how it all started

here are some pictures of my eightstring in various stages of being built. many thanks to mar, who took the pictures at VOX HUMANA, the guitar shop where i walked in years ago with the idea to have my guitar built.

i liked their quality work, as well as the fact that they didn't immediately jump in when i proposed to build an eight string fanned fret instrument. it took me some convincing that this could work, and this helped us to really consider all of the complexities involved. below you see the 'final cut' for the frets. when i saw this, i knew it would eventually work out.

below you see a second big step: the heart of the instrument, with an extension so i could actually take it home and see if the measurements were working out for me. i can tell you this was a great experience, a simultaneous sense of being liberated as well as intimidated. it wasn't easy to bring it back, but it wasn't quite finished yet....

it took henny and rene some time to finish it (parallel to their many other projects), but it was really worth the wait. of course many visits, cups of coffee, and talks were involved along the way......

you can see the finished instrument in the august post entitled 'white belt'.