In the vines

    Colonial era décor is sometimes ornate to the point of gaudy at other times it is simple and elegant sometimes almost barren and sparse. I was truly inspired by the many stylized vine details throughout much of the period pieces that I have studied and decided to add that aspect into several key places. After chisels and scrapers and other arcane but effective means of reducing the bracing while tap tuning the soundboard, I discovered I needed to loose a little more mass from the braces, so it was a natural place for me to begin adding some of those details. The main sound port on this guitar will be on the shoulder of the top bout facing the player, so looking down into the guitar as it is played will give a stunning view of the hand work put into these braces.
    I have found by doing these carvings I can control the stiffness of individual areas of the brace itself without effecting its stability since the carvings do not cut deeply into the meat of the brace but rather gently caress the top layer. So by moving the vine pattern slightly closer together in one section or by spreading it out in another attaining fine tuning of the brace is easily achieved, well easily considering the amount of time it takes to hand carve each individual aspect of the vine pattern. Besides the Colonial Grand Symphony is not just any guitar, it is meant to be a work of art that hearkens back to an era as well as a fine musical instrument. It is also my endeavor to utilize all of my accumulated skills on one project, this is something I have wanted to do for some time and I must say that I am enjoying it so much that I will most likely continue in this highly detailed themed instrument journey that I have embarked upon.
    Thus far for some reason my mind keeps drifting to those beautiful hand carved muskets and Kentucky rifles with flamed maple stocks and ornate inlays of silver and brass. It seems to me that these rifles epitomize the elegance and beauty of the craftsmen in the Colonial era and much like the guitar they were tools meant to be used, they had a specific duty and a purpose. My thoughts have also drifted to the Japanese swords of ancient past, yet another stunning work of art that had a brutal and specific purpose. I suppose this is the inspiration for these new themed guitars, I am seeking to create works of art that excel in their intended purpose of being musical instruments without becoming useless wall hangers or glass case jewels.
    Anyone can make a sword, well almost anyone can, but few people can match the beauty elegance and the function of a sword made by a master sword smith in ancient Japan. And although technology has made the musket loading rifle of less use, they were very competent weapons as well as elegantly designed works of art. So in the tradition of these great masters of their trades I seek to pay homage to them and humbly walk the path they laid down to combine all of my artistic abilities with the essence of a truly fine instrument.
   

Vines close up - much finish work to do yet

   Time is an ever turning grinder that eats away the days and years and it seems to me that my life has flashed by without so much as a whisper. A very wise person once told me, time is the only thing you can not get back.. so make use of it the very best you can, in essence make the most of every moment you have because you will never get that moment back. For me life has been kind and cruel, happy beyond measure and sad beyond explanation, exciting, dangerous, thrilling, crazy, insane and wonderful and I wouldn't have it any other way. The water in the oceans rise to the heavens and fall back to the earth as rain, though they travel back down to the ocean once more they will never again be that single drop of rain, ever again. So as we plummet down to our final days we should embrace what we are and feel the wind in our faces and smile knowing that we shall not pass this way again.
    In my journey I have found what I love to do and I am blessed to be able to do it but it did not come without loss or hardship just as everything worth while does.
    Enough philosophy for the day, I have not had a chance to take pictures of the geometry of the top and back yet, so I will save that for the next post. Until then, enjoy your evening and remember to smile often laugh when you can and keep looking for the purpose in your life.