sMg Guitars

December 30, 2012

This will be my last post of 2012.  Some things were accomplished in 2012, but all in all, the pace of this year’s building has ebbed in relation to previous years.  I could chalk that up to a new career teaching mathematics, but really it’s a case of shifting priorities.  I have endured a few crisis moments all around finishing with spray lacquer.  As reluctant as I was to put down the spray gun, it is for the better.  I cannot continue to subject my families health and my health to the lacquer fumes inherent with nitrocellulose lacquer application.  My options are twofold:  send guitars out for spray services ($500) or procure hard to find water based lacquer and spray with this less toxic alternative.  I’m still on the hunt for water based with mixed results.

I have been working diligently on my uke, Rachel’s parlor and Susan’s OM.  What follows is an except from recent work.

Rachel’s parlor has taken a step forward with neck shaping and fret dot design.

The fretboards for Rachel’s parlor and Susan’s OM are seen below the beautiful Myrtle back.

The parlor neck is on top with the Cocobollo headplate.  The OM neck is shown with the rosewood headplate.

I’ve managed to shape bracing and install the back to the sides as well as lay down the top bracing for the OM.

The second picture shows the back after the scarf has been trimmed.

November 17, 2012

I’ve got this publishing plugin which supposedly posts my blog entries to Facebook.  It craps out occasionally, so some of my posts go un-Facebooked.  Today, I received a shipment of Uke parts needed to finish the uke.  Bridge, tuners, nut, saddle and frets in the gift box, so I’m about to resume uke finishing.

July 8, 2012

After careful removal of headstock material, the shell was epoxied in place.

July 5, 2012

The top and back have been joined, and the rosette installed.

Sides have been bent (yes, koa burns easily), and installed into the holder.

Today, I expect to receive more graphite rods which will be inserted into the neck.

I also tackled routing out the channel for the shell for the headstock for Guitar 1202.  The yellow tempera was painted on to show the scoring of the edge for an easy visual of how far to rout out.

July 3, 2012

Did a little neck work today on Uke 1201.  I used the table saw to cut the spanish heel slots and to nibble away at the heel profile.

Also for both 1202 and 1203, I installed the rosettes.  The OM has a teflon strip which is removed before pressing in the abalam.  The parlor has a pre-manufactured herringbone.

The abalam is pressed into the gap left by the teflon then flooded with CA glue.  The shell shown below will be added to the headstock to mirror what’s on the fretboard.

Before routing out the channels for the headstock shell, the plate has been glued to the headstock.

May 11, 2012

Just took possession of a new batch of custom headplates for sMg Guitars.

Row 1 – Curly Sycamore and Koa

Row 2 – Pau Ferro and Cocobolo

Row 3 – Rosewood and Ebony

April 18, 2011

Over the past two days, the headplate with a contrasting maple veneer was installed and trimmed.  Tuning machine holes were also drilled.