Just completed - purpleheart and maple

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Andy Bounsall
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Just completed - purpleheart and maple

Post by Andy Bounsall »

This is one of two guitars that I've been working on over the winter and the first to be completed. Body is purpleheart and curly maple. Sitka spruce top. Curly maple neck. Ebony fingerboard and bridge. Scale length is 24.75". The customer is a young woman who loves purple, hence the choice of woods. I did attempt to impart a bit more of a feminine look with the pink and purple purfling as well as the MOP-like tuner buttons. She has two cats that she adores so I added a couple of cat paws at the 12th fret.

It's always a treat to string up a new guitar for the first time and hear what it sounds like. I'm happy to report that this one, surprisingly, sounds pretty much like a guitar!

Enough talk. On with the photos...
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Andy Bounsall
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Re: Just completed - purpleheart and maple

Post by Andy Bounsall »

...and a few more...
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Bob Francis
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Re: Just completed - purpleheart and maple

Post by Bob Francis »

Really nice Andy!
Those sides look like ribbon candy.
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Bryan Bear
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Re: Just completed - purpleheart and maple

Post by Bryan Bear »

Well done! I’m sure she’ll be pleased.
PMoMC

Take care of your feet and your feet will take care of you.
Andy Bounsall
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Re: Just completed - purpleheart and maple

Post by Andy Bounsall »

Thanks for the kind words.

You might remember that a few months ago I posted some pics about the access hole designed into the tail block of this guitar. Now that it's completed, I thought I should post some details about how the access panel / plug is secured.

The guitar has a JJB surface mount pickup installed. The endpin jack is attached to a short aluminum bar that spans the access hole in the tail block. The jack is fed through a hole in the square maple "plug". When the nut on the jack is tightened it pulls the plug in, securing the block and almost invisibly covering the access hole.
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Barry Daniels
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Re: Just completed - purpleheart and maple

Post by Barry Daniels »

Very well done!
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Gordon Bellerose
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Re: Just completed - purpleheart and maple

Post by Gordon Bellerose »

Very nice! The colors are really well done.
The purfling sets it all off nicely.

That access hole is a great idea; I remember that thread.
I need your help. I can't possibly make all the mistakes myself!
Matthew Lau
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Re: Just completed - purpleheart and maple

Post by Matthew Lau »

nice execution.

Would you worry about splitting at the rosette hole?
Andy Bounsall
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Re: Just completed - purpleheart and maple

Post by Andy Bounsall »

Matthew Lau wrote:Would you worry about splitting at the rosette hole?
Yes, that's a potential concern. Not shown in the photos I posted of this guitar, but a thin veneer layer would be glued on the underside of the soundboard around the sound hole area. Photo below is actually of a different guitar but with similar sound hole layout.
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Gilbert Fredrickson
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Re: Just completed - purpleheart and maple

Post by Gilbert Fredrickson »

Purple Heart really works well with the Maple, especially the neck. Nice.
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Dick Hutchings
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Re: Just completed - purpleheart and maple

Post by Dick Hutchings »

What a great design!
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Christ Kacoyannakis
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Re: Just completed - purpleheart and maple

Post by Christ Kacoyannakis »

Beautiful work. Would love to hear a sound sample.
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