My Tony Francis Weissenborn----Part 3 Fretboard & Inla

[James Williamson]

In this part 3 you can see further progress with the Fretboard and inlay going on.

Those interested can view here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/jameswillia ... nbornPart3#

Please see Tony's comments on this below:

Time for another update. The last batch of pictures I sent showed the detailing process, cutting the binding channels and bending, fitting and gluing the rope marquetry into place.

Following that, I turn to cutting the pearls and thicnkessing fretboards. Choosing the fretboard was a tough choice. Its always a pass up between beauty and simplicity, especially on a Style 4. I made up three boards, and ended up going with the one you originally liked best. Its quite a process from the rough boards to finished and bound peice, and in the pictures you can see the pearl and holly fret markers which are all hand cut and inlaid.

Weissenborn used quite plain grained koa for the fretboards (and interestingly that was what you chose), and then filled the pores of the wood using hide glue. The rest of the body is filled using a standard dark walnut filler, and that really gives the freboard unsurpased clarity to the player. A super important and much to often overlooked detail in my eyes.

The last couple shots are of the completed body just prior to finishing. The koa gets sealed with an old fashioned natural resin which gives the body that deep rich amber look. Then we fill the pores of the wood, and another coat of seedlac, and followed by six coats of top quality nitrocellulose lacquer. This is a really very thinly applied finish, but more on that later.

[T. W. Hatem]

Thanks for the update James !
This is really turning into something special !

I am really beginning to appreciate Tony Francis' respect of the old construction methods.
Talk about building in Mojo !!

Some might fuss over the time it takes, but really... would you have it any other way ?

[Grant Cuthbert]

looking very nice james

i ordered my TF weiss recently, so seeing this makes me extra excited!

[William Hoff]

Man do I love rope binding. What a great looking instrument!

[Jerry Desmet]

Reaaly very nice work. Thank you for all details and photos.