The Hub

Hey Loothers, A client reached out requesting a neck with wider nut for his headless Ibanez 7 string. He would like it built with rosewood for the neck and the fret board which has been stored for years at a consistent 45 to 50 % humidity in his home. The frets are angled to make it play more ergonomically but it is not a multi scale instrument. He plays finger picking fusion style and simply needs more neck width at the nut to play mu…

I have a client who is going to paint a ES-335 kit guitar (Maple top and Back, Mahogany sides and neck). She will be using an Acrylic (Jesso) matte primer and then painting the entire guitar with Liquitex Acrylic water based paints. Poly finish on top of that. What steps do I need to take to prep the neck and body for painting? Sealer then grain fill then seal again? What products would you use? I have never done this before and am looki…

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…

We hear a lot in LoothLand these days about 3D printing. I think it's an awesome use of that technology for what we all do. With my long history with AutoCad and 3D rendering in my previous life, I should pull the trigger on a 3D printer, but I'm just not ready yet AND I have no available space for one in my little shop or in my office right now. Yes, 3D printing is great, but sometimes, good ole regular printing can be a surprise frien…

So I have a pearl inlay I need to do for a clients build. given that the ends of my pearl blank will sand down, and there will be engraving on this piece, is it best to inlay the pearl, sand it flush, and engrave my text? or try and engrave it first, and do so deep enough that my text wont sand out of the pearl when its leveled to my fretboard? Has anyone used CNC to engrave pearl?

Torrefied Spruce Tops , current client is asking about it for his build. I have not had any experience here. Thoughts, comments, Thanks

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?