MIMF

Hello, Folks.

Here is my third guitar. It's definitely better than 1 and 2 so I think I might be making progress. This was the first guitar I've played with a side port and I like it. All of my future guitars will have one. Here are the specs:

- Sitka Spruce top
- Black Walnut back and sides
- Black Walnut neck
- Ebony fretboard, headstock veneer, and bridge
- Katalox binding
- Tagua Nut inlays

Thanks for all the help and support, I'm on to number 4 (and 5, and 6...).

-Eric


(More pics in comments.)

As always, I love any and all feedback. The learning process is a long one, eh?

-Eric

Looks great, Eric. I like the nice large radius on the binding. Should be comfortable to hold.

That's a great looking guitar Eric. A couple more and you'll be carrying the torch!

Barry Daniels wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 8:33 pm Looks great, Eric. I like the nice large radius on the binding. Should be comfortable to hold.

Thank you, Barry. It is very comfortable. To achieve that radius I ended up using two layers of the Katalox binding. One thick layer wouldn't bend without cracking. That made gluing it on a bit of a challenge but it worked.

-Eric

Darrel Friesen wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 9:09 pm That's a great looking guitar Eric. A couple more and you'll be carrying the torch!

Thank you, Darrel. That is a very nice thing to say. I'm going to keep building until I can't. I wish I had started when I was a lot younger but life had other plans.

-Eric

That looks great! Traditional looking yet with a few interesting features, like the sideport, the bigger binding, the headstock, really nice.
Beautiful top also.

I also like that significant round-over on the binding. Beautiful work.

Jarno Verhoeven wrote: ↑Thu Apr 11, 2024 7:34 am That looks great! Traditional looking yet with a few interesting features, like the sideport, the bigger binding, the headstock, really nice.
Beautiful top also.

Thank you, Jarno. I've had that top wood for about 40 years. The board is big enough to make 8 or 9 guitars. It sounds good to my ears too. I'm happy it's like that after hanging on to it and hoping for so long.

-Eric

Karl Wicklund wrote: ↑Thu Apr 11, 2024 1:26 pm I also like that significant round-over on the binding. Beautiful work.

Thank you, Karl. That thick binding was more work but I really like the results. I will probably do that again on future builds.

-Eric

Lovely! Congratulations!

Jim McConkey wrote: ↑Thu Apr 11, 2024 2:17 pm Lovely! Congratulations!

Thank you, Jim!

-Eric

Great job! I really like Black Walnut for the back and sides for the dreadnoughts I have built. Affordable, locally sourced and attractive.

I like the way you "celebrated" the sap wood on the back. What did you use for a pore filler? I've been using an ebony powder mixed with thinned Titebond glue as a homemade paste filler.

Mike Conner wrote: ↑Fri Apr 12, 2024 9:30 am Great job! I really like Black Walnut for the back and sides for the dreadnoughts I have built. Affordable, locally sourced and attractive.

Thanks, Mike!

The walnut in this guitar was indeed locally sourced. It came from a Wisconsin Black Walnut tree. I intend to use as much reclaimed and found wood as I can when making future guitars. I have enough walnut alone to make more guitars than I'm probably capable of.

Mike Conner wrote: ↑Fri Apr 12, 2024 9:30 amI like the way you "celebrated" the sap wood on the back. What did you use for a pore filler? I've been using an ebony powder mixed with thinned Titebond glue as a homemade paste filler.

I used WEST System epoxy as a filler. I didn't completely fill all the pores, I like to see and feel the wood grain. That epoxy also has the right index of refraction and makes the wood glow beautifully.

-Eric

Looking real good, Eric. Such nice detailing. I like the local wood idea too and have made a couple from wood off my property here, White Oak, Ponderosa Pine and Manzanita.

Carl Dickinson wrote: ↑Fri Apr 12, 2024 2:51 pm Looking real good, Eric. Such nice detailing. I like the local wood idea too and have made a couple from wood off my property here, White Oak, Ponderosa Pine and Manzanita.

Thank you, Carl. What have you made with the Manzanita?

-Eric

I us it for fretboards, bridges, binding and other trim parts. It's hard to find logs long and straight enough to come up with 32" pieces.