I didn’t get as much done on the fretboards as i would have liked last week, but i did get them prepped for slotting. We just couldn’t find the proper wrenches to change the blade on the table saw.

So instead, i spent time carving and shaping the neck heel on Proto 2.

Proto 1 and Proto 2 inched one step closer to completion over the weekend, with the neck joints being drilled, T-nuts inserted and a test bolt-up of the necks and bodies.

This is the first time we’ve actually been able to sit down with both of these body styles as (more or less) actual instruments. The ergonomics are fantastic, even without the neck and body carves done. Balance seems to be excellent, and playing position of the Javelin in a seated position is perfect.

The Aviator is stunningly lightweight, though the white limba body and neck is quite soft, and this guitar will require a good hard clearcoat to keep it from damage.

The Javelin is the complete opposite… the solid East Indian rosewood neck and 2″ thick figured walnut body make for a hefty instrument. But it’s important to note that neither the neck nor body have been carved yet, so it will likely lose about 1/3 of its mass. (We have some fairly dramatic carving ideas for these bodies.)

Stay tuned!

Just a few minor updates for those of you who care (or even notice)…

There’s a new sharing widget that appears at the bottom of each post, making it easier for you to share posts on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, email, etc.

We’re also working on enabling a link between this blog and our Facebook page (and possibly Twitter), so updates should be posted there when a page here is published.

The permalinking structure has also been changed to allow quick access to guitar histories by serial number. Basically, you go to decibelguitars.com/[serial] and you’ll get straight to your guitar’s build history. Cool, huh? Here’s an example:

decibelguitars.com/proto1

Hopefully this will also enable us to track ownership and act as a resource should the instrument become lost or stolen.

I just thought i’d write a bit on where we are in the prototype phase, since it’s been a few weeks.

First of all, the “we” is myself, darren wilson, and my partner Brian Bowes. Brian’s been building over the last six years, honing his skills and absorbing every bit of knowledge he can get. He’s great on the tools and is as uncompromising with his builds as i am with the design. He’s also a good and patient teacher, helping me to get my skill and confidence on the tools up to workable level quickly. I’ve been focused more on the design side of things, and taking more of a “book” approach to the practical side of things… learning by intensely reading and observing. Our complimentary skill sets collided a little over a year ago, so it’s exciting to see the collaboration starting to bear fruit.

Overall, things are moving along nicely. It’s a good thing i’m a very patient person, because this guitar-building business moves at its own pace, and it’s not something that can be rushed. Go too fast or cut corners, and you’ve got expensive firewood. Thankfully, i’ve been building these guitars in my head over and over as i’ve been designing them for the last 20 years or so… While i’m anxious to have them see the light of day, i’m even more anxious to not screw them up. So i’m taking my time, and being very methodical.

On to the update… Read more

We’re still working out the kinks in our blogging platform, so this is a placeholder post for now… stay tuned for more content.

Come on in! Have a look around… we hope you like what you see!
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