Andyjr1515

The carve on that supporting tree is off the scale.  I can't begin to imagine how many hours that has taken.

Scott!

I've been distracted for a while and only just caught up with this.

Wow!   

When I say 'Wow', I mean WOW!!!   

No, that doesn't get there at all.  When I say 'WOW', I mean WOW!!!!!!!

The term 'Master Craftsman' doesn't come even close...

Hmmm....it's very unlikely you will find plans for that specific model.  It appears to be a standard Martin D18 Dreadnought (and the plans @Bizman62 suggests are basically that.  There are many other generic dreadnought plans available that also follow the same basic design) that has had a fairly standard 2-pickup electric pickup and switch system added.  A bit of a custom one-off! 

The provision for the electrics can probably either be put in as the build goes along or fitted retrospectively.  To be honest, the challenge will be building the dreadnought in the first place...it's a very steep learning curve from an electric to acoustic.  For my first one, I'm pretty sure I spent as much time building jigs than actually building the guitar.  And I'm certain I spent as much time watching Youtube videos and reading articles of what you have to do and how to do it as building the jigs!  

Absolutely splendid build and result.  Well done @JGTay  Bravo!

Lovely job

4 minutes ago, ADFinlayson said:

That is a very good point and reminded me that the radius of the top changes when you put strings on too as the tension of the strings lifts the bridge up which makes quite a difference to string action. 

It does indeed.  That Guitar Bouzouki I built a year or so ago lifted an enormous amount.  Scared the life out of me!  I thought I'd got something wrong with the top thickness/braces at first, but it is absolutely fine.  I have realised that it is an extra factor to build in when setting the initial neck angle - many of the conventional methods of setting that initial angle miss that vital consideration out.

7 hours ago, mattharris75 said:

What's the radius on your radius dishes for your top and back? Been planning an acoustic guild and am doing some data gathering...

Mine are similar to Ash's - 15' for the back and 25' for the top.  That said, I find that the top almost always flexes back a touch once the go-bars are removed no matter how many and strongly they were applied, so the final radius I actually achieve is closer to 30'

Hi Carl

Good to see this progressing.  I fitted a Fluence bass soapbar recently to a 5-string bass build.  Sounded fantastic - really very impressed.  It's good to hear that the ones you are using are cutting the mustard too.

Nice job and very good video

That's all very classy.  Very classy indeed!

That is knockout!

Lovely, lovely job

Amazing

17 hours ago, ShatnersBassoon said:

So I’ve done a rough contouring on the body (still a couple of very minor alterations to do). Also took off the ziricote board from an earlier build. Repurposing that haha. Laid everything out for a rough idea. Will be continuing the spalted theme on the cap of the headstock, the veneer is just there for show. 

For some reason everything looks Amber in the living room. Must be the lights. 

I like this very much

Innovation abounds!  Love it.

Looking good, @Bizman62

6 hours ago, curtisa said:

Thanks for your kind words. Having received some notifications of replies in this thread has reminded me that I never took finished pics if the end result. I must remedy this.

In response to your query, it's hard to say how the sound changed after all this work. The guitar was in pieces for several weeks and I never made before/after recordings of it, so my memory of how it used to sound is unreliable. However at a pinch I'd say that it is a bit more 'polite' and restrained than it used to be. This appears to be consistent with other people's experience with fitting a Bridge Doctor to their acoustic instruments. The extra mass and stiffness in the soundboard around the bridge area probably dampens the guitar and reduces responsiveness.

That said, it doesn't sound bad or wrong per se. Just a little more subdued (if my memory is to be trusted). It's certainly a lot easier to play, although the tuners are still rubbish. I may revisit them with higher quality units in the future, but for now I'm just satisfied that the guitar is actually playable.

I'm glad this post has been revived.  I had someone bring me a 'bellying' guitar a couple of weeks ago and one option was a Bridge Doctor...and I thought, 'I'm SURE  I've seen someone fit one of those recently!!!' but couldn't remember who or where 

In the end - because the strings were too high a gauge for the player anyway - I popped some lighter strings on which, to my admitted surprise, eliminated all of the lift and then recut the saddle to give a much more playable action.  It turned the unplayable into a very nice acoustic. 

But I'm pleased that you've reminded me where I'd seen someone fit a Bridge Doctor and what the opinion was.  I might try one in the future  

An extremely well deserved win

Splendid project and result!

I like how that carve is developing

Looking very good indeed!

8 hours ago, Prostheta said:

My understanding is that this is a no-no also, but without knowing a specific rationale ("it's always been done this way!") it's absolutely something that should be subject to experimentation.

Yes - very much this.

However, even with only one variable - the brace shaving - I have come to the conclusion that the only way to know how far to go when shaving off wood from the braces when tap tuning is to make a number of guitars (and each would need to be made to completion) and each one shaving more and more mass off the braces until you go too far...and then just edge it back a bit.  Trouble is, for most of us that would take most of us a lifetime and fortune...  And then your offspring could maybe try the same thing with a different bracing pattern 

Like a lot of stuff, someone many decades ago stumbled across a combination of brace arrangement, size, timber and likewise top thickness and material that happened to work well and it became a lot easier to just use the same materials and design  than try all the permutations and combinations for something that works better.  Even Taylor took over 40 years to venture into a variation away from Martin's mid-1800's 'X brace'...

That sounds lovely!  (Nice playing too, although don't tell Ash - it will go to his head!)

Great balance and nice bass reponse - particularly impressive for the style of acoustic!  I reckon you got your top thickness and bracing carves just about spot on

That looks beautiful, Ash!

I just love those inlays @mistermikev  Unbelievably classy

That's great!

It's got me thinking.   I bought an unfinished cello neck about 10 years ago that's just sat in my 'bits box' (it's a big box!)  Hmmm...winter project maybe....