I had been planning on getting started with an acoustic build since the completion of the thin line Telecaster I built in 2011 but got delayed due to the construction of a new workshop. No more working in a freezing cold shed for me! I now have a fully insulated workshop it maybe a little on the small side, but compared to what I had before, I’m more than content.
As I was gearing up to start the build, the Official Luthiers Forum, decided to run a Newbie build competition so I decided it was time to get on with things so duly signed up.
I am very keen to try and utilise Native and reclaimed woods in my builds, there are many suitable English woods that are suitable for instrument building, so I have decided to try and use only British grown wood for the competition build.
So far my plan is as follows.
Model – English Cherry small bodied guitar
Back & Sides – English Cherry
Soundboard – European (Alpine) Spruce – The only part I wont be able to source locally.
Bracing – European Spruce
Neck – English Sycamore
Fretboard – Bog Oak
Bridge – Bog Oak
Binding – English Walnut
Rosette – Cherry with Black, Pear, Black purfling
A more in depth build thread can be found on the OLF forum here so rather than duplicating content, bellow you can see a series of pictures charting progress to date.
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- English Cherry for back and sides
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- Back
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- 3500 year old Bog Oak!
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- Close up of the English Cherry back
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- English Sycamore for the neck sourced from the Ickworth Estate
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- Planing the soundboard to thickness
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- Planing the soundboard to thickness
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- Clamping up the neck scarf joint
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- Completed Scarf Joint
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- Gluing on the back braces
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- Back braced
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- Home made rosette cutter
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- Rosette cut out
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- Rosette Installed
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- Soundboard bracing
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- Gluing on the kerffed linings
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- Back brace glue up
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- Bracing the soundboard
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- Soundboard bracing
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- Soundboard bracing
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- The box is closed
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- Back
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- English Walnut Binding
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- Side View
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- Side on with binding
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- Mock up with bridge taped on
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- Mockup
