L-1 Gibson Build

[Joe Sustaire]

As a country blues lover, this has been on my build list for a long time. I'm using a body tracing that I got from Rod True of a 1927 Nick Lucas L-1 and a set of plans that John Steele from ANZLF drew up and sent me. Big thanks guys!


I'm using a lutz spruce top with a simple rosette using some b/maple/b purfling that I made up some time back.




And an inlaid ivoroid sound-hole binding like Haans uses on his Larkins Bros. builds.

And I'm also going with an oak back.


But the sides are african mahogany, since the matching squirrelly grained sides only wanted to crack.



Birch ply tail-block, black walnut neck block, traditional kerfed lining that I made, and ribbon side reinforcements set in hhg.


Pretty standard back bracing.

And now to the top bracing. These were braced many different ways, from ladder bracing, to V bracing, to X bracing. So since there was really no standard on these I decided it would be good to try Haans's latest bracing brainstorm, the X brace/ladder combination. The idea being to combine X bracing's stability with ladder bracing's sound quality.

Here it is all carved down, and I tell you it's tapping good. You might just be onto something here Haans!
I try to only steal from the best!

Thanks,
Joe

[Jim]

That's a beautiful oak back! Too bad the sides wouldn't bend propely. But I think a simple mahogany will go well with the back. I've often wondered why builders almost always (if not truly always) build with sides and back from the same woods.

Jim

[Haans]

Hey now!
Good start guy...
That oak can be a little tough to bend when it's got a lot of rays. Got to be pretty QS, and did you use SS2 before bending, Joe? Really helps...
Hope the bracing works out for ya. I'm half way through bracing the new 12 with the ladder-X.
And no worries anyone trying it...I ain't got the trademark on nothin' AND I steal enough from everybody else too. I just don't think anyone can make a truly original anything anymore. There's too many of us ants on this planet.

[michael]

Hey Joe,
That's a good looking start. I'm anxious to hear how that bracing sounds. I'm starting a new Mohogany b/s Sitka top and would like to do something unusual.
Mike

[Fred Blom]

Nice beginnings, Joe. I'm always excited to see how your builds come together. Already the "Sustaire Elegance" is shining through. Let it keep on shining.

[DaveAnderson]

Sweeet oak there Joe.- Shes looking real good so far!

[Brian Itzkin]

That Oak is incredibly striking, I can't wait to see what this guitar will look like. I hope you do a hand rubbed burst like the originals have

The L-1 is one of the best guitars ever IMHO,

[Rod True]

Looking great Joe! So happy to see another one of these in the works. I really want to make another one soon, but with redwood for the top, haven't decided the back yet. Keep us posted.

Oh, are you going 12 fret or 14 fret to the body? What scale you going with too....