Construction Steps

  • Layout Parts
  • Ribbon Lining
  • End-Piece Set
  • Guitar Top
  • Top Bracing
  • Guitar Back
  • Back Bracing
  • Attaching the Back
  • Attaching the Top
  • Edge Bindings
  • Fitting the Neck
  • Truss Rod
  • Fingerboard
  • Fretting
  • Fitting the Nut
  • Grain Filling
  • Lacquering
  • Attaching the Neck
  • Attaching the Bridge
  • Saddle and Nut
  • Set Up .. it's Done!

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     

     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


     


    		•

    Carol's Stringed Instrument Construction

    Here is her building Acoustic Guitars and Mandolins

    Rosewood Guitar Construction:

    This is a Martin D-28 style Guitar" being built by my lovely apprentice and sister in-law, Carol.

    Although new to guitar building, Carol is a fast learner and quite the craftsman ....er..... crafts-WOMAN, or CRAFTS-PERSON.

    Carol may soon be building more exotic handmade acoustic guitars under the name of "Gee-String Guitars".

    We will post pic's here, of some of the major steps of building this, and her next instruments.

     


    Carol laying out the "X" Braces for the top

     


    "Dry run" fitting the X braces

     


    Trimming ends of X braces

     


    Top ready to glue on

     


    Dry run of top fit

     


    Making sure it's closed

     


    Gluing the top on

     


    Top is "clamped" with stretchable cord

     


    This step takes time!

     


    Carol trimming top to sides

     


    "overhang" is cut off

     


    Carol uses the router "freehand"

     


    Sanding edges flush

     


    Cutting ledge for "herringbone"

     


    Dremmel works great for this!

     


    Cutting side binding channel

     


    Laying out end pin binding

     


    Trying to be careful ... OOPS!

     


    Routing channel for end pin binding

     


    Scraping side binding flush with sides

     


    Trimming the neck tenon

     


    This is the most important step!

     


    Carol has a very good eye!

     


    Very critical cut

     


    Everything is double checked

     


    Chiseling the relief

     


    Sharp chisel a must

     


    Final sanding of the neck tenon

     


    Just a little more pitch angle

     


    "dry" fit

     


    The neck all glued up

     


    Making alignment pins for fingerboard

     


    Trimming fingerboard to width

     


    Joining fingerboard edges

     


    Routing relief for fingerboard

     


    Taping over truss rod channel

     


    Gluing fingerboard

     


    Fingerboard clamp up


    Bridge glue-up

     


    Clamp real tight!

     


    Clamps and caul for bridge glue-up

     


    Gluing Rosewood peghead veneer

     


    Here Carol is inlaying the Abalone inlays she previously cut out

     


    Quite a beautiful and elaborate pattern involving stars, the sun and moon

     


    Her artistic flair is only surpassed by her craftsmanship!

     


    Installing the frets. Cutting excess fret wire off

     


    She frets like a pro!

     


    All the frets went down perfect!

     


    ... And she never hit her fingers!

     


    This will get 15 coats of nitrocellulose high-gloss lacquer

     

    Finally! The finished Instrument!


    Note the "Shooting Stars" inlays

     


    This is the "Sun, Moon and Stars" inlay group

     


    Black pearl or MOTS (Mother-of-toilet-seat) pickguard

     


    All strung up

     


    Carol, the proud owner/builder

     


    Safely in it's soft hardshell case

     


     

    Acoustic Mandolin Construction:

    Below is the "prototype" that Carol designed with the help of John Stoneman (Stoneman Guitars). After the prototype was quite successful, Carol started a "batch" of 10 Acoustic Mandolins. They are basically a modified "A" style, but with a wider bout and a little deeper, the have a louder, fuller, full range sound.

    The prototype was mahogany with a sunburst finish on it. The batch of 10 will have various woods and finishes.

    They ARE available! List Price will be around $999.00 and you can purchase one for about $450.00 with a heavy padded gig-bag.


    Gluing the back on

     


    Gluing the top on

     


    The finished Mandolin

     


    The extra heavy padded gig bag

     


    Here Carol is putting truss rod channels in the necks of the batch of 10 Acoustic Mandolins:


    All the necks in this "batch" are hard (or Rock) maple.

     


    Routing the channels on the router table.

     

      ....Be sure to read the Humidity Page .... This is VERY IMPORTANT information for everybody who owns a stringed instrument! It's ESPECIALLY important for Dealers and Manufactures ...

     

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