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 PROJECTS:

 
 
   

 D-41 Building Time Log

 
 On my 4th guitar, I kept a time log as I performed each task on the guitar.
    Since I had given my first one away, it was time for me to make another one, this one for me to keep!

Size 5 Email Diary

 
 This is a collection of emails sent and received as I was building my first Size 5 guitar.
    I hadn't made one of these for a LONG time and missed this cute little size!

Weingarten Dreadnought

 
 A very basic description of the processes as I built this dreadnought for a customer in 1997.
    So now it's the summer of 2010, and a larger size uke, with a really different style of bracing, has caught my fancy.

Mar Dreadnought

 
 A much more detailed daily account of the building of this dreadnought in 1998.
    Following Pete Howlett's plans, I built this harp ukulele in the summer of 2011. A really, really fun build!

Weird Classical

 
 A detailed daily account of the building of this, my own strange creation, also in 1998.
    For the summer of 2012, I will be building another harp ukulele, to replace the one I sold in February to a fellow teacher.

Grand Concert (00)

 
 Detailed daily account of a "00" size guitar I built in 1999.
 
   

 F-5 Mandolin

 
 Detailed daily account of this F-5 mandolin, built in 2000, using Roger Siminoff's book.
 
   

 Violin

 
 I built this in 2001, using both Bruce Ossman's and Henry Strobel's books.
 
   

 Stratocaster

 
 2002's project, using a Stew-Mac blueprint and video.
 
   

 Concert Ukulele

 
 Last summer's project (2003).
 
   

Pat's Dreadnought

 
Building a dreadnought for a teacher buddy's son.
 
   
 
A gift for a retiring teacher colleague (2005).
 
   
 
I loved building Tracy's uke so much, I just had to make one for myself (2005)!!!
 
   
 
A quick, three-weekend project.
 
   
 
Modelled after a Taylor Grand Concert (12 series) guitar.
 
   

My (Somewhat) Traditional Classical

 
Torres-style (with the exception of a bolt-on neck!) classical.
 
   

GENERAL BUILDING INFO:

 
 
   

 Links Page

 
 Here are some links to lots of really fantastic sites on building stringed instruments.
 
   

 Starting With Kits

 
 Some thoughts on the advantages of starting with a kit, along with a list of helpful books.
 
   

 Basic Tool List

 
 A very basic list of tools to begin with.
 
   
 
A much more comprehensive list of my most-used tools and jigs.
 
   

 Tools of the Trade

   
   

Special Jigs

   
   

Even More Jigs!

 
Fret Bender , Circle Jig, "Remodeled" Fingerboard Taper Jig
 
   

 My Old Workspaces

 
 This shows my workspaces in my former house, before I moved to my present-day home.
 
   

 My New Workspaces

   
   
 
 
   

 OTHER STUFF:

 
 
   

 My Pets

 
 Abigail , Emily , Maggie (Somewhat related . . . Kitty Haiku!), and Hannah Banana (my Formosan Mountain Dog)
 
   

 
 
 
   

 Feel free to email me (Kathy Matsushita) if you have any questions or comments:

kathymatsushita@comcast.net

This website and all of its content, text, and images are copyrighted ©1997-2013 by Kathy Matsushita, all rights reserved.