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Agree with previous from John and Hogo. You're on the borderline. But that centerline from the bridge to the tailpiece needs to be strong. If in doubt, reinforce it or make a new top. Better now than...

I'll try to explain as best I can. Firstly, it makes me way more conscious of my right hand. A person can get to where they don't think about that hand, especially after many years of playing So...

About a year ago I decided that it would be fun and good for me to learn some gypsy style picking on guitar. Some progress has been made although there's not enough hours in a day. But I found that...

The slot's not curved. It's straight. Start it on the fingerboard side with just a little notch and then, keeping the file in the notch, rotate the file and aim it at the tuner. If it helps, you can...

Completely agree with John. One addition: when you mix the dye into the finish, it becomes a "toner" and will loose transparency. It's like electricity. It can be your friend or your enemy....

I just looked also- I can't find any photos either. I will say this: I managed to flatten the original pickguard by putting in some very hot water and and then clamping it. I was amazed at that....

Chris, I'll try to see if I took a picture of the neck joint when I had it apart. I didn't work on the one from Macomb. Only worked on this one which is mine. If I have pictures, I'll post them and...

I have an F47 from about 1970 that I bought new back then. It had been loaned to a family member for many years and when I got it back a few years ago, there were loose braces and such so I pulled...

I'm feeling a little insecure. I don't have a tractor seat chair. I certainly spent plenty of time sitting in one growing up... Maybe Santa will deliver. Austin, I hope you're well and happy. You do...

You might want to thin the back a bit. Check with a probe to make sure you're not too thin, and probably get a fairly bright light in there. Like a "rope light". I think the arch height on the top...

Who moved my cheese?

Do you build on a form or kind of "out in the air, using a guide for bending"? I have a book on historical lute construction, where the body is built on a form. I have a book on oud construction and...

You might want to experiment, but I and a few other builders have had some really good results using things like drywall compound and products like that. Depending on your goal, you can tint them...

Are you absolutely determined that you are going to use epoxy? There are other solutions to this problem. Other ways to effectively fill the grain. I've used epoxy to fill grain on guitars, but only...

If it will press down with your finger, a drop of superglue (mask the finish first) and hold it down while the glue sets. Use a pencil or dowel to hold it down. You don't want to glue your finger. If...

Mohawk sells a red dye that's pretty red. You'll probably have to buy a quart but if you're thinking of buying several more bottles of Fieblings, it might be cheaper. Either way, if you add a drop of...

I use a black stiff rubbery thing that I got to apply Bondo. It's somewhat flexible and has a long taper that gets real thin. I think when you buy them they're about the size of a large index card. I...

Metal fatigue. Metal is a material of molecules bonded together, like everything else. Tension up, tension down. This happens every time you hit the string. You're momentarily increasing the tension,...

Banjo player is Allison Brown. The radius looks to me to be 12" also. I'm seriously jealous. I'm playing a banjo I built back in 1978 with a flat board. I'd radius it in a heartbeat except it's...

I think the last I heard, last year or so, was that Lloyd was retiring (wonderful man), and that his son was continuing the building business. I have no direct contact info.

https://youtu.be/VTtAsgmYBNc

This is marvelous and probably should go in the video part of the forum, but I figure it will get more views here, and I have a question:
Who is playing bass here? He...

I built a #0 sized guitar a year ago with POC as soundboard and neck, a cutaway, body being a rosewood relative (forget the name at the moment). It's wonderful. I built it light, thinking it would be...

Tom, I bend my sides at about .080. Anything much thicker is just a pain. Patience is a virtue. You didn't show the back sides of those pieces. Was there some scorching? If there isn't, you're not...

I think you need to have a better understanding of wood grain and what is going on here. Imagine that the wood is a bunch of little straws all bundled together, because in a sense that's what it is....

Plus you can't spray lacquer over varnish. Shellac, yes. Most regular varnishes, no. It'll either attack it or it won't adhere well.