I have just returned from a few days away in the West Country with Caroline and the children, and so I am feeling refreshed and pleased to be back in the workshop. I have just joined up a set of satinwood and another set of Malaysian
blackwood for a couple of future orders. I mustn't get too distracted by them yet however as I have other guitars to finish first and Julio's guitar is one of them. The picture above shows the inside of the guitar just after the
tentelones have been fitted. This is the traditional Spanish method of holding the soundboard onto the ribs. You can see from this picture that I do not use a form for assembling the guitar. I find that a form gets in the way so I would rather not use one. The small blocks around the outside of the top are enough to locate the sides, and using this method obliges the maker to be very accurate with his rib bending and assembly.
Once the
tentelones are installed I move onto the linings that join the back onto the ribs. As this is my traditional model I am using a single mahogany strip, but I will very often double this to add stiffness to the bent rib. I have to be absolutely honest here and say that preparing back linings is perhaps my least favorite job on the guitar; I really have to grit my teeth and get on with it. The picture above shows the lining fresh out of the bending machine. The dark residue visible on some of them is rosewood oil from the steel slats of the side bender. The mahogany that I use for linings came from a parcel of boards I picked up from a craftsman who had been using the material for some restoration work that he had undertaken in the historic Brighton Royal Pavilion. I enjoy using timber that has a story attached to it, and I have along personal association with Brighton having grown up there.
So, finally the back linings are in and clamped in place. I love using these little G clamps. The work beautifully and are lovely to hold and work with. With all the internal details complete I can now turn my attention to the back...
I have just returned from a few days away in the West Country with Caroline and the children, and so I am feeling refreshed and pleased to be back in the workshop. I have just joined up a set of satinwood and another set of Malaysian blackwood for a couple of future orders. I mustn't get too distracted by them yet however as I have other guitars to finish first and Julio's guitar is one of them. The picture above shows the inside of the guitar just after the tentelones have been fitted. This is the traditional Spanish method of holding the soundboard onto the ribs. You can see from this picture that I do not use a form for assembling the guitar. I find that a form gets in the way so I would rather not use one. The small blocks around the outside of the top are enough to locate the sides, and using this method obliges the maker to be very accurate with his rib bending and assembly.
Once the tentelones are installed I move onto the linings that join the back onto the ribs. As this is my traditional model I am using a single mahogany strip, but I will very often double this to add stiffness to the bent rib. I have to be absolutely honest here and say that preparing back linings is perhaps my least favorite job on the guitar; I really have to grit my teeth and get on with it. The picture above shows the lining fresh out of the bending machine. The dark residue visible on some of them is rosewood oil from the steel slats of the side bender. The mahogany that I use for linings came from a parcel of boards I picked up from a craftsman who had been using the material for some restoration work that he had undertaken in the historic Brighton Royal Pavilion. I enjoy using timber that has a story attached to it, and I have along personal association with Brighton having grown up there.
So, finally the back linings are in and clamped in place. I love using these little G clamps. The work beautifully and are lovely to hold and work with. With all the internal details complete I can now turn my attention to the back...
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