Instrument details: Paul Mckee - Steel string guitar

Paul has prepared a ring of rosewood for his soundhole decoration. The bordering strips have been glued in and the material between them excavated ready for the central ring.

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The central ring is then glued in, gently tapped into place.

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After thicknessing, the back has a central strip of spuce glued down to strengthen the join on the inside.

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The front braces have been glued but not yet shaped. A bridge plate is also glued on the inside - this both protects the soft front from the ball ends of the string and also supports the area around theedge of the bridge, minimizing distortion.

Photo added on 23/10/2014

Paul is here checking the fit of the bridge which is shaped to the curvature in the front.

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The neck is now started and is blocked up.

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Paul is bending the lacewood sides...

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...and checking progress against the template.

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The guitar is then assembled in the mould.

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The back is the fitted to the assembled neck, front and sides.

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Paul is gluing on the back with go bars.

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The binding channels have been cut and Paul is bending the rosewood bindings to shape.

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Before removing the masking from the fingerboard the lacquer bridge between the tape and the neck must be sanded through.

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The lacquer can then be flattened and burnished to a high gloss.

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The guitar is reassembled and ready to play.

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Paul's thistle headstock inlay very close up.

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Paul's finished guitar.

Photo added on 23/10/2014