Parlor guitar

[Dave Bagwill]

I've got the bridge about where I want it - only 5" long for this parlor guitar. Weighs in at about 25 grams which is not bad, and I still have a little material to remove. It's ebonized eir.
I made the headstock a bit more angular to put the tuners more in line with the slots in the nut
I had to remove the headblock, as I was not satisfied with it, and made another. The Titebond original is surprisingly easy to loosen up with just an iron. It took maybe 5 minutes to remove the old headblock

[John Parchem]

Looking great.

[dave d]

That bridge is an awesome shape. I dig it!

[Kevin in California]

Very cool, sweet bridge Dave.

[Ray Ussery]

That bridge is an awesome shape. I dig it!

+1 Very cool!

[Dave Bagwill]

A few more steps along the way. Thinning top braces; laying the rim on the back braces, which still need to be thinned; gluing on the bridge plate and its spruce accompaniment.

[Dave Bagwill]

A few pix.
I got the top glued with no trouble - I did pinch in the rim a tad, but left room for a fairly bold binding/purfling scheme. By 'bold', I mean wide, which was my intent anyway. So that problem is solved.
I supported the soundhole with some very thin mahogany, and overlapped the soundhole about 1/8" to help support the soundhole binding. I've never seen it done, but I think it will work fine.

Trimmed the braces quite a bit more on the top - after gluing the top to the rim, I was not happy with the tap response. Now I am.

I figured out a good way to get the cf rods in securely. First, I figured the angles for the holes on both ends, into the headblock and into the blocks at the tail end. Then used a forstner bit to drill the holes about 3/8" into the headblock and into the other blocks. I shaped the tail end blocks by using the rims, with sandpaper held against them, and just rubbed the blocks until the fit was perfect.

Cut the cf rod to length - a little long so I could creep up on it. Then I seated a rod in the headblock, seated it into the little block at the heel, and slid that block along the rim until it was firmly in place. Did it for both rods, it will work just fine. I will glue the rods in and perhaps finish closing the box tomorrow.