A Blonde Guitar - Making a Copy of the FE 19 Guitar by Antonio Torres: Binding and Purfling

With the final shape of the violin complete, Stradivari applied his last piece of artistry: the purfling.

Toby Faber, Stradivari's Genius, 2004

"Amparo", Engelmann spruce/California laurel, based on guitar FE 19 made by Antonio de Torres.

Did I mention that this guitar is for sale?

Ebony and Manzanita Thumb Plane, Ebony/Bubinga End Graft and Bindings


Yesterday was spent thicknessing strips of bubinga with a hand made tool for such a task, bubinga is tough wood, I had to put my foot against the work bench to get enough power to pull the strips through! Today was spent preparing the ebony binding for this Torres copy. I thicknessed the ebony and then glued simple lines of bubinga to buffer the contrast of ebony on California laurel.

Click here to read more about this tool

The end graft applied.

Tomorrow I will rout out the binding ledges and hope all goes well! I got a new binding jig from Luthier Tool Company for my new Bosch Pony router and a brand new up spiral bit! I will be lighting candles to honor St. Cecilia, patroness of Music and Musicians, and to St. Joseph, patron of the Worker!




Enjoy this YouTube of Adam Holzman playing a 1967 Daniel Friederich guitar!