Second Falcate Classical with strings!

[Kevin in California]

Ooh Dat is purty.

[peter havriluk]

second vote, pleasure to stare at. Wonderful.

Got a question: I noticed the grain of the soundhole reinforcement was running in the same direction as the soundboard's grain. Is there a reason it wasn't oriented at right angles to the soundboard?

Thanks!

[John Parchem]

Thanks guys,

On to completing the neck.

second vote, pleasure to stare at. Wonderful.

Got a question: I noticed the grain of the soundhole reinforcement was running in the same direction as the soundboard's grain. Is there a reason it wasn't oriented at right angles to the soundboard?

Thanks!

I made the sound hole patch using scraps from the top. The patch I had was too small for cross grain. Basically what I am doing is doubling the thickness of the spruce around the sound hole to stiffen it. I am not really worried about it spitting.

[John J]

I'm sure it's been explained before, but what do the carbon fibers add? Simply strength? Or are there other benefits?

[John Parchem]

I use the CF for a few reasons, if I am careful I can make a lighter brace that an equivalent stiffness all spruce brace.

The CF will also nearly eliminate cold creep of the wood. The CF will resist conforming to the bow created with string tension. I will see in 10-15 years if that is true.

Also I tap tune the top plate for a consistent stiffness build to build. As the CF provides a good percentage of the stiffness of the brace, it helps even out the effects of the variances one sees in all spruce braces. So I do not do any tap tuning after the braces are installed I rely on careful measurement of brace height to control the top resonance.

[John Parchem]

Sorry I have been a bit behind posting. I have had a busy summer with a few twists and turns. In any case I got the neck close to finish ready and I am in the process of sanding prep before finish.

Here is where I am at now









I will not make a detailed log of making the bolt on bolt off classical neck but I have a more detailed log in my first falcate classical build log. viewtopic.php?f=30&t=2182&start=20. I have included a few pictures. Also for the first time I used my 20" radius bit to put a radius on the fret board. I got the bit from sje tools.

Radiusing the fret board:







Bolt on bolt off neck











note how the mahogany glued to the fret board is sloped 4mm to 0 mm to give fret board a negative slope



Trim the head stock veneer for the head stock angle:



When the fretboard and wedge is glued back to the neck the glue line disappears.



Luthier tool jig to route slots and drill tuner post holes.



I used a spoke shave to remove most of the wood when shaping the neck. I measure out facets to guide the shape.



I use a rasp to shape the heel

[Kevin in California]

John this one is looking great! Busy summer huh?