verhoevenc Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 So I figured, since I put this up in GOTM this month, I should probably do a thread on it. Back in 2008 I had just finished my first acoustic, had a couple electrics under my belt, and was completely enamored with David Myka's building (my first guitar was actually my noob's attempt at doing a flat-top lacewood/spruce hollowbody ala the original Dragonfly guitars). After becoming friends over PG he graciously allowed me to come work in his shop for two weeks in the fall. Naturally, as many of us are, I was drawn to his Dragonfly design as well as his carved-top veneering techniques so these were naturally the two skills I set my goals towards learning while out there. David was an amazing host and opened his mind to my prodding and remains a true friend and repository for a wealth of knowledge to me to this day. I can't thank you enough! Some of my best guitar memories take place in his shop in Seattle. Granted, some of his worst are probably from when I was there... like me practicing my amazing Aaron Nevil "I don't know much!" impression (any other Scrub fans out there?) to the point that the song was banned from the shop hahaha. Either way, here's the specs: Top: Blue dyed quilted maple veneered spruce top. The top is carved inside and out and braced with parallel bracing just like an archtop. So this is still a very acoustic instrument. I played some acoustic lead on it while a Martin-Style single-0 flattop did the chord work and it held it's own in volume. Body: Fully hollowed 1-piece black limba bound in snakewood with black/white/black purfling on the top and sides. Neck: Black limba with snakewood fretboard and macassar ebony binding and b/w/b purfling. Headstock: My typical "route down" style done with ebony headplate and flamed maple route-downs. Matching ebony "rat-tail" backstrap. Hardware: Custom made snakewood archtop bridge, snakewood veneered ebony archtop tail-piece, gold knobs, gold Waverly tuners with snakewood buttons, and ebony humbucker rings. It also uses black buffalo horn for the nut and saddle. Electronics: Black alumitone splitable humbuckers. Each has independent volume and tone with push/pull on the tones for coil tapping. 3-way mini toggle selector. One of the coolest things, to me at least, about this build was the choice of pickups. These alumitones are 1/3rd the weight of a traditional pickup and also are "hi-fi" in their sonic range. This is cool because this reduced weight helps free the top to vibrate more as an archtop should. Also, the hi-fi nature of the pickups helps to pick up some of the subtle nuances of the acoustic nature of the instrument that might (I say might cause I haven't tried traditional pickups in this guitar so I can't be sure) have been lost with traditional pickups. I'll post some of the cooler progress pics below so this isn't just a rehash of my GOTM post and is actually a thread worth reading hahahah. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted July 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Here's the guitar's body after the first day of work: Here's the top in the veneer press getting the quilted maple added to the spruce: Here's the inside of the top: Here she is out of the veneer press with the f-hole cut and ready to be glued to the body: Like all good progress threads here's me mocking it up with all the parts... with feet in the picture! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Beautiful guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted July 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 One of my favorite parts is the top! It was my first time using the black-sand-back technique and my second dye job at all (first got sanded off from a bass I made about a year before): And this is how the guitar sat (after 2 weeks of hard work!) for YEARS because I'm lazy when it comes to finishing work: One thing that's kind of funny to note, if you look closely it has a snakewood headplate with an ebony "route-down." Now it has an ebony headplate with a figured maple route-down... after about a year sitting without finish I finally got off my butt and sprayed it. When I was cleaning finish out of the tuner holes so the tuners would fit again I chipped out the snakewood! If anyone's ever work with the stuff you know how it can be! Well, it was bad enough that I had to pull the headplate! Kind of a blessing in disguise because the finished snakewood headplate next to the oiled snakewood fretboard actually looked kind of awkward. However, me being me, I put of the refinish again until now because of this hahaha. And here's the hiking that took place on the weekend Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 I don't suppose you could pm me a price for an exact replica of that beauty with an obeche body and maple laminated neck could ya? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted July 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 Nope, sorry, cause as I said in the post it's not my design. That said, David Myka of Myka Guitars sure could! I'll take that as a huge complement though Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ae3 Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 Love the sticker on the tool box that says: GET FRESH, at a farmers market... Love the guitar too, how could anyone not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian d Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 (edited) Beautiful work Chris. I actually thought I might have a chance with the GOTM this month until you entered- it's hard to beat blue quilted maple in any GOTM, and the Dragonfly is such a great body shape and your execution is immaculate (personally I would have liked to see it with the natural colour of the maple, but I know that I am in the minority there). Can we see some photos of the headstock - can't see it clearly in the photos. How thick did you leave the top plate? Thanks. Edited July 25, 2011 by brian d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Anderson Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 oh man winner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Anderson Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 (edited) hey Chris, I posted your progress pics on my facebook I even framed them, so it looks like progress frame like this: damn, I really like this guitar, man Edited July 25, 2011 by Ricky Anderson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oblaty Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 Man, Chris that is one awesome guitar! Wish I had the same opportunity in Myka´s workshop could you post some pics of that tailpiece? I want to make one too but I have no idea how to do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 Love this guitar every time I see it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackdog Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 Exquisite instrument. Love every detail of it. Congratulations ! What is your "route down" headstock ? Got any detailed pics ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 Exquisite instrument. Love every detail of it. Congratulations ! What is your "route down" headstock ? Got any detailed pics ? What he said! SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted July 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 Hopefully this is good enough as it's all I've got on my phone... And if it's not, well, you'll have to wait til the weekend! Hahaha. I'm busy during the week. Sorry about the blurry spot, must have flashed right as some dust floated by. Also, from the second picture, the guitar didn't have it's snakeroot truss rod cover on it yet. It does now. I'll try and get some better photos of the tailpiece as well as my tailpiece design (that's David's, I now have my own method too). Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myka Guitars Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 ... like me practicing my amazing Aaron Nevil "I don't know much!" impression (any other Scrub fans out there?) to the point that the song was banned from the shop hahaha. I had nearly forgotten about that. That song was stuck in my head with your voice (and face) for a long, long time. Haha!~ This Dragonfly turned out great, Chris. The snakewood looks wicked. And I like the taper of the tailpiece. This was a really good time back in the old Georgetown shop. We had a little fun. Ah the memories,... Can't wait for some clips. ~David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Our Souls inc. Posted July 26, 2011 Report Share Posted July 26, 2011 One of the most stunning guitars I have ever seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted July 27, 2011 Report Share Posted July 27, 2011 I've been wanting to do something very similar to this in construction (but not shape) for a while now. I'm glad to see that my thoughts have already been proven viable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMuckle Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 Chris, could you tell us a little more about that neck joint? Isn't it a little weak because of the smaller gluing surface? And don't you need more mass around that area? I thought that's why Fenders have that little rectangular part that stick out of the body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted August 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 Totally different type of joint. You're thinking of a bolt on this is a set neck, glued in. Also, the tenon extends farther than the fretboard to go under the neck pickup. I assure you, PLENTY of area for a wood-on-wood glue joint. There's more there than you can see. Go look at some of the progress pic sections on Myka's site. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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