There are many ways a guitar can be made. My own approach is to use a hybrid blend of craftsmanship based on decades of woodworking experience. I begin with rough planks of Honduras mahogany that are thick and wide. I'm grateful to live and work in Maine, with its rich tradition of boatbuilding. Quality mahogany is still readily available a short ride away through the rolling hills. Because of the long relationship that I have with my lumber supplier, I am able to hand pick the wood that I will use to make these guitars. My marquetry designs and vintage veneer tops are glued directly to the surface of the Honduras mahogany with a marine grade epoxy. Honduras mahogany, is prized as a premier instrument wood because it is very beautiful, works easily and is also very stable. The epoxy creates a permanent bond between body and veneer. Gibson's ES 335 models have tops made of veneers and these have a long track record of durability. I hand carve each guitar neck using a variety of tools- drawknife, spokeshave, rasp, slick, knife, and scraper. I have calipers set to desired thicknesses at the first and twelfth frets. The end result is that each neck is slightly different, and all are very playable. I do use machines that are typical in any small production woodshop. The key players are the bandsaw, drill press, and my prized Delta RU 50 pin router. I also have the more usual table saw, jointer, and planer. I work in small batches, three guitars at a time. I get to know these instruments through the course of the build. I find that at some point I catch the mood of each guitar and then make choices to strengthen it. This can be through the choice of binding material, tuner buttons, level of finish on the hardware- aged, bright nickel chrome, or gold. All choices work in concert to create guitars that are imbued with my love, care, and experience as a player. Applying a finish to a guitar is a process where there are many choices in product and in technique. I have been through an exploration of materials, from nitro lacquer to catalyzed poly. I now know better what I want and how to get there. The current finish is a multi-step blend of finishing epoxy and polyurethane, hand rubbed and buffed to a near gloss. I want to highlight the marquetry work by lessening reflection, and I strive to emulate the look of an older classic guitar that has been well cared for and handled often. The patina of the human touch.