Harvest Moon Guitars

Harvest Moon Guitars JohnB Falcate 00 Koa\Sitka Guitar project blog:

May 25th 2024

I carved the neck, I probably will refine the profile a bit. I took a 1 and 9th fret neck profile and drew my desired shape in those profiles and worked out a primary facet line that I could use to start the shape.

I transferred the facet lines to the neck and used a combination of my spokeshave, rasp and a knife.

Not shown, I use the same tools to remove the facet corners and better refine the neck shape.

Starting to look like a guitar

March 3rd 2025

After Christmas and 6 weeks travel in New Zealand and am finally starting to finish this guitar. Before finishing I did finish a few build steps. I needed to install the fret markers and glue in the customer provide head stock logo. I had some dots that matched the pearl in the logo so I used them.

The guitar is sanded, ready for pore fill. One could get away not pore filling Koa, I chose to pore fill it as it helps me make sure that the surfaces really are level when I sand back. Also it looks cool why I do it.

For the pore fill I am using System three Silvertip with a fast hardener. Silvertip is a clear finishing epoxy. I will do at least three coats sanding back. I will do more if while sanding back I still have shinny spots. Basically before moving on the surfaces will be completely leveled. Better to chase now than after I have sprayed on the final top coats.

March 15th 2025

I just need to spend a couple of days before I can level and buff this sprayed on Post cat Royal-Lac. I have been working on this for awhile anxious to finish it. Here it is just off of the spray gun.

March 27th 2025

Finally finished. I level sanded and buffed out the finish. I was happy with all but the headstock veneer. It was almost OK but the inlay on one side was just a tad low and I did not get it level properly before spraying. I sanded off the finish and properly leveled the headstock and decided to use Gluboost Lac R' Shot to apply a lacquer finish on the headstock.

Much better!

I bit the bullet and put it together and strung it up. I still have a proper setup to do and I band to tune the back resonance. but at this point all looks good

I will start the proper setup and post a video of how it sounds in the next post.

John playing Falcate Braced 12 string Guitar