Instrument details: Richard Waddell - Semi-acoustic guitar

The join in the spruce wedges must be seamless prior to gluing

Photo added on 20/02/2018

The glued front is planed to a nominal height before carving

Photo added on 20/02/2018

Fine tuning the shape with scrapers

Photo added on 20/02/2018

The f-hole is sawn out and the edges cleaned with a knife

Photo added on 20/02/2018

Gluing the headstock veneer, in Richard's case a sandwich of ebony and holly

Photo added on 20/02/2018

Drilling the machine head holes

Photo added on 22/04/2018

Bending the sides - comparing with the template

Photo added on 22/04/2018

Rough shaping the back of the neck

Photo added on 22/04/2018

Planing the fingerboard camber. Using a plane rather than shaped sanding blocks gives greater freedom, for compound radius profiles for example

Photo added on 22/04/2018

The tremolo recess

Photo added on 23/04/2018

Time for the trial stringing 'in the white'...

Photo added on 23/04/2018

..this is when any final checks and adjustments can be made

Photo added on 23/04/2018

Richard has sprayed the front a translucent white and finished the maple back and sides with a light oil varnish

Photo added on 23/04/2018

The flamed maple back with oil finish

Photo added on 20/10/2018

Richard's finished guitar

Photo added on 20/10/2018