Handcrafted Instruments by Danny Molter
Pretty soon I will begin a guitar for my favorite performing artist. His music is so inspiring, meaningful, and incredible that he has been awarded several National awards, and been voted the Favorite artist in his genre multiple times. It will be an honor to build this guitar for him and hopefully he will play it all over the world and inspire others like he has inspired me. Pictures coming soon.
Well John’s guitar has been buffed and had the bridge glued. I worked on the action today and from what I have played, the guitar sounds great. John, I am pretty sure I have accomplished the sound you were looking for when you showed me the “other” guitar video. I will work on the electronics this weekend, work on the knobs and then clean it up and get it ready to ship. I am also going to have a professional photographer take some pictures for the website.
I have put the final coats of lacquer on the guitar. I have glued the neck and am letting the guitar harden before buffing. This guitar has such amazing 3d figure. I cant wait to string it up. I know John is really excited and ready to get his hands on this beauty. It has taken a long time to get to this point and I hope the wait is worth it. I think I am going to tell my future customers that the construction will take a minimum of 6 months. I hope it doesn’t discourage anyone.
Well if you thought this guitar looked good before with just mineral spirits on it, take a look at it now with one coat of lacquer. The koa is absolutely stunning along with the super curly maple bindings. You can really see the figure in the 5 piece mahogany, curly maple, and curly purpleheart neck. I don’t know if I am going to be able to let this one go.
Well I have routed the neck cavity and have fit the neck to the guitar. I have also drilled the tuner holes in the headstock and inlayed it along with fretting the fingerboard. The awesome Cocobolo bridge has been slotted and positioned on the guitar. I only have to shape the neck now and then the spraying can begin. I am still having a problem finding a Taylor with a thin flat neck profile to use as a guide so I might have to have John make me a carving template from his guitar as a reference.
I have installed the bindings on John’s guitar and fingerboard. I used a maple and walnut chevron purfling to compliment the Koa body. I have also bound the fingerboard with curly Koa to match the body and to contrast the maple fingerboard. I have installed a bookmatched Koa headstock on the neck that came from the body wood. John has choosen the Cocobolo bridge for the guitar which will look great. The next step will be to rout the neck cavity. It should look like a guitar by next week.
Well John I am finally putting some pictures on the website. I cut the pickup hole and have rough profiled the neck and headstock. I have also inlaid the fingerboard with the abalone satelite pattern. The contrast is very nice on the birdseye maple fingerboard. I have cut two different bridges to see which one will look the best with the Koa. One is Cocobolo rosewood and the other is Gaboon Ebony. The next step is the curly maple binding and chevron purfling install. I cant wait until I put some finish on this guitar. The figure of the Koa complimented with extreme curly Maple bindings and intense birdseye Maple fingerboard will be awesome….
I gave Ryan his guitar about 2 weeks ago. He was very excited with the final product. It was a long process but it came together pretty well. I hope you love it Ryan. Send some pictures when you can
I have installed all of the components and electronics on Ryans guitar. I will now work on the setup and get the action just right. Ryan should be playing soon.
I have come along way on John’s DCS. I have completed the bracing of the top and back. I have cut the side positioned sound holes and have also turned some spalted maple knobs that will compliment the curly Koa and birdseye maple fingerboard. This guitar will be stunning when it is completed.