Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/18/2014:  06:21:20

Dave,

No big reason. I just needed on a bit of clamping pressure for these pieces. These are cam clamps and should be a (if not the) basic clamp for most instrument builders. They can be shop made easily.  I'll try to remember to shoot some photos of these.

Dave1climber - Posted - 06/18/2014:  07:26:33

Dan

Thanks, I have often thought that that style of clamp could be very useful.

Dave

guitarman8491 - Posted - 06/18/2014:  08:23:42

Dan that is one fine looking bridge..can't wait to hear that banjo after you give it that first burp!..cheers,Doug

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/18/2014:  18:33:38

Doug,

After I get the bridges complete maybe we can talk Tom into making a video/ audio recording of it. 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/18/2014:  19:25:14

BIG POST WEDNESDAY!

Because I keep my camera handy throughout the day, it is not unusual for me to shoot 75 to 100 photos in a day. Tonight I uploaded to my computer (from my camera) 87. Sometimes I wonder just how I managed to make so many. But with the camera on a tripod and so handy it now seams almost natural to just reach up and hit the shutter button... almost like breathing. Most times I try for 5 or so photos for each post here on in the old Luthier's Life. But tonight I thought I'd put a whole bunch up for y'alls perusal. 20 to be exact!

So let the pictures begin!

This morning the light was amazing! Here is a view from my porch at 6AM.

I've several canvases that I undercoated today. I'm prepping these to make paintings on the boat.

Here they are after their first coat. They each received three more coats along with some red, brown, glitter & sand blasting media.

The cam clamp from yesterday... first view... unengaged...

Engaged... 

Yesterday I glued this set of maple blocks with the Loctite glue. Now after 24 hours as per the bottles instructions, into the vise they go to be tested. My test isn't to difficult or complicated, I just want to know if the stuff is any good before I use it on something important...

Test whack one...

After test whack one and this was not a great big whack.  

Normally with Titebond, epoxy, super glue or hide glue the glue line would be intact. The wood would have splintered. Here the glue failed. I guess I won't be using this mess. Anybody want a small bottle of crappy glue?

I've decided to take a bit different approach in dotting the cabin. I've not been quite pleased with the way that it has been working out. The structure just was not coming through. So today I took a bit of a left handed turn. It was time to try one of my painting tricks. I decided that I would make some solid pearl undercoat pieces to help give the house more definition.

First I made a tracing of the cabin...

Traced...

I scanned the tracing into the computer and using Corel Photo Paint I created a pattern. Cut out the various segments and glued them to pieces of pearl...

And cut them out. This project would have been much easier had I done the complete thing this way. But Hay, what fun is easy?

After filing the pieces to fit each other, they were glued together with cyano. Once this glue set up they were hot glued to a thin piece of maple so I could begin the first of my drilling for dots. That could be a new reality TV show DRILLING FOR DOTS!

Here the first set of holes are complete. These holes were filled with various materials, then more holes were drilled and more stuff stuck in. By the way this whole piece is about 1/2 inch long...

As various glueings dried I wet sanded on this banjo's finish. Tomorrow it will be back in the spray booth for final coats...

After many drillings and fillings the cabin is ready to be inlayed. I located it, marked it in white paint and here I am routing the cavity for the cabin...

Routed. The cabin has sticks to keep it level once the cavity is filled with epoxy...

Glued!

MORE SOON!!!

Dave1climber - Posted - 06/18/2014:  20:06:38

Dan

Thanks for the photos, more is always better.  

Bufo Bill - Posted - 06/19/2014:  13:17:47

Lovely pictures Dan, as above thanks for posting, I love it when it's a big photo count day on this fascinating thread.
All the best from Bill. :D

DEmery - Posted - 06/19/2014:  18:32:11

Hey Dan...the thread is about to hit 150K views in a few days. I assume you must have a big post planned for such a land mark on this little thread that has taken us through all of our Luthier's Life days. David E.

guitarman8491 - Posted - 06/19/2014:  18:37:34

That FB is a real work of art and labor of love with all the dotting

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/19/2014:  19:53:26

Dave, Bill,

Thanks I'm glad you enjoy it!

David,

About 890 reads to go... who would have thunk it?

