Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Hi Ross I have heard Silver Beech (Southland Beech) could possibly be a good wood for luthiery, but only by hearsay. I did put out feelers to get some at one time, but with no success. This is not to say that there is none available, but more an indication of my not following up. I don't have a lot ...

I should've said "Warm regards from a !%*^#ing freezing Christchurch, NZ"!

Graham W

Hi Gregory Looks like I'm the first to congratulate you on an amazing looking instrument. I like the original rosette and the graceful shaping at the end of the fingerboard. I'd love to hear it's voice… Interesting that you french polished. I have FP'd several instruments with satisfactory results...

Hi Stephen Very nice site and beautiful looking guitars - I'd love to have the opportunity to play one sometime! Having built my own website, I do appreciate the amount of thought and effort that goes into this creation. What is really important, and I should take my own advice here, is that you kee...

Well done Martin!

Bring it to NZ when you visit and play me a tune!

Nothing quite like the feeling of finishing a guitar and finally hearing it's voice! Congratulations.

Cheers

Graham W

G'day Hip, from wintery New Zealand. I make the width of the fingerboard at the nut to suit the player of the instrument - in my own case I like around 45mm for a steel string. I think you can personalize this measurement without too much worry. If you're building steel string guitars and plan insta...

Hi Martin That's a very nice offer and I'll take you up on it. I only build one or two guitars a year, if that, so I'm not in any huge rush. It's always nice to have some tops aging in your workshop and to know that they have been air drying in your own climatic conditions… Let's keep in touch abo...

Any problem sending a couple of sets to little old NZ? I'd be interested in 2 sets. I guess I'd end up paying some more in shipping, but getting great spruce here is not easy.

Cheers

Graham W

Thanks for your kind comments, guys. Ron - I'd designed the pickguard for a previous guitar and quite liked the way it sort of followed the bodyline. I make templates out of 4mm MDF. If the template is accurate, it's easy to get the work accurate. It can be helpful, to stick the template to the pick...

Beautiful instrument! :serg

Another great reason to celebrate!

Graham W

Merry Christmas to all luthiers and lovers of guitar! - my wife says I'm a guitar extremist, but I'd prefer the term 'exstrumist' , thank you. Well, I did it! I got the guitar to the client at 5pm this afternoon, Christmas Eve, as promised. I didn't think I was going to make it for a while. The past...

Thanks Hesh
Great tutorial. A very tricky process explained and photographed beautifully.

Graham

What a stunner! I was lucky enough to play an Olsen guitar when I was performing in Hong Kong a couple of years ago and it's kinda like a wine that you never forget - it had a 'flavour' that I've not experienced on any other guitar, and I've plucked a few! It was an instrument that I could not find ...

Wow Hesh!

Guitar heaven! Maybe one day I'll get to have play on one of your beautiful looking creations…


Thanks for such inspiration.

Graham

Hi Ya'll Thanks for your kind words. Craig - unfortunately this is a commission and not a 'keeper'. I told the client it'd be done by Xmas - I should never make those kind of promises! I'll be close… The other one I'm building at the moment is also a commission, but it'll be easier to part with as...

Finally got bindings on - phew!

Hi Sebastiaan I use aliphatic for just about everything, including fingerboards. I find it great to use and I haven't experienced any noticable problems with creeping or fret buzzing. In my experience aliphatic is strong enough for most glue joins on a guitar and it has one BIG advantage over epoxy ...

Sorry about that - don't know what happened to the pics? Try again…

Hi Sebastiaan

Here are some photos. Fax them (address in my last post) and I'm sure they'll respond - they don't use the internet so things take a little longer. You'll get an idea lf their products from these photos.

Cheers

Graham

Hi Sebastiaan

Here are some photos. Fax them (address in my last post) and I'm sure they'll respond - they don't use the internet so things take a little longer. You'll get an idea lf their products from these photos.

Cheers

Graham

Hi Dennis Karl Zeeh is a small family business that have been making purflings and other marquetry products, apparently for some generations. I don't know much about them… They don't have a website and only seem to do small runs of their designs, so they are not cheap and things can take a while. ...

Hi Martin

Martinborough was great - pity you couldn't make it. Hope to see you in Christchurch.

Graham

Thanks for your kind comments. Craig - Yes, the bend is not an easy one, and to be honest the forst attempt was a disaster but I had a spare side - the next slice of sapele that matches perfectly. I think next time I'll soften the bend a bit and play safe! I have ordered purfling lines from Karl Zee...

Does anybody else find life getting just a little hectic at times, and the things that you really want to do get put to the side…??? I'm sure I'm not alone here. Well, I managed to keep a couple of days free for guitar building this week and have managed to get the back glued - it's drying as I wr...

Wow, Craig. If your guitars are half as good as those jigs, and from the photos it looks like they are, then they'll be absolute masterpieces!

Graham W