Here’s where she sits… standing up under string tension The initial setup is done, and the action is good. But this was a random collection of stuff a few days ago and now it’s a guitar, so it will take time for the timbers to take a set. I’ll let it hang out for a week or so and play it every day (it sounds nice!) and then change the tension on the neck brace if needed and set up the action again.
Also I need to add fretboard markers. In the past I’ve put in cherry plugs as markers when the thing wasn’t fretted yet, sanding them flush. This time I had the “brilliant” idea that I was going to ‘brand’ symbols on the fretboard and let those serve. It seemed consistent with the ‘Ostinato’ brand on the headstock and the burned pattern on the rosette. I like the simplicity and directness of burning symbols onto wood, it’s unequivocal and final. Boom. In the case of the fingerboard markers, it turns out the idea was not brilliant at all; the rosewood did not take kindly to the treatment. maybe Pau Ferro or some other fretboard material would work, but not the rosewood. So anyways have to figure out how I’m going to add markers to a guitar that’s already complete and already has frets. It’ll be fiddly work but nothing too tough.
Other than that it’s a great instrument. Once I have it completely dialed in somebody is going to want it. Maybe even me, although I’ve been trying to thin the herd. I have too many guitars, both made and store bought.
