The top and back will both consist of four pieces of sapele. The first part of the process is to slice the pieces with a bandsaw, thickness them and then decide how they will be joined to give an interesting pattern that is as close as possible to a more conventional bookmatched two piece set. The process of joining is the same for the top and back and each two pieces are joined using the same method. The pieces are laid out in the selected order - 1,2,3,4 going from left to right say. Each of the outer two pieces are joined together: 1&2 and 3&4. This makes two "bookmatched" pieces and these are joined like a conventional two piece set.
The tops four pieces have been processed to make two "bookmatched" pieces. The edges of the join are planed/sanded on a shooting board until they pass the "candle test" - when held together over a light-box no light can be seen along the join.
Here the two sides of the top are on the light-box. I join them using the "tent-method". Binding tape is used to hold the sides together - the tape stretches so closes the joint tightly.
The tape act as hinges as the joint is opened with the two sides of the top like a triangular tent, hot hide glue is run into the gap, and the sides pressed flat with the tape side on the bottom.
The hot hide glue squeeze-out is cleaned up when it has gelled, and the joined top propped up and left for a few hours for the glue to fully harden.
The top is cut to the rough outline and next the rosette is installed. The channel is cut with a laminate trimmer.
The rosette components are dry fitted and cut to fit.
The rosette is then glued in with white pva glue.
When the gllue has dried the rosette is sanded flush.
Next the soundhole re-enforcement plate is cut from the same sapele as the top and glued on with hot hide glue - remembering to put parchment paper underneath to catch the squeeze-out through the hole in the centre of the soundhole.
When the glue is dry, the soundhole can be routed out.
Now the bracing starts. This is done under controlled humidity of around 45% and the steps of back/top bracing and closing up the box need to be done as quickly as possible. The European spruce x-braces are profiled to a 13' radius amd the notch cut. I glue these on one at a time using hot hide glue.
The second X brace goes on.
Next the Brazilian Rosewood bridgeplate is glued in.
And then the X brace cap.
The X braces are initial profiled and then the rear bridgeplate brace is glued on.
Followed by the first lower tone bar.
Followed by the other "split" lower tone bar.
Next the upper X braces are glued in.
The upper bout lattice is completed. With a hollow neck and no neck-block, this needs to support the string tension on the fingerboard glued to the top.
Finally the four finger braces are glued on and all of the braces finally shaped and the top "voiced".
The four pieces of the back are joined in a similar manner to the top and the hybrid X/ladder braced bracing glued on and shaped. The centre joint re-enforcement strips are Brazilian rosewood.
