The Hub

The Artisan Guitar Show this weekend gave me a kick in the behind to get back to more promoting of the builds I'm doing. Here's my first try doing multiply binding, and it turned out pretty well

For those of you who regularly do semi-hemispherical frets -- how long do you make your frets? Specifically for a bound fretboard (although I suppose this would apply to either bound or unbound) do your frets come up a little short of the outside edge of the binding? And if so, how much gap do you leave? I did my first semi-hemis on a new build and made them end flush with the outside edge of the bindings, but it doesn't feel right.…

Hi -- I am planning to have a maple Thinline Tele top painted by an automotive paint shop. They've made a glossy and a matt sample for me and it looks great. I wonder if anyone has any experience with this, and specifically: - if I bind the top first, will the paint stand very proud above the binding once I scrape the paint off the binding? - the matt looks terrific, but it looks like it will burnish and get shiny in spots or line…

I'm reading the Design book of the Gilet/Gore set (2nd Edition) and ran across something that surprised me. Under "Top bracing layout - guidelines" (Section 4.4.8, pp 4-52) Gore writes, "Brace ends that are housed into the linings stiffen the edge of the soundbard considerably and so constrain its mobility. Unless you are chasing a particular effect, it is generally not very beneficial to house the lower bout braces into the linings." My…

Hello! This is my current build! https://www.instagram.com/p/DMO6PqXRAkg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MWdhbW4wdG51bDJ4ZQ== "Here’s a quick check-in on the two guitars I’m currently working on. The bodies are getting ready for binding(arm bevel too!), while the neck is in the middle of headstock design. For the tiger-patterned guitar, I’m planning to inlay Jakho-do (Korean tiger-and-magpie painting) with mother-of-pearl. The other one…

After installing purfling and bindings I noticed a black dot on one of the maple lines— and right at the florentine point! It’s not sanding out. Bummer. As I get close to finish prep does anyone have recommendations on acrylic touch up paint SKUs that work well with maple? These maple purflings happen to be from Gurian Instruments, for what that’s worth. Also, if anyone has an idea of what this dot is and how it got there I’d love to he…

Brazilian rosewood back and sides, Sitka spruce top with heavy bear claw, curly koa binding, Brazilian bridge/fretboard/headplate

Im going to be starting my 6th acoustic build soon. One issue I continue to have is low spots on the sides. I use an LMI bender with the spring steel slats that LMI provided (they are pretty stout). One observation, sometimes there is a bit of rebound in the sides as I take them out of the bender. I sort of force them into the mold to glue the neck and tail blocks. I’m wondering if that may be where the issue is occurring. After removing…

Tenor Ukulele recently sent out. It's my first time selling through a store, and I'm pretty nervous. Top is redwood. Back and sides Oregon Myrtle. Fretboard and bridge are Mun ebony. Binding is Koa.

A client has asked me to build an acoustic guitar using crelicam ebony for the back and sides that he is getting form Stewmac. I have heard it's challenging to bend, and this will be an OM so the waist is pretty tight. Any thoughts or suggestions for bending these sides? I use a homemade bending machine modelled after LMI's latest design (may they rest in peace) and I have had good success bending rosewood, walnut, mahogany, and pau fer…

When removing the tape from a binding install, I had a significant tearout on the soundboard. It's too deep to sand out. Suggestions on how to fill/patch this to minimize it's appearance?

I have dented the finish in the soundboard of one of my current builds while trying to clean up glue squeeze out after clamping on the bridge. I used a long piece of binding and I guess I held it at a bad angle and there you go. This is only my third guitar build and have steamed out countless dents already in unfinished wood, but I am unsure what to do to get out this dent in the finish other than sand it back at the dent and rebuild f…

I don’t know how many of you make your own binding and purfling, but the MacRostie Binding Trimmer from Stewmac is super helpful in a number of ways. 1. Allows you to make a lot of binding and purfling and have it all sized the same within a few thousandths. 2. I use vulcanized fiber and cut the strips using a utility knife which leaves a kind of burr on edge. Running the laminated fiber/wood or just fiber strips through the trimmer remov…

Hey guys, Trying my first bound headstocks and need some advice on how to approach it once I get to my nut area. I usually shape the headstock with a template and leave about 1/8” before the nut untouched so don’t roll the shape I to the nut slot area(aka a bad time). How do you all approach this process and specifically the nut slot area. I’ve attached some photos so you can see what I mean. Veneer on headstock is about 2mm. Neck is lig…

This is my second iteration of a gramil that can be used to fully cut the channels for binding and purfling as opposed to using an electric router. I am working on my first acoustic now but initial tests look promising. Features round beam so you can lightly scratch at first like a marking gauge. Depth control of the exacto hobby #11 blade. The edge for the beam is also shaped so it won't pop out like other wedges. Pretty quick to make…

This guitar will have a piano black finish on most of it and translucent black over the red fabric areas. The client also wants the white binding to be aged. I will be sealing and grain filling with a polyester sealer. My thinking is to tint the first coal of sealer to age the binding , then seal over it with clear. Then tape off binding while spraying color coats. Anyone got an easier way? Suggestions?

Where Does everyone source their binding from? I really would like to cut down on my binding labor, so finding celluloid binding and purfling long enough to wrap around Dread bodies is ideal!!