MIMF

stick dulcimer.jpg Stick dulcimers might be another possibility. I build them with Formica back and sides, "A" grade spruce that doesn't pass the runout test or western red cedar from the lumber yard, walnut (or other hardwood) necks with the frets pressed into the neck (no separate finge...

You could buy two sets and have 4 left over (for a ukulele, tenor guitar, dulcimer) or buy three sets and have 10 left over for a cittern. Happy building!

If you built an arch top you wouldn't have to worry about the "peel strength" of redwood.

Love the paint job! Ukes are fun little instruments to build and play- an instrument that doesn't have to be taken "seriously", but can be.

Hi Robert, Whenever I have a question about a wood I have no experience with I consult the online Wood Database. For Anigre here is their listing: https://www.wood-database.com/anigre/ The listings give a description of the wood and its physical properties and it's common uses, workability, and toxi...

For an all around type router I like the Porter Cable 690. It takes both 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch collets, can use either a fixed or plunge base, and is reasonably powerful but not too large or heavy. You can still find them (and accessories) on the used market. My favorite small router is the Rockwell...

Hi Rob, When I "level" the fretboard, I do somewhat as you suggest - I start by lightly filing the frets, and as those nearest the nut are "leveled" I move the file (or sanding beam) down the fret board. I don't mind if the over all effect is to give the fret plane a tiny bit of ...

If you can find a 1/4 inch skip tooth blade (3tpi) it might cut thick stock a little easier because the extra gullet space allows the saw dust to have a place to go.

Hi Alan,
I use a single 10-24 socket head cap screw low down in the heel to hold the neck on steel string guitars so it should work fine for classicals and weigh much less than a couple of 1/4 -20 bolts many people use.

You might want to check the runout on the boards before you mill them for guitar tops.

They make polishing cloths for woodwind instruments that might work:
https://www.westmusic.com/band-orchestr ... ish-cloths

Perhaps a good opportunity to try your hand at a sunburst finish (if it's out near the perimeter)? +1 on the sunburst idea!. If it is not near the perimeter you could do a "black face" or painted top. Many glues can be dissolved or softened with solvents - water, vinegar, acetone, lacquer...

Congratulations on the new addition Matthew! No help on the bass hardware, except to say most of the cheaper Chinese made stuff i have used is usually of "lighter construction". I have also bought some Chinese made stuff that is good quality and still priced competitively but not uber cheap.

I've glued and bent three layers of veneer of that thickness using West system epoxy and a solid block type bending form and a lot of clamps. The epoxy resin "wets out" the veneer enough to make it pliable to bend. I use matched veneers reglued in the same order they were sawn. With clear ...

Very nice looking guitar. What made you decide to go with 7 strings?

Hi Matthew,
Congratulations on the new Family! What type (size, model) of guitar does your wife desire?
For a steel string guitar, X braced guitars of the Martin designs are hard to go too far wrong with. P.M. me if I can be of any help to you.

You can buy Rust-Oleum clear gloss acrylic lacquer in a spray can from Home Depot or Walmart for $11 or pay $15.50 to Amazon and combine it with something else to get "Free" shipping. When Amazon can't gouge the manufacturer they just up the price to the consumer to cover the "free&qu...

That is a very nice looking dulcimer. The only persimmon I had was a very unimpressive plain looking sand color with a few black dots.

Try to fix one small syntactic mistake and that's what you get!

The pins are set to the compensation. They are supposed to be at the leading edge of the saddle toward the nut. The pins are on the other side of the saddle. The saddle slot is 1/8” wide so the bridge is over that distance too far forward. Thanks, -Eric Keep in mind that the pins usually mark the &...