Custom Guitar: Brazilian Rosewood
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I am making a 00 acoustic guitar from Brazilian Rosewood. The wood was cut a long time ago; with a finish on, its rich chocolate browns are accentuated.
Building A Custom Guitar: Two Acoustic Guitar Tops
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I’ve got a couple of new acoustic guitars on the go.
This is the top. I’ve just glued the x-brace into it. I carve the braces by hand once they’re glued in. I can’t shape them first, as I make them tall and thin, coming to an almost-point, so I wouldn’t have a surface to clamp.
So [...]
Jim Fleeting Guitars: Bolivian Rosewood OM
The top is Sitka spruce; the back is Bolivian rosewood; the ebony bridge and fingerboard are both bound with high-flame koa. That’s koa on the headstock, too.
Koa is my favourite wood
Koa is beautiful. It is full of rich colours, and the figure that can be found in it is as good as I’ve seen in any wood.
I built this bass in 2005. The koa top has a subtle flame and a rich, brown colour.
Koa (acacia koa) is a hardwood native to Hawai’i, and [...]
My latest acoustic build – progress
by Jim · 4 Comments
As satisfying as it is to build a guitar, there are certain moments that really stand out. The obvious one comes at the end: when you string it up, and hear the first notes from the newly-made instrument. Another great moment is when you apply the first coats of finish; at that moment, you get [...]
Hello. My name is Jim Fleeting. At my workshop in Ripon, North Yorkshire, I create custom guitars and basses for customers around the UK and Europe. The Guardian describes me as one of the UK’s leading luthiers, which is nice of them. I built the UK’s first nine string bass and popped up in Guitarist and Guitar & Bass magazine, after winning an award from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust. I also head Jim Fleeting Guitars’ thriving repair shop.