My First Build: A Cypress Archtop!

[Jehu]

After hacking away at this project for a little under a year, I have finally strung up my first instrument. It is a 17" archtop made entirely (well, the wood bits anyway) of Macrocarpa and Puriri. It is covered from head to tail in minor (hopefully!) flaws, but I will love it as only its builder can.

Thanks to the more experienced members who I have bothered for advice at various stages!

[demonx]

Looks like you've linked the pics from another forum, but they're not viewable unless the person is a member of that forum.

I'm keen to see the Macrocarpa. I milled some before xmas and it's getting closer to being usable.

[Jehu]

Oops, sorry about that. I can't seem to edit my original post; let me know if these work:

[demonx]

Yes, pics worked this time.

Guitar looks good!

[Nick]

Nice Job! Certainly can't see the head to tail minor flaws from the pics, I suspect only you will know they're there Nice colour scheme, looks like a nice honey on my screen. Did you use an X brace or is it parallel braced?

[Jehu]

Thanks, guys! It's been a fun project and while certainly not easy, at least I know it's possible. In fact I think the most difficult part is finding wood in NZ!

Unfortunately (or fortunately?) photobucket seems to have degraded the photo quality of the pics, but hopefully it gives you a decent idea. Yes, I'm happy with how the colour turned out, even though it wasn't quite what I had planned. (I was actually trying to do your tobacco burst, but I obviously didn't go dark enough at the edges. The top coats might have also reactivated the stain even though I tried to seal it with shellac.) This one is X braced.

[lauburu]

It can be difficult to get wood in NZ. The traditional woods need to be imported specially and the supply of suitable native timbers is limited. However, carving that puriri back would have been even harder than sourcing it, surely!
Miguel

[charangohabsburg]

That's a very nice guitar, just don't tell you wanted to have it look differently!
It looks a bit like a very old guitar in pristine condition.

I'm not at all an expert on archtops, but other than (for my taste) a bit a brisk re-curve I can't see many flaws, if any at all. I never have made an archtop or violin family instrument, but I imagine that if I attempted it, the re-curve would turn out disastrous, not even close as smooth as I can see it in your guitar.

Congrats, and I hope to see more of these.