Doug,

Thanks so much.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/19/2014:  20:09:08

TONIGHT'S POST

I just got in from working over at my son Sam's new house. What a house it will be! He just poured concrete counter tops and so I was over there to help clean up the mess. Tomorrow evening we will pour another counter so I guess there'll be a bunch more clean up in my life! 

Tonight we will take a little look see at the results of yesterdays left turn...

Starting out, here is how it looked first thing this morning. Epoxy piled up around the keepers...

Off go the leveling blocks with just a few taps on the chisel...

After scraping...

I like the way this piece looks enough that I decided to take the same approach with the boat. Here are the pearl pieces ready foe cutting...

After the pieces were cut out, filed and the pattern soaked off they are glued together...

Glued...

MORE SOON!

Dave1climber - Posted - 06/20/2014:  05:49:51

People in a boat!!  I like it.     How do you get the glued pieces off of the paper without them coming apart?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/20/2014:  06:18:50

Dave,

The "paper" is painters tape, glue side up. You sort of pinch the tape gradually and off it comes almost easy as pie.

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 06/20/2014 06:19:19

Dave1climber - Posted - 06/20/2014:  08:37:43

quote:

---

Originally posted by DanKnowles

Dave,

The "paper" is painters tape, glue side up. You sort of pinch the tape gradually and off it comes almost easy as pie.

---

Dan

Thanks for the tip, I like that even more than two people in a boat.  

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/20/2014:  21:01:35

Dave,

You are so welcome. It's not really mine though. It is a trick that I learned from Grit Laskin's book and  I use it regularly.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/21/2014:  05:54:24

YADRUTAS-SATURDAY

AM

Just up. Coffee just made. Like Papa Bear it is still to hot to drink. The cup does feel good in my hands though. And they are tired hands this morning. I was out till late last night sanding on my son Sam's concrete counter tops. The old bones aren't used to that abuse. These slabs will look really good once we are done with them. This is something I never done befrore. The nice part is that it is difficult to mess up. The pads cut evenly and relatively slow.

Ok you ask, "So just what did you do Luther wise Yesterday?"

Well I don't remember.

That's right, I don't remember.

I'm getting so old that memory just slips away without noticing! Still I've got a mess of photos, I'll just look at them and make something up!

Here is the first one:

This man, whoever he is, is making photos for his portfolio. He seams to remember his neighbor coming over the day before to make pictures for this same project, but the camera's battery went dead. So he spent the morning completing this stage of the project. Fiona lent him the lights and Nikon camera. He is very thankful for the lend and all of her help! Thank you Fiona!!!!

Here he is making a photo of the Pharaoh banjo. The lights really make the photos of the pearl clear...

Here is a little electric mandolin. It is the earliest instrument that the fella owns (which he made), it is from 1985 and is called THE STICK.  He built it soon after moving to Tennessee from California. He had sold his (very nice, I must say) electric mandolin before leaving figuring that he wouldn't need it again. But within weeks of arriving in Paris he was hired by a country band to play (you guessed it) electric mandolin. The band leader lent him a very bad Kay to use. So with only a drill press and hand tools he built this one. It was finished with spray can lacquer from Sherwin-Williams. The mandolin was used for about a year then sold. After many owners (and changes, it no longer contains the original knobbs [they were ebony], Kramer pickup or bridge saddle) and some damage,  the man was offered a chance to once again own it. An so the circle was made.

Another view of the hand carved face...

The cavaquinho after its final visit to the spray booth.I love this wood... 

Here tis the dots yesterday AM...

Here he is again cutting the folks in the boat. Some how the computer reduced the earlier pattern. So back at it again bubba.

The man is kept company by his faithful friend Sophie...

Oh yes, he made a better portrait of the pooch. There aren't many better dogs than this one...

The new pearl cut out and placed upside down on the tape for gluing and glued. The black filling is charcoal...

White glued to the fingerboard for marking...

Here that fella paints some tempera paint around the boat to give a pattern for routing...

After routing and fitting, the man colored some epoxy and glued the pieces in the cavity. Perhaps today his memory will return when he begins to again live...

A LUTHIER'S LIFE

MORE SOON!!!

Dave1climber - Posted - 06/21/2014:  14:55:38

Yadrutas is a monster, were you thinking of the day, or yourself?

