January 26 2005

Jerry,
Generally if I can acomplish something with hand tools I prefer it anyway. It gets you closer to the wood, closer to understanding it I suppose. Not that there's much to understand in herringbone... I wanted to email you to let you know that since I worked so hard the past week finishing up on a guitar that was ordered as a wedding gift, I'm taking a few days off for fun stuff. That means I'm going to do up a prototype of the meander inlay. I'm going to start messing with it today, at least glue up the veneers. The purpose being to execute it well, and find out what changes I need to make when I make it for real. I'll be working on it some today, and maybe tomorrow. When I'm done if it comes out well I'll send you the results so you can get an idea. Always with these things I do a prototype, since the first time it never goes quite as good as I'd want it to (the second time usually goes perfectly after that). This will be a lot of fun.
Best wishes,
Josh

Jerry,
Right now I am laying up the herringbone for your guitar. It will take several days before it is all ready, but I think I've developed an effective method for it. Taking my time though seems the real key. I think the guitar is sure to be a winner - I probably told you the best guitar I ever made was Cypress with a Tornavoz. I'll be doing everything I can to reproduce or better those results. Once I finish the herringbone, I'll send you a picture or it, so you can decide if you want it around the rosette too, or if you want the half herringbone pattern. Its nice to match the rosette to the top purflings
Best wishes,
Josh

...Okay, on the herringbone..... now I am getting somewhere. It looks pretty good as a prototype. Took a couple of days of work, but it was a good learning experience.. I've already decided on some changes I'd like to make if you decide you want it all over your guitar. I don't think its going to be very tricky to bend... so it wouldn't be a problem to use it on the top, back, sides, and bordering the meander  on the center of the back and the head. Assuming the meander comes out as nicely as I am hoping. Doing all of this would be like a scaled down version of the Torres The changes I'd make to the design... I'd use brazilian rosewood or macassar ebony with the maple.... this would give a bit more contrast, and I would make the maple appear more frequent than in this design attached. The colors would be more like what you see in my rosettes. There will also be purfling lines on either side of the herringbone, and the herringbone would be slightly smaller. So what do you think?
Best wishes,
Joshua

1) A preview of the herringbone inlay we will be using.