MIMF

I built mine 25 years ago at a cost of under $250. I've made over 100 guitars with it. I find it incredibly useful. Each 1/2 turn of the screws changes the thickness by .05mm. It doesn't have an automatic feed and I prefer the additional control this provides. Sander~01.jpg Sander~02.jpg Sander~03.j...

It's hard for me to imagine how one could radius the sides and attach them to a flat upper bout. It would make more sense to me if the sides were made perfectly flat This would require the top to be "forced " a little. Alternately one could make a fully domed top and sides. When I do this,...

If you're depending on your business for a living and you do not keep your books in accordance with GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Practises) and review them at least quarterly you are a recipe for potential financial failure. Proper accounting is truthful, logical and most importantly, informa...

I completely agree with Al.. Our guitar society has brought in 4 to 5 internationally known guitarists every year for the past 20 years and I've heard every one of their guitars both in the concert hall and the smaller room we use for master classes. Included in these were all of the GFA winners ove...

Damman's guitars are very loud. They are also known for lack of sustain and a tone that is described in terms like "nasal", "artificial", "disorienting", "off putting" and so forth. Guitars like Damman"s (Double Top) and/or Smallman"s (ultra thin top...

Hi Matt, A responsive top is the main objective in the quest for volume, tone and projection. But you are on the right track regarding energy dissipation. The answers can be found in construction of the back and sides, particularly the sides. Dense rigid linings will help a lot. I use 3 X 2.5 mm lam...

I've built more than 20 guitars with lutz tops with never a problem. It's better to work with than some of the softer spruces like Engelmann although I don't really have any problems with that either. One thing I've been doing for a few years is finish sanding my tops across the grain starting with ...

For my last 60 or so guitars, I cut mine on a table saw. My blanks are 3" wide and I use a 10" cabinet blade. Results in a perfect joint every time.

I've french polished over 80 guitars now. For me, the end game is when I have built a good and reasonably level body. Then I wet sand with a hard rubber block, 800 grit wet and dry paper and mineral spirits. What I want is a very smooth opaque surface and not going through to the wood anywhere. Them...

Yes a crowning file. Can I ground a concave in a piece of brass and use emery cloth in the concave cut? I have done almost exactly that but instead of grinding a concave I just drilled a hole through the brass and then cut the end off through the center of the hole. I then tapered the end as shown....

Exquisite work. I built my 100th in 2012. Spruce top, 40 year old flitch matched Brazilian Back/Sides, Spanish Cedar Neck. The client named it "Assegai" as the pattern on the back resembled the hand made blade of an assegai which is a short handled spear used by the Zulu's in their wars du...

I would imagine he takes this approach for anything with a single action adjustable truss rod.

This is very interesting. Many luthiers (including myself) have been baking top wood especially wood that may not have been seasoned for a long time. This usually involves clamping the wood between slats (similar to stickering) and baking it for an hour at 200 degrees. During this process some of th...

I've not run across Gulf Cypress before but in looking at your photos it looks as though there it may be more colorful than most "yellow" cypress types. It also appears to have a much wider grain. I would certainly look at it for backs/sides in flamenco guitars.

I've used full height purfling on all of my guitars over the past 32 years. That being said the most complicated I've ever used was four lines on the top and three on the back.

Hey Murray. Clay's approach to the Classical is exactly what I have done (and would do in this case). The needle and thread idea for attaching the cleats to the cracked top is something I haven't heard of but it makes perfect sense to me.

Mick

Hey Mark. That's a really tasty piece of work there. Congratulations.

Mick

Hey Murray. Oh yeah, I've done that one. Recovery is not as difficult as one might think. Any of these ideas should work just fine. I used the steam iron approach myself.

Mick

Very interesting instrument, and superb realization. What kind of thicknesses for that top would be my question. Congratulations. I also love El Choclo. Do you know Roland Dyens (one of our leading guitar players) interpretation of that standard on You Tube? Hi Alain, Thanks for your kind words. Th...

Don Penniman wrote:An incredible piece of rosewood and incredible craftsmanship that makes the most of it!

I like the bridge design -- different but not distracting.

This bridge design was developed by John Gilbert, a very successful and internationally known American luthier from the 80's and 90's.