Dan, looks like that man, who ever he is, had a good day.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/22/2014:  04:46:17

Dave,

He sure did!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/22/2014:  06:11:38

150,000 READS

THANK YOU!!!

Here it is one year and seven months since we started looking together at a Luthier's Life together...and one hundred fifty thousand reads. I remember so well being amazed at 20,000 and 51,000 but this... who'd a thunk it! 

Mile stones are always a great time to have a little blast from the past (so they say) so since we are standing next to this marker lets take a quick look see back...

Here is the very first photo from this post.

As I recall I was showing how on that day I was listening to John Balch's classic recording Carry On John...

My abode, in Paris, Tennessee where the Luthier lives...

With Gary Jenkins and his new Knowles guitar...

With my great friend Nick Nichols, finessing this classical guitar...

Another ancient banjo...

With my riding buddies... Bob Johnson, Eagen & Brice Snow...

The Guitar building class with Jerry, Kevin, Dauiske, Chanden & Eric...

 Pria Schwall-Kerney from Australia with her new Rickard/ Knowles Angel of Mercy banjo...

With my son Sam, in front of the Queen of the Mississippi in Paducah, Kentucky...

With Denton (woodturner) showing neck carving for the PBS folks...

Keaton & Braden watch the Queen come in...

On Stage with CHILL TONIC...

Tyler Andel learns the finer points of engraving...

With my daughter Jenny in Yosemite, California...

On stage with my pipin' buddy Ed Smith...

Jon Eaton & his son...

The true founder of this Post, David Emery...

The first Queen Banjo Class...

MY granddaughter Abby cleans my small lathe...

With Mark Twain, hisself...

Another Mark rides the pig!

With my pal Craig "Frailin'" Evans and my granddaughter Amber...

A whole bunch of the grand kids... and a couple of neighbor kids too...

I just wish that I had a photo of all of y'all who read and follow a Luthier's Life. You are the ones who make this worth doing. Thank you for being the true heart.

More Soon!

kwl - Posted - 06/22/2014:  09:12:27

Congrats Dan. It sem like only yesterday we were celebrating 100,000 posts.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Noah Cline - Posted - 06/22/2014:  12:40:22

I've really enjoyed this thread since I joined the BHO, and even before I joined, seeing all of the banjos and even the other instruments you've restored, built, etc.

"A Luthier's Life" is usually one of the first threads I check when I get on.

Keep up the good work,

Noah

Nels - Posted - 06/22/2014:  13:12:14

and on to 200,000

Kaelri - Posted - 06/22/2014:  14:01:39

I know I've sure enjoyed the journey here thus far. Hope my ticket is still good for another 100,000 plus! You've even got the whole family here peeking in from time to time!

DEmery - Posted - 06/22/2014:  14:36:01

I recall the conversation when we discussed the thread idea. It would take a long time for 150K folks to make it by the shop in Paris. Through your persistent work and BHO; lots of folks have gotten to see the magic in your work. It sure has been an instructional and fun thing to watch. heck I have a banjo build or two buried in those pages and views. Thanks. David E.  

Ebony banjo Sherry Lynne built by Dan Knowles

New 1850 and Ole' Abe

Goshen by Dan Knowles

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/22/2014:  15:34:21

Noah, Nels, Ellen & David,

I am glad that all of you folks are enjoying this. I do love what I get to do but I never would have thought folks would find it interesting enough to keep following the post...Boy have you proved me wrong!

Thank Y'all for Being here!!!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 06/22/2014 15:34:51

jbalch - Posted - 06/22/2014:  15:52:14

BEST thread on the BHO! 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/22/2014:  16:28:34

John,

Thanks so much!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/22/2014:  16:47:52

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

For the second time last night my shop was not broken into. The thieves did not enter through the roof, it was too thick they said. Instead the chose the skylight which was easily breached. After a frantic search through the front room they proceeded to the next room and then on to the next. Following this they entered the power tool room, the spray booth and the restroom. They even checked out the office and store rooms. Strangely many things were looked at. After a long and fruitless search they wrote me a very odd letter which I found this morning.

