MIMF

Not really much extra work. I made a couple of archtops using Benedetto's book, and his technique of buying flat sawn curly maple 1 inch boards, cutting out three neck profiles, and gluing them together. On a current project, I bought some 2 inch thick curly maple, and had to cut a scarf joint to ma...

A long time ago, I started buying Bridge City Tool Company tools. I then joined the Founder's Circle and got on an automatic purchase plan where they sent me every tool they made with my initials and special serial number engraved on the tool. While almost all of these tools are beautiful and very h...

Bryan, that is a killer sounding and very beautiful guitar! Congratulations. Have you checked out Robbie O'Brien's French polishing course (he also may have some free videos on his YouTube channel). He uses Royal Lac, and he does a very fast French polish finish, that always looks great - he has to,...

Sounds like something Google translate might come up with. Maybe they were, as Mario noted, trying to up-market the instrument, and were trying to say that it was a higher or better grade of spruce, and ran it through Google translate, and that it was came out. For fun, my daughter likes to take the...

Beautiful. Lovely ebony!

Beautiful work, love the cherry back!

Brian. I was confused too. I did a bit of research on StewMac, and realized that this is a low profile two way truss rod. So, it is narrower than a regular Allen head truss rod, where the adjustment nut is the same width as the rod assembly. On these low profile rods, the rod assembly is narrower th...

Smith Epoxy is specially formulated for oily woods. I believe it is a bit thinner and will soak into the pores of the wood better to create a better bond with the wood. Of course, as you are already doing, wiping off the surface oils with acetone right before glue up will also help.

This thread has sort of gone from inlay to radiusing, but no worries. Years ago, I built a cradle that held the fretboard in place and had radiused guides that you attached to a holder that carried the router and then you ran the holder up and down the cradle moving it from side to side. It is big a...

If you can't find what you need at DePaul Supply, he can also make it for you, for a small fee. I have sent them drawings, and they digitize them, and turn them into inlays. Very good work, for a reasonable price. They are very good to deal with.

Beautiful work. Would love to hear a sound sample.

I have no idea how to do this, but I do know the EMG has fantastic customer service. I purchased a pickup and headphone amp from them, and I called them to ask how to wire it up, and somebody in customer service drew out a diagram and emailed it to me. You might start there, as they probably know th...

I've got the Bartlett Guitars plans for the '59. I just did the route for the cavities last weekend. Came out great. The problem is that I am out of town right now and can't tell you exactly what the plans say. I will be home Thursday, and can let you know then. If memory serves me, the bridge was 3...

As well as using silicone caulk, as Bob does, I always install the two way truss rod a bit below the top face of the neck, and glue a spline to the top. I use any scrap of wood lying around, but it is usually mahogany. When you glue it in, you put a spring clamp at each end and one in the middle, wh...

Jim, I know this post is pretty old, but did you ever sell the SATA minijet?

Brian, I am a bit confused by your last post. You said that your research indicated that the Brite Tone chemically bonds itself to previous coats, but EM6000 does not. However, you then noted that one of the touted benefits of EM6000 is that subsequent coats will burn-in, or chemically bond with pre...

A lot of really good builders who use hide glue just use 192 gram strength for everything. The 192 will make a bond that is stronger than the wood, so that is all you would really need. However, some also use the glue in the range of 200 or the 315 for gluing bridges to acoustic guitars, and that sh...

Thanks for all the tips. I have got a bunch of scraps so I will do some tests and see what I like best.

I am strictly water based finished in my shop. I will be using an Aqua Coat grain filler, and am trying a new water based lacquer, Brite-Tone. The Aqua Coat is supposed to help pop the grain. I'll do a bunch of samples to see what looks best.

Tom Bills talked about this in one of his recently monthly webinars for The Luthier's Edge. Tom switched to French polish many years ago. He said he can get a sort of very subtle burst effect by using a darker shellac in the French polish bodying process over several coats, all around the edge. Howe...