Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

If your looking for new, then any automotive paint supplier will be able to supply high quality spray guns I like Sata, but there are heaps of other great brands as well. Devilibis is another one that many spray painters like. Be warned though that they are pricey, and designed for day to day use in...

Ok, here is some more info for you. A bit of the Readers Digest Condensed Version. It's useful when learning to use cardboard or similar to practice spraying on. I recommend you use water to start with, but if your up on spraying you can use your finish of choice. Explanations follow each image. htt...

Here's a picture of a Sata Mini. All spray guns will have some arrangement of either 2 or 3 knobs depending on it's design and quality/price range. http://www.mcguitars.com.au/phpBB2/userpix/31_spraygun_1.jpg The AIR PRESSURE KNOB is usually only found on high end spray guns, but should not be used ...

That's a gorgeous guitar. I really like the whole body in mahogany. And interesting bracing pattern. What sort of neck block does it get. Hard to tell from the photos. The way the upper bout braces are laid out it looks like you might have some sort of finger board support happening. I read your "gu...

Woah.....in my wildest dreams I wish I was even half that good.

For me, building with alternate tone woods is the best part of building instruments. I am constantly asked what sort of wood this or that is, and inevitably the Aussies ask "Do you ever use Australian woods"? They're a patriotic bunch down here. We'll on several of my guitars they are either 100% Au...

Yeh Dave, what the others said.

At what part of the build did you put in the sound port. Mine was before I bent the sides, and I don't think I would do that again. I'm thinking for next time, once the linings are in and before the top and back go on.

I too would love a copy.

Thanks Bob.

For those not from the land of plenty Bundy is a rum made in Queensland. Nothing tastes quite like it. They've got some great commercials too. If you are on broadband check out their site

http://www.bundabergrum.com.au

Love those progress pictures Bob. Looking forward to the updates.

Doesn't that humble you...even on the cheap speakers on my notebook it nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Those sound fantastic. I'd be very proud of making anything that sounds so wonderful.

Will the second one get a finish applied?

:lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao Good one Bob. Ok, seriously Hesh. that's some beautiful work. So was this top in the 130-140 gram range? What do you end up going for bridge weight? And you could just hop on the plane and take a little winter vacation to Cairns. You can get all the sunshine you need for pict...

I just got my package of Engelman Spruce from Graham Hein today in the post. It left Canada on the 28th of August and showed up on the 30th of November. Not quite the 6-8 weeks that I was hoping for, but I'll plan well ahead the next time. http://www.mcguitars.com.au/phpBB2/userpix/31_engelman_spruc...

I use tape on both sides, then just stand them up against a wall or whatever til they dry. That way you can do the back or another top at the same time. What's the rush Paul? Gotta move to Queensland. Nothin' happens fast up here. I gotta have time to knock the froth of a XXXX and admire my work. :...

I've been asked a few times about how I join the top and back plates of my guitars, so I took a snap of one I did this avey. Australian Red Cedar top that has a few flaws but they are either outside the body shape or will be easy enough to hide. Anyway, I use a shooting board and a small block plane...

Hey Ron, that looks great. I love the contrast of the red with the oak.

Did you make your own tuner buttons? What sort of tuners are they? I can't make it out in the photo....were are my damn glasses

OK, Hesh....I need more details :D I don't have the SJ plans, so you'll have to fill me in on the dimensions. Length, width, thickness, brace dimensions. I've just seen the new bench mark, and it seems like a long way off from were I am. Do you weight the top before it's braced? If so, what was it? ...

Hmmm, snow.....I vaguely remember that from my youth. 32 here today and really sticky. Had to mow the lawns or it will be as thick as cabbage. Still a tiny bit better than having to shovel the drive. :D Is that the weight of the top unbraced? The lightest that I've built so far has been my current o...

Some of the most passionate and eloquent dissertations that I've seen in a very long time. Thanks one and all.

I haven't built enough guitars to give any type of informed answer, only built one with Sitka and it's way over built. I love using the cypress and Australian Cedar. The cedar would be my favorite. It's very stiff and a relatively hard surface, so doesn't ding up like spruce or western red cedar and...

Did someone say "Axis of Evil". I think all truly successful politicians (thats to say, a bastard that should be shot, but stays in office despite needing to be shot) has lifted the diversion tactics of us against them to a high art form. And I'm afraid to say that it seems to work. We're doomed to ...

Bravo Kim.

The most fitting end is to loose his own seat as well. If that isn't the biggest smack on the bottom.

Like in the USA, the media here is by and large controlled by a few companies with vested interests in who is going to keep them making heaps of money. You have to dig deep and listen very carefully to hear anything about the back room dealings that benefit the real power brokers in this country. Th...

How do you do your fret board purflings Dave? I've managed to put them next to the fret slots, but haven't come up with a good way to have them on the bottom like you have. Would love to find a method that will work for me.

And I really like the finished look of this. Thanks for the tutorial.

I used a router sled to make mine Graham. Wish I knew about this back then. The dust that is created by my method is truly something to behold.