do plate joining ) I used a block plane which I had set on the correct angle to suit . (This was done prior to bending of course ) This picture taken prior to binding and finish

THREE4121.jpg

Nice mitre mate!
I presume your using a donkey's ear jig on your shooting board or something similar?
What do you mean by setting the the block plane angle?

Cheers

[Craig]

Apologies for near fritzing your brain with the gif pic Nick

Thanks and much appreciated Craig

Nice mitre mate!
I presume your using a donkey's ear jig on your shooting board or something similar?


Cheers

I used a shim on the side of my block plane to get the correct angle .

[jeffhigh]

Hi Craig,
I'm a great believer in the adjustable neck and have done all my steel strings that way with the strap pin adjustment.
I have not done a cutaway yet though, so can I ask how you approached the cutaway edge, did you leave the body edge a little proud of the neck edge?
Any additional location devices beside the pocket edge?
thanks
Jeff

[Craig]

G'day Jeff,`

The neck has a mortise and tenon to line it up to the body and cutaway.

The headblock is flush to the width of the neck on the cutaway side . The bent side panel gets glued to the headblock and overlaps by 5 mm. The 5 mm. being the depth of the pocket the neck sits in. Hope you can understand that description.

Here's a big tip : When carving the neck ,leave the treble side of the heel a little wider than it should be . After you have the body complete, insert the neck's tenon as far as it will go ,and scribe a line from the cutaway edge onto the back of the oversized heel . Take the neck out and scribe another line parallel to that line but narrower by the thickness of the side panel ( in my case 2 mm. )Trim off the heel exactly to that line with a chisel

This should give you a really good fit between the neck and body/cutaway with no horrid gap.

The bass side of the neck is different in that I finish it completely ( to finished width ) and scribe a line off it onto the side of the guitar which will become the neck pocket ( 5 mm. deep ) .

Hoping your following this Jeff , but if I haven't made myself clear please ask again. A picture being worth a thousand words

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[jeffhigh]

Thanks Craig, that's perfectly clear.

[Paul B]

That's awesome Kiwi, Again

Can't believe you'd use the new formula hard shellac. I've heard good reports about the new stuff, but have been waiting to see it on somebody else's guitar. So thanks

You should see the guitar I used the old formula on, real bad now. But I can't post a pic or even refinish it as my daughter won't give it back. I guess it must sound good even if it looks crappy. Dunno how it became hers...

I like everything about this guitar, I've got a couple sets of that pomelle stuff too, looks good under finish doesn't it. That adjustable neck turned out a treat.

What's next?

[Craig]

That's awesome Kiwi, Again

Can't believe you'd use the new formula hard shellac. I've heard good reports about the new stuff, but

G'day Paul ! Yes I know I swore to never try hard shellac again after suffering crazing and checking from the original formula . Reports from others regarding this new formula have been so encouraging I decided to give it one more shot. Shellac being the least inhibiting of all finishes on soundboard movement along with the beauty of a french polish finish which I feel is second to none , was enough reason for me to do so. It's still fingers crossed here old mate , but because it was applied slowly in the traditional french polish method ( rather than sprayed etc ) I do feel fairly confident.

.

I like everything about this guitar, I've got a couple sets of that pomelle stuff too, looks good under finish doesn't it. That adjustable neck turned out a treat.

What's next?

I bought the wood as Pommele figured African Mahogany Paul . Probably not the easiest wood to bend and work with because of the pommele figuring , but I like the Mahogany sound and the pommele really "popped" under shellac .

Yes , I'm more than thrilled with the adjustable neck. There are loads of advantages and I really do see it as a "Must ". A consistent string height and intonation regardless of climatic conditions . That , and never needing a neck reset. I've also found it incredibly useful with alternate/drop tunings to curb fret slap. Only takes a moment to adjust and no need to slacken the strings or reach through the soundhole etc.

What's next ? haven't completely decided yet . Maybe a classical ??? .

[Paul B]

Yeah, my pomelle stuff was sapelle from Don whatshisface over at the OLF. My first set bent pretty easy.

I've finally got set up with spray gear and actually got some durobond guitar lacquer and thinners and was all set to go, but now I've got to relocate my entire workshop, damn it. I'll get there, but this latest build has got to be the slowest in history!