Starting Two New Builds
With my first guitar complete, and the Artisan show behind me, it’s time to start on a new project. My two year apprenticeship ends in February 2026, but I really want to attend the Osaka Sound Messe show in May 2026. After discussing with Ervin, I decided to extend my stay here until then. For that show, I will build a Modified Dreadnought with Swiss Moon Spruce and Malaysian Blackwood. I also recently got an order from a client in Taiwan, who is interested in picking up their guitar at the Osaka show. So, my new plan is to work on those two builds simultaneously.
Swiss Moon Spruce for the Modified Dreadnought.
Malaysian Blackwood.
The client from Taiwan wants a non-cutaway OM, with Padauk and Sitka Spruce from the Somogyi wood collection. Ervin was kind enough to agree to sell me some.
Working on two builds at the same time has some advantages for efficiency.
Padauk and the Mahogany inner sides bent and ready for laminating.
These builds will have solid linings. I bend and laminate three layers, for both the treble and bass side of each guitar. Plus three more for the cutaway lining on the Modified Dreadnought. A total of fifteen pieces of wood to bend, just for the linings on two guitars.
The linings for the Modified Dreadnought, cut into strips that match the dome of the top and back, and ready for fitting.
I wrote an article for Fretboard Journal #56, going into detail about my experience here at the Somogyi shop. It was my first time doing something like that, so it was very exciting to finally receive the magazine!
There’s some other great content in there too, it's well worth reading!
Of course I’m still working on the Somogyi guitars, shaping another headstock. I like this part of the build.
Glueing the binding onto a Somogyi fretboard.
Cutting the mortise.
Setting the neck.
We a visitor at the Somogyi workshop recently, who brought a Somogyi Espalda guitar from 2014. I had the chance to play it and make a little recording.
And I had my birthday last weekend, and got this AWESOME gift from Chris Morimoto. The monkey plays the cymbals when you pull the tape.