Well with the new year upon me I am excited to be starting three new projects that have been on the backburner for longer than I care to admit. I am making molds and patterns for two new models. The Cascadia 16 - a 16" single cutaway archtop and a Parlor model based on an 1877 Martin 2 1/2 - 17 .I am using a new process to make plexi templates with a CNC laser cutter. The cutter is incredibly accurate and leaves a perfect edge on the plexi. I then can take a pattern bit and make my MDF forms fron the plexi template.
I am happy to have a 1948 Gibson L-50 that I really love and have wanted to build an archtop for years. Using this as a starting point I am moving forward with patterns on the computer. It has been wonderful to have sculpter John Mayo in the building as his background in industrial design & metal sculpture has really been opening up possibilities & new technologies I would not have found on my own. Once this process is refined my initial startup time for new design ideas should be minimal. This will free me up to explore new designs.
I have also finally returned to my Brazilian rosewood NJC & glued the sides to the top this week. Next week I will be finishing all my new molds and gluing up the back on my NJC.
Feels great to be diving back into building new work again. It continues to be a challenge to manage my repair business with my new guitar projects. I am satisfied by both aspects of my work, yet it seems to often that building takes a backseat and in many ways I feel thats where my heart lies.
