#87 is s JJ Model (Small Jumbo) that’s currently a spec guitar. Classic dark Brazilian with inky spider-webbing and paired with an Italian Spruce top that was purchased years ago and because of its high sonic rating was reserved for this beautiful Brazilian back and sides. If you are interested let me know ASAP as we can discuss options. Triple laminated sides and a Florentine cutaway are the features so far.
Fitting the 3 separate laminates to the body mold
Gluing the tail block
Gluing the heel blook
Completed rim-set with Back
Back Partially Sanded
#86 – OM – Sinker Mahogany/Swiss Spruce
#86 is for a Nashville-based professional guitar player who played a similar Jewitt OM and had to have one. He chose Sinker Mahogany and Swiss spruce but requested a dark vintage-inspired sunburst and a custom 25.25″ scale length. Also features an arm bevel and laminated sides. He plans on touring with this guitar as the band-mate/guitarist/vocals for a very famous country music artist.
Sides Laminated and Back Glued
Marking Sides in Mold to Trim
Gluing in Tail and Heel Blocks
Gluing in linings - we use laminated strips (no kerfs) for the top and reverse kerf for the bottom.
All my guitars are sealed on the inside with satin shellac. The underside of the top is not sealed.
Finished spalted maple rosette
Sound hole cutouts are saved.
Gluing the X braces
Tone bar braces.
Braces scalloped and carved to begin the voicing.
Spalted Maple End wedge installed
Getting the neck geometry roughed in
Making sure the fretboard lines up with the centerline of the guitar body before gluing.
To insure stability of the neck, a dual action, stainless steel truss rod and two carbon fiber rods are installed before gluing down the fretboard with epoxy.
#85 – OM-12CSB – Bois de Rose/Torrefied Adirondack Red Spruce
#85 is for a local client and it’s his 3rd Jewitt Guitar. He chose a set of Bois de Rose and a Torrefied ADI top from our inventory, and initially, wanted a Grand Concert 12 fret but changed his mind after seeing and playing the OM-12SB below at The Artisan Guitar Show this past Spring. Completion date is Summer 2025.
Beginnings - Gluing sides to tail block.
Gluing the heel block
Framed Label closeup
Gluing the background veneer for label.
Back and Sides after gluing on back and spraying 3 coats of satin shellac
Routing the outer and inner purfling channels for rosette.
Routing out the rosette from spalted maple
Rosette and purflings glued in with polyurethane glue.
Then the space between the two purfling channels is excavated
Black bordered Jewitt Label applied
Gluing on the top
Completed box!
Neck attached
Back partially finished in spray booth
Gluing purfling, start of binding process
Checking the sunburst gradiants
#84 – OM-C Tunnel 13 Redwood/Cocobolo
#84 is a spec build that’s scheduled to be completed Fall 2025. I’ve used this combination may times and prepare for a deep, lush bass and balanced mids and trebles. This will have a modified Manzer-Inspired Wedge and arm bevel with triple laminated sides.
Completed Rimset
Cocobolo back bookmatch
Back braced with mahogany braces
Braced back ready to glue onto the sides
Back glued to rim-set with label on a black veneer background
Mosaic blue dyed burl after glue-up on cardboard backer
Blue dyed rosette glued in soundboard - before level sanding
Final of rosette highlighted with naphtha
#78 JJ – Flame Maple/Engelmann
#78 is a client build that’s scheduled to be completed this Spring. I’ve had the maple for around 25 years here in the shop. Completion date is approximately 6/2025. This is a Small Jumbo, long scale that will be voiced for a rich, warm sound. Per client specs, it will have a “Matt Thomas” Wedge, sound-port, arm bevel and a sunburst top. The back and sides will be stained to a caramel color. The guitar was delivered to the client in August 2025!
Cutting bent sides to length for the mold
The "Matt Thomas" Wedge takes shape.
