Making My Guitar

WOW!!!What a Result!!!

2009-01-31T14:20:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

Overcoming a few challenges and frustrations, the guitars are finished.
After endless sanding, delicate handling, oiling, waxing,buffing and more buffing...everyone is happy!
The guitars are so beautiful and sound incredible.

Kia is off to play her guitar in America this year as part of her school music programme and I plan to resume guitar lessons again.

This is just the beginning...Italy?

THANK YOU CHRIS

Finishing Touches

2009-01-31T03:28:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

Almost there! Only the finishing touches now.

Endless Possibilities

2009-01-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

One for Two.

This double necked guitar was built by Master Luther, Chris Wynne at Montsalvat in Melbourne, who helped Kia and I produce our finished, stunning guitars.

Chris offered to swap this for Kia's beautiful guitar but she turned it down. Perhaps we can make our own double neck next time.

Time Was Going So Fast

2009-01-29T13:55:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

The time was flying so fast at times, and it was during a heat wave with temperatures outside getting up to 45 deg c.

My brain was not functioning very well and I felt I was going a little crazy...

Stunning Wood

2009-01-28T15:14:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

The oil really brought the wood to life. The colours jumped out as the oil soaked in.

Stunning!!

Precision Placement

2009-01-28T14:35:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

Precise placement of the fret board onto the neck is critical so the Master "Chris " is here to assist. (Thank goodness)

It Really is a Guitar

2009-01-27T14:20:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

The trimmings and the neck are now on and it really is now looking like a guitar. Very soon it will sound like one (We trust )

Shaping the neck

2009-01-27T01:10:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

Using a hand plane, Kia has to use skill and patience to shape the neck of her guitar.

Concentration Needed Here

2009-01-26T14:10:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

Kia is using one of the routing machines to create the holes in the head to house the peg boards which requires skill and great concentration.

Putting the Sound Board on

2009-01-24T02:01:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

Kia is well in front on Day 4 and is gluing her sound board onto the base. Interested visitors of Montsalvat are looking on.

I Can See a Guitar

2009-01-23T04:15:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

HAPPY!!!!The rosette is in and it's now looking a little like a guitar.

Kia's Air Guitar

2009-01-22T16:33:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

Kia can't wait to play her guitar

Routing Day 2

2009-01-20T15:19:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

The inside edges of the shaped sides have been reinforced with strips of pine. Kia is now routering a slot at the bottom of the guitar for a strip of wood to be glued in.

On the Band Saw Day 2

2009-01-20T03:49:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

In the creating of an amazing Guitar, I'm developing skills that I have rarely had the opportunity to develop.

Shaping The Side Day 1

2009-01-19T15:11:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

We did a lot on the first day. Choosing our wood was the most exciting part of the day as we were given Australian woods that are stunning. The wood needed to be prepared by sanding down on a large sanding machine before shaping. Kia is shaping the sides.

About to sand a rib Day 1

2009-01-19T11:09:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

Yes me operating that large machine in the background

Chris and the Trainees Day 1

2009-01-19T08:06:00.000-08:00

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Originally uploaded by carollyn.thompson

Day one about to start on the project.

Chris from THOMAS LLOYD Guitars is a master of guitar building and has been responsible for some 200 guitars being built from our beautiful Australian woods.

There are many woods to choose from, so, Chris has narrowed the selection down for us as he has researched extensively the properties and suitability for building guitars, comparing them to European woods traditionally used.

To find out more about this wonderful programme, go to www.thomaslloydguitars.com

The Seed was sown

2009-01-07T23:39:00.000-08:00

On a recent visit to the historical Montsalvat, an amazing art community on the outskirts of Melbourne, I discovered a guitar maker (A Luther)who teaches the art of guitar making.

Two days before the visit, I had received a phone call from my daughter Kia to say that her guitar (originally mine) had been stolen from school.

It seemed coincidental that I would be staying in a house literally 10 minutes from the community and in discussing it further with Chris Wynne the Master Luther, I found out that he had a class scheduled for the exact days that I would be at the house.

So... after convincing Kia that it would be a great thing for her to do, I booked her on a flight to Melbourne from Perth. I then booked both of us into the 2 week summer course to build our own guitars.