My first classical guitar

[Kevin in California]

I have officially started this guitar, although it is going to be built over a few months time. This will be my 10th guitar and is for my wife. She knows how to play
"Lemon Tree".

The plans I'm using are a 1966 Deitrich Fredricks. I liked the shape and size. Pretty standard fan bracing, Spanish heel contstruction.
I will be using EIR back and sides with a redwood top. My wife's choice. I used redwood on an OM with walnut and I liked the sound. They say redwood is somewhere between cedar and Sitka. I'm hoping for a warm, but robust sound.
Curly maple bindings, red and black thin line purflings. The fretboad is madagasscar rosewood of which the coloring goes nicely with the EIR and redwood. Nickel frets, Schaller nickel tuners with ebony knobs. EIR bridge. The rosette is a premade from LMI that has red roses around the ring. I may try and convince my wife that the bindings should be Indian rosewood as the maple bindings on this combination may "pop" too much. The neck is Honduras mahogany, scarfed headstock, stacked heel, semi Spanish with an extension foot for the back only.

I made the building form and the bending form for my fox style bender a couple of months ago. I still need to make a work board. Yesterday I made up a jig so I can make a couple of radius dishes as I've just been using radius sanding sticks since my first guitar build. I am looking forward to having the dishes.

I have the neck blank glued up, scarf and stacked heel done. The next step will be to slot the heel for the sides, waiting on a 2mm circular saw blade from Amazon so I can do that. The headstock with have EIR front and back veneers.

So I am almost done with my WWII Japanese Katana semi restoration for a friend, then I hope to finish my crossover that has been waiting for the pore filling a French polish since December.

That is all for now, stay tuned for pictures as I really get going.

Kevin

[John Parchem]

Are you going to mostly be following Robbie's on line classical design course? I like your selection of wood and hardware. I ended up have a 2 mm blade specially ground for a square cut on the bottom as the ones I found all had a rake. Not so much of an issue for the slots, but I use it for making the bridge as well. Sound like a fun project. Free time in the shop as well, as you are working on your wife's guitar.

[Herman]

Nice! You know I'm not of much a frequent poster, but be sure I follow our steps ever day, big man.
I bet this project tightens the relationship of the two of you. I would love to see a vid of her with that guitar. Or at least hear some sounds. Well, I'll wait.
Herman

[Kevin in California]

John, I am going to follow Robbie's videos, already am except that I just wanted that spanish foot for the back; maybe just for the looks inside, but I'm also hoping it helps hold the neck angle a little better? Hmm, probably not but it does look cool!!! I feel like after all the steel strings I don't know what I'm doing. Even the crossover was so much different with a bolt on neck, etc.

Herman, I most likely will NOT be able to get Laurie to pose for a video, picture or even sound bite, but I will try for the sound bite! :)

I will try and be good about taking pictures as I go along. I already took no pictures putting the neck blank together, but I will show you all the blank.

Kevin

[Kevin in California]

First pic. Whoo hoo!

[Kevin in California]

okay I finally was able to spend an hour on this build. I got the headstock back strap and front veneers glued on. The binding scheme will be black/red lines agains curly maple binding, so I wanted to carry this scheme on at the headstock. A little thicker veneers than usual, but they are only . 20" each so 1/16" under the EIR.
I'm using the new LMI yellow Instrument makers glue exclusively on this guitar. It appears to be a little bit thinner viscosity then the old white glue and Titebond.

Next step will be to slot the heel for the sides. I'll be setting up the table saw to do this, and I'll document it here. It is a process that Robbie O'brien uses.

Kevin

[Kevin in California]

Heel slotted for the sides. I used a 7 1/4" thin kerfed circular saw blade in my table saw to cut these which come out at about .079". Perfect size for sides. Very easy way to do this too. Thanks Robbie!