The Steel String

Here are a few shots of the Steel String Classical with the back glued on and ready for the binding. For those who didn’t see the first installment this is a classical design that I turned into a steel string that will have a Bags pickup w/volume control. I’m using Hide Glue so when I was sure the back fit perfectly, I brought in an electric heater to warm up the room to about 80 degrees and moistened the head and tail block along with the lining just before applying the glue to slow down the set time. Then quickly clamped the back on before the glue cools and jells so it bonds to the wood properly and I think it went very well the box is tight and musical. On the flat board is a 2×4 cut to the right curve for the back braces of a classical on one side and a steel string on the other. This is used to do final shaping of the back braces and the lining around the back to a nice curve in all directions. The knife on the guitar body is an antique scalpel blade that had an ivory handle I removed the handle and set the blade in a piece of Rose wood. The Ivory handle will become a nut for a stringed instrument.