This is what it said:

"Dear Sir,

We are sorry to have disturbed your peace by illegally entering your place of business (These folks were at least po-light). We hope this does not cause you too much distress. We also hope that you choose not to call the police. Still we have wondered at what goes on here and being far too embarrassed to come during regular business hours and noting that you are open by appointment only and being far too shy to make an appointment, yes we did think of calling first but... So we chose the skylight. First, of course, we knocked, but no one answered. We noted that no lights were burning so we most carefully removed this cover so that we could gain access. It was a long drop from the twelve foot ceiling to the floor but thank goodness no one was injured in the passage. We hope that you will forgive us for using your ladder to make an exit. We did find the light switch near the front door. Thank you for being so kind as to provide this also. Other lights were not so convent in placement and we would suggest that you seriously look into rectifying this oversight. Still we were able to find the lights.

My partner and I made a careful appraisal of your business and attached to this missive is a detailed list of changes that we feel that you would be wise to make in order to improve your operation. We hope that we are not being to forward in making these but we felt that they will be received in the spirit in which we send them.

In closing we would like to apologize in advance for the seven extra banjos that we are leaving as we go. Each will need various and sundry repairs. We would appreciate if you would send us an estimate for the repairs. Please use the following email address. If it does not work there are others you might wish to try.  don@skylightmountainboys.com 

Yours,

The Skylight Mountain Boys 

SATURDAY

Kevin was in this Saturday morning to work on his guitar and had a very successful time of it. Here he and are are running his top through the thickness sander to level out the rosette...

Beautiful work Kevin!

Here is today's view of the Dot project. The boat has been leveled and a bunch of turquoise dots were added to the water area...

Tom Bergan's bridge for the Orpheus Banjo d'Amore is made from some nice quarter sawn persimmon and ebony. As I wish to try and maintain the same tone (as on the old bridge) I'm using some persimmon (I think it is from the same tree) and a beautiful piece of Gabon ebony, this is a drop from my ebony banjo neck of years ago.

Sawing the ebony to size...

Both pieces ready for gluing...

Glued. I'm using cyno on this. It is a very brittle glue which works wonderfully for passing not muting sound. Tonally I would say that it is par with properly prepared hide glue. I'll try and finish the bridge on Monday...

My son Sam with his new concrete counter top. Next week he will mill the surface to show the rocks and then finish them. I'm excited to see how this project finishes out...

Oh ya, last night Sam and Rachael brought over their kids so they could get a night out. Amber and Abby helped me make big progress on this dot project and I finished it this afternoon. It's a little 8"X10" painting titled THE MESSAGE...

MORE SOON!!!

guitarman8491 - Posted - 06/22/2014:  16:51:49

Dan..Congratulations on having reached this milestone and we look forward to the 300,000 mark. Your thread is so insightful and interesting..thanks for sharing so much with us!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/22/2014:  18:46:59

Doug,

Thanks so much!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/23/2014:  18:52:09

MONDAY

What was that old song? "Monday, Monday, so good to me..."

That bit of a lyric so aptly described my day. I slept in to 6:30, got up looked at the BHO, had breakfast (home made blueberry pancakes & coffee), took a shower, got on my bike and rode to work. Much was accomplished.

An extra show was added to this next tour... I leave out Wednesday and return the following Tuesday afternoon.

 A fun and interesting trip it should be. 

Debra and I will drive down to Vicksburg. She'll kick me out at the boat. I'll do two solo (completely solo, no help) shows, the Danny Conger will join me in Memphis along with his fiddle for two shows. Then on Monday in Columbus, Kentucky Eddie Coffey and Tyler Andel will come aboard for a final low down in the show down of the trip as we travel towards Paducah, Kentucky.

That will be for another day though.

What did Knowles fool with today... need I say?

The new bridges for Orpheus in progress... some how I forgot to make a picture of them cut to size and fairly finished. I hope you don't mind seeing them in their earlier block form. Each of these blocks will make two bridges.

Curves and underside of the bridges being filed into shape...

The ends are sanded using this un...

Here a little piece of fossil ivory is used to cap the bridge for the sympathetic strings...

Did I sand this one too thin?

It is the left over drop from slicing the bridges out of their blocks...

My grandson Chandan came over and started brazing some bracket shoes for a run of Jacobs 1850's banjos that we are building...

Here I'm laying out the details on the boat people so that I can start drilling...

