Category Archives: OM1 LH Cutaway

OM1 LH Cutaway build

Following on from the successful build of my second parlor guitar (P02), I decided to build a left-handed cutaway variant on the P02 body design as a gift for my son’s birthday.

Design

I chose a conventional 650mm scale length compared to the 635mm on the P02 which resulted in the bridge being pushed a bit further down the body and altered the bracing pattern slightly (as well as being reversed for the LH design). The sound hole wasn’t moved which gave room for 21 frets.  I also increased the headstock angle to 12 degrees.

I was able to re-use the P02 body mould with the addition of a screw-on insert for the cutaway.

The Build

The build was basically the same process as the P01 & P02 with the exception of the cutaway which was the most tricky part requiring VERY careful bending of the rosewood.  I also had to decide what decorations to do around the edges of the cutaway.  I ended up putting maple edge pieces on the two cutaway side edges and continuing the abalone purfling around the cutaway on the back and front.

Dimensions:
Scale length 650mm
Total frets 22
Fret# at body 14
Body length 497mm
Upper bout 265mm
Waist 215mm
Lower bout 345mm
Total length 1039mm
Rib depth 82-100mm
Sound hole dia 98mm
Sound hole centre from heel 153.6mm
Fingerboard width at nut 46mm
Fingerboard width at 12th fret 55.4mm
String width at bridge 54mm
Fingerboard radius 16″
Neck thickness at nut 21mm
Neck thickness at heel 25mm
Top radius 25 ‘
Back radius 15′
Top thickness 2.0-2.2mm
Back thickness 2.5mm nominal
Sides thickness 2.2mm
All-up weight  

Woods:

Top Alpine spruce
Back and sides Indian rosewood
Neck Mahogany with centre maple splice
Fingerboard Ebony
Linings Mahogany (laminated)
End blocks Mahogany
Top bracing (X style) Spruce
Back bracing Mahogany
Cross banding Mahogany
Bridge Rosewood. Ebony pins with abalone dots

Decorations:

Sound hole Abalone ring
Purfling bw+Abalone+wb
Banding Maple
Back centre strip Maple bounded by abalone & purfling
Neck centre strip Maple bounded by 0.6mm black
Fingerboard dots MOP
Headstock Ebony facing with inlaid crossbow
Pick guard Tortoise shell pattern

Fittings:

Tuners Gotoh 510  18:1
Nut & saddle Bone
Pickup Fishman thinline under-saddle PRO-AG1-125
Strings D’Addario   XT 56-13
Drawings

OM1 sideview

OM1 bridge

OM1 body template