Fancy bits!

Here (as promised) are the first few stages of fitting the purfling and bindings to Ian’s guitar. It’s a slow process! You can see how the two different rebates are cut around the top edge (and then repeated on the back) one for the purfling and the deeper one for the binding. 

Although a router is used for much of the rebating, the sections near the points have to be cut by hand; first using a purfling cutter …………

Other details such as the slot for the end graft are also cut by hand.

 Now, in my blurb for my “Standard” mandolin, I say that, “Time is the most expensive component of any handmade instrument” and this small piece of detail work (the end graft) is a good demonstration of that- there’s about 3 hours work here!

The purflings have been going on piece by piece and with them all glued in place, the bindings are next. I’m using ebony; it never ceases to amaze me how well ebony bends….

And a bit more time, waiting for glue to dry...........