Another Stinkin Guitar......

[Hesh1956]

Hi Folks!

Yesterday I finished another guitar and thought that I would share some pics with my ANZLF friends.

This is an OM sized guitar with a 25.4" scale. The specs are below:

Back and sides: Cuban Mahogany from Uncle Bob aka: Zootman
Top: Carpathian spruce also from Uncle Bob
Bindings, rosette, heel cap, bridge pins, but wedge: BRW
Purfling: B/EIRW/B 10/20/10
Bracing: Adi
Weight: 3 pounds 12 ounces

Special thanks to Joe White of Sunset Finishing for his superb Cat Poly finish!!!

This guitar was started nearly a year ago and got lost in the shuffle when I moved and had a million things to do, including building a new shop. This guitar is also special to me because it was kind of like a final exam in as much as it was the mule for a set-up class that I took with David Collins. Most of the set-up David did and he did a superb job, as always, while I took notes and learned some new tricks - many new tricks.... Notice too that the fret wire has a slight gold cast to it. David suggested that we use this wire because of the gold tuners, browns and gold of the mahogany and spruce and I am very pleased with the results.

So I'll shut the heck up now and show some pics. Sorry no sound clip since I am a crappy player and not willing to subject you all to Smoke On The Water again......

But the guitar sounds great, very warm and mellow and it is currently set-up for finger style with a very low action but it will flat pick fine too so long as it's not Pete Townshend wielding the pic....

Also - please excuse the lousy pics - it's still winter here even though today was very warm but the light is funky....

















Thanks for looking!

[Nick]

Mmmmmm Melted cheese there Hesh! Love the rosette, so clean & simple looking & I like the grain on the carpathian too, nice visible grain that is spaced out further than some people consider 'ideal'. Personally I love (I have a Martin OOO with similar grain) this type of top it has character & can sometimes look better than the fine master grade stuff. All topped off with a gorgeous piece of cuban Mahogany to finish off the meal.
:serg :serg :serg

[kiwigeo]

Nice guitar Heshie....I take it this is the reason we havent heard from you for some time??

[Bob Connor]

Beautiful work Hesh. It must be satisfying getting this one finished after having dealt with it for so long.

If I remember correctly this was to be a gift for a friend.

Any chance of a close-up of the fret ends so I can see how David deals with them.

[Allen]

Isn't it Colin's signature that says he keeps reaching for the Mahogany. Now I know why. That set is just to die for. Very nice work as always Hesh.

Are the classes over, and we can expect to see some more of you?

[DarwinStrings]

Smooth as silk Hesh. Nice bit of stripe in the mahogany and that bridge is well refined, I guess I have never seen your instruments before as I chuckled at the 'Heshtone' brand.

Jim

[Lillian]

Nicely done Hesh. Like Bob, I don't think you could build an ugly guitar if you tried. Hope you are pleased with it, 'cuz you should be especially if it sounds half as good as it looks.

Its nice to see you back too. You were missed.

[Ron Wisdom]

Another winner, Hesh!! Fine looking instrument and that finish IS great. It's also great to see you posting again.

Ron

[Taffy Evans]

Very nice Hesh, nice clean lines and very apealying back and sides. And the workmanships not too shabby either.
Thanks for showing.

[Stephen Kinnaird]

Hesh, that's a beaut!
Your Uncle treated you nicely, didn't he?
Wonderful stuff there, mate.

Steve

[kiwigeo]

Nicely done Hesh. Like Bob, I don't think you could build an ugly guitar if you tried.

Yes a fine guitar builder but we still have work to do in regards to his dress sense. Hes probablly sitting in his workshop right now in his purple shorts bending sides on a hot iron.

[sebastiaan56]

More complimentary remarks from me as well Hesh. That Mahogany is to lust for. Did you do hemispherical fret ends? More seriously, the neck lamination, structural, aesthetic or both?

[Dominic]

Nice one Heshster. I have only had good outcomes using Carpathian Spruce. Lovely CM also. Nice clean lines. Must be good to back in the game.
Cheers
Dom

[Hesh1956]

Many. many thanks my friends!!!

I am on a fast track to get out of here and go to work today so no time to take any more photos but I will do so later this evening and try to catch the fret ends.

Fret ends are kind of like a DNA signature for builders and repair folks so this one does not have David's fret ends on it and he does not use hemispherical ends either. I'll take some pics and post them later.

I DO hope to be posting more and would like to be posting more here too now.

More to come and thanks again.

[jjh]

Good job hesh, now I know why you've not been posting as much recently keep up the good work

[Kim]

Hesh,

This is a great looking guitar, full of the the quality and class we have come to expect from Heshtone Guitars. Better than the guitar however is the fact that your new workshop is now finished and you are once again productive and ready to share your fine work with us all.

Cheers

Kim

[WaddyT]

WOW, Hesh, that is a killer. Pretty good for a stale project and an out of practice builder. No surprises though. We only expect the best from your shop.

[Dennis Leahy]

Hey, that looks pretty good for "another stinking guitar." Are you getting bored building guitars? Maybe try a classical or a harp or a parlor or a zook or a uke or a banjo or something to spark you up!

Dennis

[sebastiaan56]

I vote for a banjo!

[ozziebluesman]

Beautiful guitar Hesh. The mahog shimmers.

Thank you for sharing the pics

Cheeras

Alan

[kiwigeo]

I vote for a banjo!

Youre banned mate!!

[Hesh1956]

I vote for a banjo!

Youre banned mate!!

Sebastiaan my friend being banned is not all that bad.....

Hey John (JJH) great to see you here M8!!!

OK here are some more pics of the set-up etc. My macro photography skills are a little rusty so please excuse the fuzzy pics.

First here are some pics of my nuts.....





And here are some pics of the fret work and fret ends:







I like to build in .010 - .020 fall away measured at the last fret at the sound hole. This guitar came in at about .015 - me, I'm not proud....



And here is my stinkin bridge, ebony, with some BRW 3 degree, unslotted bridge pins. The nut and saddle are unbleached bone which I think polishes up very nicely:



Again David Collins gets all the credit and I get all the blame....

Thanks for looking!

[sebastiaan56]

I love looking at your nuts hesh, always so shiny!

[Nick]

First here are some pics of my nuts.....

Only two places could you get away with saying that Hesh, and when talking to another Luthier is one of them

Nice fret job too Is that the EVO fretwire that LMI sells?

[Hesh1956]

Thanks guys!

Nick my friend this fret wire is not the same as the LMI EVO wire and no longer available. My understanding is that it was a one-off that was specifically made for one very large client to the client's specs.

It contains 2% titanium and is slightly harder than 18% nickel wire but not nearly as hard, or as tough on tools to work, as stainless wire.

It was a joy to use in as much as it cuts and files well and as you can see polishes up very well too.

Originally I was not at all keen to use gold wire but this wire has a very subtle gold look to it that is more of an amber cast than a bright gold look. I was talked into using it and I have to agree that it was a great suggestion.

Thanks again everyone!