Drilling...

Today. The blues of the water are finally beginning to jump and at last I'm seeing the picture really start to come alive...

MOre SOon!

BNJOMAKR - Posted - 06/24/2014:  02:31:23

Dot's amazing!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/24/2014:  04:44:01

Marvin,

Thank you so much!

Dave1climber - Posted - 06/24/2014:  06:43:20

I can only assume that that neck "in person" is spectacular, because its looking very nice now.

60spicker - Posted - 06/24/2014:  18:14:52

Let me add my +1 to John Balch's opinion that this is the BEST thread on all of BHO. It offers insight available NO WHERE ELSE! Thank you, Dan, for this gift.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/24/2014:  19:38:13

Dave & Terry,

Thank you... BTW I'm just about to get proud of this inlay project!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/24/2014:  19:48:58

TUESDAY

Well my bags are packed and the instruments too.

I'm laying down to get a bit of snooze...

Before I go jump on the roller coaster

Called the road. 

I think all is ready.

The guitar & banjos are c;eamed

And have new wires.

I've a couple  of new songs

And poems in the ready.

I'm looking forward to spending time

With the folks on the Queen.

Pickin' & a sangin'

Laughin'

Tellin' Bunyan sized tales.

Well that's about all for tonight.

The lights are out,

My eyelids are droupin'

It's time for sleep.

If I have some internet

And some energy too

I'll see y'all tomorrow

And I won't be blue,

from the Queen of the Mississippi

here with you,

On the old BHO.

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 06/24/2014 19:55:13

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/27/2014:  08:15:08

WALKIN' IN MEMPHIS

Today I'll be walkin' in Memphis, I might even head over to the world famous Stax records studio. It's one tourist trap that I'm really interested in. In the meantime though, I'm planning to go out to a music store on Poplar St. I think it is called Mary's or Marty's or something like that to buy the boat another mic stand. Last night before my performance one of the deck hands broke one. I'm not sure how he did it being as it is one of the nice heavy bottomed metal stands... tough guys on here!

So Wednesday Debra and I drove down to Vicksburg where she dropped me off at the Queen. She spent the night in Vicksburg and then drove home yesterday. Needless to say today she is tired! I on the other hand was able to just bum around here on the boat do a couple of shows, teach and Bla, bla, bla!

But before I left I shot this updated photo of the dot project...

Debra and I drove around Vicksburg looking at the sights (before she dropped me off). This is DeSoto point for one of the southern gun emplacements.

And the bridge into Louisiana...

And of course my wonderful banjo students! The girl on the far left (Kim) is a professional steel drum player from South Carolina. She joined me during the Minstrel portion of my show performing wonderfully on the Spoons and again last night on her cheeks!!! And on the far right is (Bob) a professional magician who taught me a card trick and amazed the folks during last nights show!

More Soon!!!

Kaelri - Posted - 06/27/2014:  08:53:32

I love the fact that there are some young ones in this class! I hope they get bit by the banjo bug! 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/28/2014:  08:06:46

Ellen,

Me too!!! The kids all did great and it was big fun working with them.

frailin - Posted - 06/29/2014:  19:06:25

Dan.  DeAnne loves the Orpheus fingerboard!  Lots of "excitement" in there. 

BTW - Are you traveling upriver on the Mississippi Queen this summer? 

Craig

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/01/2014:  08:45:49

Craig,

Please tell your sweetie Thank you from me!

As of now there are no bookings up in your direction. I hope that you are not being flooded out up there. 

guitarman8491 - Posted - 07/01/2014:  09:38:16

Can your class couldn't look any more enthusiastic. It must be a treat to teach so many aspiring banjo enthusiasts. Sure see a lot of cheery smiling faces. The FB is simply amazing!!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/01/2014:  09:43:38

TUESDAY AM (sort of)

I am only partially awake. I realize that this might be an odd or dangerous state to make a post in...

but oh well! It is 10:53 by my clock on the computer, so this morning is fast fleeing. 

We got in from the Queen of the Mississippi and Paducah, Kentucky a bit after 1 AM and I slept in! I never sleep in... never. But today I did. I'm sure that I'll feel better for it once I've gotten good and awake. 

