A pictorial chronicle of the making of a custom guitar for a client.

1. The Making of Bryon’s Guitar By Jerry Mercer

5. Joining plates

6. Thinning top

7. Preparing to brace top

8. Carving braces

9. Braced Top (installed)

10. Tentelones Butresses Reverse kerf lining

11. Spanish Heel

12. Rosette and Fretboard (before trimming)

13. Coming together

14. Head Plate and Machines

15. Butt Inlay (Black Walnut with Koa Strips) Koa bindings

16. Reverse Kerf Linings for Back Installation

17. The Back goes on

18. French Polishing Top (shellac)

19. Finiting – shaping, sanding and prep for finish

20. Strung up and playable, not done yet

21. Sample pieces for testing finish application

22. Fretboard shaped and French Polish underway

23. Head inlay (Bryon is an avid hunter)

24. Heel cap (ditto)

25. Back filled and ready for finish Sides in process

26. Roughed in soundport

27. Soundport

28. Getting Close

29. Better look at the soundport grommet

30. The walnut and koa butt inlay

31. Mercer guitar #6 – just some final finish work left

32. The back

33. The heel stack and heel cap

34. Thanks for watching. I hope you enjoyed it.