Well its yet another lash-up that is unlikely to escape anytime soon. This time it is a carbon fiber strip being glued into a routed channel in the neck. The carbon fiber acts as a stabilizer in the maple wood. While regular maple is quite stable, figured maple, sometimes called "curly", is not so stable. Since we don't want no stinking plain old boring wood in our guitars, we like to use the curly or the quilted or the spalted or anything but boring wood, therefore the carbon fiber. Its expensive as hell, not fun to work with, very light and very, very strong... A good thing for a guitar neck.

I once worked at a boatyard in San Diego. A friend came to visit, and I showed him all around the yard. We saw many yachts being worked on for many reasons. Later that night over drinks he commented that almost every worker in that yard was sanding something. The same can be said for sculpting a guitar neck. Hours of sanding. Sanding to actually do the shaping. Sanding to smooth out the scratches from sanding. Sanding, sanding, sanding. When asked how I know its smooth enough, when its done I must reply "its never done, they just come and take it away".

Well, its unlikely that the fretboard being glued up will escape anytime soon. There's an old saying that states "you can't have enough clamps", and that is correct. The more clamps, the more even the pressure which results in nice tight glue seams. Since glue holds together the guitars almost exclusively, its important to do a proper job of it. Another thing that many, many clamps do is it keeps the parts from escaping into the unknown, at least until we remove them.

Actually, creating the neck of the guitar is a fun exercise and a different task than the rest of the guitar building in that it a sculpted work instead of a construction project. Chisels, rasps,files and sandpaper are used to coax out a pleasant feeling shape. It is mostly done by eye and feel. Many builders use a machine of one sort or another to rough out the neck shape, and merely sand it smooth. I, however enjoy the carving experience. Also every one of my guitars are different, requiring a different shape to the neck. How boring it would be to make the same thing over and over again. Plenty of factories in this world do business like that, so no need for me to follow that path.

Just a rough shape cut from a large block of wood. I can turn into so many things. Again possibilities. In this case the wood is Maple, with a very nice tiger-striped grain pattern. It will be on a guitar made from all Oregon woods as well. The neck is a most important part to a guitar in that it is the part always touched by the musician. Touch and feel play such an important role is wringing out those illusive musical notes. The shape can be comfortable for large hands, or small hands but probably not both. Playing styles vary, and some players prefer a thick neck to keep ones thumb positioned on the back of the neck... Some players wrap their thumb completely over the neck and actually use it to fret strings...they require a thinner neck. Feel is also important. If the finish is too glossy, it will feel sticky when ones hands get sweaty. Violins, for example have no finish at all on the necks. Guitar players, however, also seem to like the visual beauty of a well finished neck, so what to do?

It takes a lot of work to just put on strings. In this case two days. But its just right and it sounds FANTASTIC!!!!It may be the coolest guitar yet on several levels. Edwin

When I said that all this guitar needed was strings, I was mistaken a bit. It also needs a nut {yes guitars do have nuts} and a bridge {no, not that kind of bridge] and especially time to fit said units in place. Finding the time is always the issue. Time is so elusive. Time is aways at a premium. Time does run out quickly though. Soon I will find the time to "string" this beautiful guitar. Edwin

What is a guitar without strings? In this case it is excitement, anticipation, a journey to the unknown, as this is a new guitar waiting for strings for the first time. Will the sound be all that was imagined, more, alot more? Will it sound just ok, but not be as special as I hope? We will soon see. Strings represent a potential in other ways as well. It represents a potential of making music. It represents hours spent lost in song and harmony. A guitar with no strings may be pretty. But it does need completion. So many boats are sunk in a driveway, so to speak. This guitar only needs strings. Edwin

What is that yellow sphere lurking behind the clouds? Is it, could it be.... the sun? Why yes, yes it is the sun. It looks as though its trying to find a way out behind the clouds. Will it actually make it out, if so when? When indeed. Maybe next week. Maybe next month. Maybe tomorrow. Meanwhile guitars continue to evolve. Edwin