Going to build a new "old" guitar

[Jason]

[Eben]

Grant, you never cease to amaze and delight, and I’m not blowing smoke!

[whitespruce]

Taking a much needed break from the metal working. I will be posting the fabrication of the Stauffer style turners as a separate thread as soon as I get all of the photos organized.

In the meantime, I glued together the top plates and started working on the soundhole rosette. Martin guitars from the 1830's have a rather elaborate pattern mostly consisting of MOP and abalone crescent and trifoil shapes set in a black mastic. Here is the one from the first guitar we are replicating. Others from the period are similar.

IMG_7493.JPG

I could find no commercially available precut shapes, so had to cut my own. The crescents are cut from 9/16" MOP dots, the trifoil shapes, abalone cut from scratch.

IMG_7494.JPG

Here are the cutouts laid out on the pattern. I plan to install them tomorrow, and will use black, medium-thick CA for the background filler.

IMG_7496.JPG

Thanks for looking,

g

[difalkner]

That, in and of itself, is going to be a pretty cool rosette that if executed even half as well as the metal work will be fantastic! Can't wait to see it, Grant.

[DavidC]

Wow! The rosette looks fantastic, Grant.

[whitespruce]

Thanks, everybody. Here it is finished.

IMG_7508.JPG

g

[difalkner]

Looks excellent, Grant - good job!

[dgimcmillan]

Thanks, everybody. Here it is finished.
IMG_7508.JPG

g

Wow! Just wow!

You are obviously a Master!

I’m finding this very inspiring, Grant!


Ian