Beginnings - Gluing the tail block
Gluing the linings
Gluing the center back seam reinforcement strip
Back - braces glued and before carving
Braces carved and veneer applied for label
Inside finished with satin shellac
"Picture Frame" Label applied.
Gluing the X Brace
Souvenir for the Client
Braced top, before "Closing the Box"
Gluing the top
Body now complete, after trimming the excess wood.
Binding the top. Arm bevel area will get flat sanded and then veneer applied.
#82 00-14 – Wenge/Torrified Adirondack Red Spruce
#82 is a guitar that will finally get done this year. I’ve had the back and sides glued up for several years – and now its time to get this one done. Completion date is approximately 6/2025. This is a 14 fret short scale model that should have a nice punchy sound. Wenge is a very underrated tone wood in my opinion and competes nicely with the rosewoods but is less bright. If you are interested, e-mail me. Guitar Sold!
Gluing label background - black dyed veneer
Finished Sitka Spruce bracing on back
Black veneer frame for label
Gluing back in go-bar deck
Label applied after insides finished with satin shellac
Top after bracing carved and sanded
Top about to be glued down
Tail wedge!
Finalizing neck fit
In the spray booth. Sunburst applied and getting ready for the clear coats of urethane.
Curly walnut rosette is coming alive with the clear coats.
#81 00-14 – East Indian Rosewood/Italian Spruce
#81 is a guitar that will make its debut at The Artisan Guitar Show in April 2025. Features perfectly quartered and straight grained East Indian Rosewood and a premium Italian Spruce Top with a custom rosette and vintage Jewitt Sunburst. This guitar will be shipped to Eddies Guitars after the show to be demoed by the very talented team of Matt and Jandro. Guitar Sold!
Laminated sides after installing tail and heel blocks
Laminated sides detail. Outer rosewood .060", inner Q/S white Oak .050", and inner rosewood .020"
Solid Linings being installed for top. Standard reverse kerf will be installed for the bottom in Spanish Cedar
Back braced with Sitka Spruce
Back getting glued on in the go-bar deck
Back and Sides after 4 coats of Flat Shellac
Rosette for Top
Gluing up the braces for the soundboard
Braced and voiced soundboard
Channel routed for upper brace in the heel block extension
Braced soundboard ready for gluing to body
Preparing the fingerboard before fretting, marks for levelling
Fretting - Installing 1st fret with Jaws
Frets installed
Finessing the final neck fit
Sunburst applied
Measuring Top Finish Thickness - subtract .002 for tape so .004"
#80 – JJ – Honduran Rosewood/German Spruce
#80 is a spec guitar that will make its debut at The Artisan Guitar Show in April 2025. Features insanely figured Honduran Rosewood and a premium German Spruce top. his guitar will be shipped to Eddies Guitars after the show to be demoed by the very talented team of Matt and Jandro. Guitar Sold!
Honduran Rosewood Back & Side Set for Jewitt OM-C
Fitting of the 3 rim pieces to the mold before gluing heel block and tail block
#79 is a spec guitar that will make its debut at The Artisan Guitar Show in April 2025. Features Torrified Curly Maple and a AAAA Engelmann Spruce top with a gorgeous Jewitt Sunburst. Custom blue mosaic rosette and end wedge. his guitar will be shipped to Eddies Guitars after the show to be demoed by the very talented team of Matt and Jandro. Guitar Sold!
Shellacked Interior Before Attaching Top
Braced Top
Gluing the top to the back and sides using a go-bar deck and clamps.
Positioning the Peghead Plate and Fingerboard. These both have white purfling lines so they must be perfect to line up.
Measuring the neck angle.
Finished Wedge in Dyed/Stabilized birch burl.
Top bracing profile
Measuring the frequencies of the body, the top and the back so everything is on target.
Ready for Finish
Back before finish
Blue rosette now ops with a black background!
The colors are now all coming together.
Neck gets a sunburst and the back just gets clear finish, no stain required.
