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You are here: Home / Building A Monarch / Building a Monarch: Top and Back

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 other woods can be used, and the choice is primarily one of personal taste.

The top and back sets are carefully laid out for best use of grain and figure, glued up, and thicknessed. The shapes are cut out using templates and the braces are glued into place. In a standard build, the braces are carved and shaped at this time. If the builder voices and tunes the top and back, this is done as part of the boxing process… see Part Two of this blog. The photos in the gallery below show the steps involved to make and brace the back and top of a Monarch guitar.

dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_01_plates dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_02_plates dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_03_plates dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_04_rosette dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_05_rosette dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_06_braces dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_07_braces dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_08_braces dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_09_braces dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_10_braces dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_11_braces dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_13_braces dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_12_braces dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_14_braces dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_15_braces dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_16_braces dogwoodguitars_blog_mahogany_17_braces
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Customer Testimonials: Morgan Monroe

Greg... Thanks again for the top notch work you performed on my Morgan Monroe. Although this guitar is an expendable "gigging" tool you made it sound and play like a much more expensive instrument. It sure is comforting to know someone with your … [Read More...]

Customer Testimonials: Martin Fret Work

"I took my Martin D-28 to Dogwood guitars to get it worked on, It was in pretty bad shape when I bought it used. Someone had tried to install frets on their own and it was buzzing and the action was hard to play. I called Greg and he said to stop by … [Read More...]

Building a Monarch: Final Assembly

It is now time to assemble the guitar, dress the frets, install the bridge and pins, fit and install the tuners, make the nut and saddle, and set the final action. A pickguard is usually installed and the completed instrument is polishes and strung … [Read More...]

Customer Testimonials: Monarch 12 String

"Greg Maxwell's 12-string Monarch guitar is the product of an artist. I played the guitar among a small of group of rock-climbing paramedics during my interim stay in Richmond, Kentucky, before returning to Kailua, Hawaii, and the comments about the … [Read More...]

Guitar Build Class: Tom S.

"I recently completed a rewarding two week twelve day deep dive into guitar building. The course was taught by Greg Maxwell of Dogwood Guitars in Mt. Vernon Ohio. “Course” is inadequate to describe this skill and technique refining experience.  … [Read More...]

Customer Testimonials: Voicing Class with Jacek Sliwa of Sliwa Guitars

Jacek Sliwa is considered by many to be one of the best guitar makers in Poland. His guitars exhibit a level of refined design and outstanding craftsmanship. And yet, he found that after years of building fine instruments, the goal of acheiving the … [Read More...]

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