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You are here: Home / Building A Monarch / Building a Monarch: Binding

Building a Monarch: Binding

The quality of the binding and purfling work is one of the factors that makes a guitar a true work of art. Some builders install bindings and purflings in one step, and this can lead to less-than-perfect results. Dogwood guitars are bound using a multi-step process that ensures a tight, no-gap installation of the purflings and bindings, especially in the waist and shoulder areas where the curvature of the body can make installation challenging. The selection of purflings and bindings are a big part of the artistic design process and many colors and combinations can be used. Abalone shell has been used to dress the finest guitars for decades and is one of most visually stunning ways to add flair to a guitar. The images below show the process of installing purflings and solid wood bindings on a Monarch body.

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Fender Strat Tuneup

Fender Strat Tuneup and Setup The Fender Strat is a classic electric guitar that is justly famous for its role in the history of blues and rock music. The quality of individual Strats can vary from excellent to dismal depending on model, year, and … [Read More...]

Building a Monarch: Top and Back

The building of any guitar begins with selecting the woods to be used. A bookmatched set of Spruce or Cedar is selected for the top, and a back and side set is chosen for the body. Standard woods for the latter are Rosewood, Mahogany, or Maple. Many … [Read More...]

Blog: 1932 Martin Repair

Its not often that a luthier has the opportunity to work on a pre-war Martin. This 1932 0-18 parlor guitar needs a crack repair and a neck reset. Great care must be taken when working on such an old and fragile guitar. Get out the hot hide glue. … [Read More...]

Mastery of Craft

As a high end artisan woodworker of over 30 years, Greg's passion for excellence is a hallmark of his instruments. Every Dogwood guitar reflects this dedication to fine craftsmanship. All the skills required to make exceptional high end guitars- … [Read More...]

Customer Testimonials: European Maple Eminence

"Several years ago when I found out that Greg was starting to make hand made guitars, I knew that I wanted one. Did I need one? No, but that didn't mean I wanted it any less! This past January my wife out of the blue said I should contact Greg and … [Read More...]

The Monarch

The Monarch is a wonderful 14 fret guitar for anyone who appreciates great tone and a classic appearance. The Monarch body features a slimmer waist and curvier shoulders than a Dreadnought. It has a well-balanced tone and is a versatile instrument … [Read More...]

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Technical Articles

Why do old guitars sound better?

Why do some old guitars sound so good? Even inexpensive guitars can age into really good sounding instruments, and some old guitars attain legendary tone. Why is this? The answer can be found in one of three factors and the best … [Read More...]

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Viewpoint Articles

The Three Elements of a Great Guitar

Guitar players and collectors have so many choices available to them. New, used, factory brands, custom hand built...how do you narrow down the choices to the best option for you? In my opinion, any guitar should be measured by three … [Read More...]

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