Today will  be a busy day. It starts in just a bit with a meeting with my new agent who will be handling the sales of my artwork an moves on through teaching (I hope that I'm awake for that!).

But enough of today. I post that after it happens!

Being a traditional post this one lives in the past, no electricity here!

POST

Saturday I awoke to this beautiful sight, the Memphis landing at 5:30

Long about 11 am my great friend Danny Conger arrived at the Queen. He traveled and came on board in a pouring biblical portioned deluge of rain. It is no wonder that there were reports of flooding in Memphis. Danny had planned to arrive at the landing around 10, but he was stopped from driving on the freeway several times by equally driving rain. He said that often it fell so fast that he could not see the end of his truck. 

Look at this worried face. The luthier is being so intense. 

While changing strings I heard a "POP". I found that one of the 'X' braces on my guitar had come loose. I can only figure that the humidity had caused the glue to fail. This is one wonderful use for cyano. I'll be half afraid to take a mirror to the inside of my guitar and see the mess today. I really poured the glue to it. The repair held from Saturday till now. I'll be checking out its condition soon after I get to the shop. 

The Saturday evening show. It was sure great to have Danny's wonderful fiddling with me. The folks just loved his playing! Danny informed me this weekend that we have been playing music for 31 years this year... good lord how the time does fly. It seams like only yesterday that he was 16.

RED NECK COFFEE ROASTING.

Sunday morning 9 am after breakfast I was privileged to take the folks on a ride through my coffee roasting technique. We had around forty students. It was done under the fifth deck awning because the rain was pouring down. This is not something you want to do inside. The smoke when the roast is nearing completion gets very intense. 

My wonderful banjo class!!!

They all got it!

There are such interesting folks aboard the Queen. The fella standing right behind me (in the red shirt & off white sweater) is a Knight.

At lunch one day, he asked me "Have you ever been kissed by a man?"

​"I can't recall it if I have" said I.

"Well I have and it wasn't too bad!"

He is an American who was Knighted by the French. As part of his knighting, the French dignitary kissed him on both cheeks. He was knighted for service to the Free French Army during World War 2.

I have to post a photo of the beautiful girl who is my home away from home...The Queen of the Mississippi tied up at the New Madrid landing. New Madrid was the epicenter of the 1811-1812 earth quakes. For the 400 or so folks who lived here at that time it must have been hell. The ground turned fluid. The river ran backwards. Large chasms opened suddenly. This is the site of the largest earthquake on the North American continent since records have been kept.

MORE SOON

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/01/2014:  09:44:34

Doug,

Thanks!

kwl - Posted - 07/01/2014:  10:59:14

Dan, I always enjoying seeing and reading about your trips on the river. Even the pouring rain did not dampen anyone's spirit as far as I could tell from the photos. Thanks so much for sharing all of your adventures.

Ken

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/01/2014:  20:28:31

Ken,

You are so welcome. Thanks for being here!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/01/2014:  20:46:33

MORE PHOTOS FROM THE LAST TRIP

Sunday night, Americas Fiddlin' Postman, Danny Conger and me workin' it out for the folks on the Queen of the Mississippi on the Mississippi River...

A serious banjer player!

Monday in Paducah, Kentucky, the postman poses by a post!

Tyler Andel checkin' out the ebony banjo in Hartford tuning.... and likes it!

CHILL TONIC fiddlin' and in action...

L to R Eddie Coffey (bass fiddle), Tyler Andel (fiddle), Josh Coffey (fiddle), Danny Conger (fiddle) & me (guitar fiddle [I didn't want to be left out])...

The National Old Time Banjo Champion shows his stuff!

Danny and Josh...

The Old Man and Josh...

On Irish Blessing, twin fiddles take us home...

Today, in the shop, teaching...

More Soon!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/03/2014:  18:40:38

NEW BABY

La Neal took her first breath today, reared back and sweetly sent forth her first tune.

This little one is the cavaquinho which has been working its way through the shop.

Before I left on the last trip I spraed on the final coats of finish. So now today I've been wet sanding and rubbing it out...

Buffing time...

After buffing it was time to string and set it up. Here the sting in the nut height is being checked...

Here the proud papa listens to one of La Neal's first songs!

MORE REEL SOOON!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 07/03/2014 18:41:46