Binding done

Binding and the tool to get it done

Jyrki's guitar has hit the binding state in the factory.

Rosewood/spruce is getting curly koa binding and a herringbone purfling for the top. To route the ledge for the purling and binding, I've made a little tool that I spotted a pic of somewhere. With this kind of fixture it's a breeze to cut safely and exactly the amount needed to accommodate the trims. Much easier compared to any and held device. Strongly recommended!

The Manzer Wedge visible, plus to my eye a nice maple/koa end graft detail. 

Simple but efficient

Top to the rim

It's funny how a hobby can be so rewarding. Seeing an acoustic guitar coming together piece by piece, brings such a joy to my esthetic eye. Knowing it was I whose hands and effort made it happen, makes the feeling even better. I'm humbled and privileged to have the opportunity to work with these things. Thank you, Heavenly Father! Thank you, my dearest wife! Thank you friends who have asked me to build a guitar for you!

Jyrki's guitar got it's top and sides glued together today. The body is going to have two additions to the "ordinary" double O -style:

First, there's my interpretation of the Manzer Wedge shape, making the body thinner at the bass side and thicker at the treble side, thus making the guitar more comfortable to hold and play. In a small guitar like this, it wouldn't be utterly necessary, but as I build the 00's some 10mm deeper than Martin, the slight wedgines makes a difference for the rib cage in longer sessions.

Second, there's a soundport on the upper bout of the bass side, making the guitar project towards the player's ears too. 

Not much in this pic. Only pressure. The four cam clamps I got
 from Bauhaus are awesome! Light and handy. 

The inside view.  Side kerfing is mahogany, side "bracing"
western red cedar. 

There's propably still homework to do
 with symmetry. But I'm approaching...
This one's a lot better try than #1#.

Bracing&bending

Having three guitars under construction at the same time, means there's lots of repeating the same phases over and over again.
Now I have three pieces of sides bent (one rim glued together), three more waiting to be done, plus one and a half top and two backs braced.

Cocobolo side for Jouni's guitar setting in its mold

The x-brace glued down to Jouni's guitar

Jyrki's sides before the tail and neck block are glued down. The neck block is mahogany, glued with three directions of grain. Will never crack. The end block is Finnish birch plywood - just like Santa Cruz's!

Ovankol, Rosewood spruce

Some progress has happened again. Slowly but surely pieces come together.
I started a new project (Koskela #8#) because there was some wood lying around the shop. This might be a H13 (check out Santa Cruz -site) style 13-fretter with beautiful ovankol b/s and eurospruce top.

In addition, some side bending (rosewood) and brace shaving has taken place too.