Recent guitar resto-mod w. Hand tool choices

[C. in Indy]

I met up with one of the local Forum guys today, and we talked about guitars a bit.   I did my first "luthier project" this year, concentrating on hand tools wherever possible -- I didn't use a powered router.


I had a small (parlor) size guitar with nice appointments but a fairly tinny laminated body.  I decided to extract the nice ebony-trimmed neck and bridge:

   



I got in a kit from an eBay seller, using some parts but substituting my own choices for others.  Here was the top, jointed with my No. 6, glued up, and a rosette & hole cut with my Veritas string-inlay cutter:

   



The body glue-up was done with every clamp I had -- I didn't buy any nice ones just for this experimental job!

   



Some careful backsawing and planing a wedge-shaped inlay was done here to conceal one ugly joint:

   

   



For the binding/purfling, I made an adapter for the Veritas string-inlay cutting-gage, to follow concave curves:

   



The guitar came out decent-looking and actually very good-sounding!

   


It was a time-consuming project but I can see how builders can get addicted to these!

Chris

[Mike Brady]

Wonderful results, Chris!   You are fearless apparently.

[barryvabeach]

Very nice work,  especially considering nearly all of it was curved.