Maker of acoustic and electric archtop guitars.

Methods

Creating a Megas Guitar

Ted prefers to work collaboratively with each person who wants a Megas guitar, to find what will meet their musical and personal needs. He has standard models and options, but is open – even prefers – to combine or design new elements uniquely for each instrument.

Materials

Ted has control of the process from the time a tree is selected for its wood. He visits loggers across the Pacific Northwest and consults on how they can cut logs for his use, to give the best look for his guitars. He selects tonewoods he knows from experience will enhance the musicality of his instruments.

He dries and stores his own wood inventory, carefully controlling for humidity and temperature which affect the quality and longevity of the finished product. Air drying the wood is under his personal control.

Yesterday these billets were trees

Yesterday these billets were trees

Green (still wet) curly maple billets

Green (still wet) curly maple billets

Curly maple guitar backs, air drying

Curly maple guitar backs, air drying

Tops and backs are graded and stored, using humidity and temperature control

Tops and backs are graded and stored, using humidity and temperature control

Processing ebony peghead veneer

Ebony billets ready for quartersawing into fretboards

Ebony billets ready for quartersawing into fretboards

Technique

Ted at his 36″ band saw, re-sawing a block of quilted maple. Selecting and slicing burls for choice veneers.

Bookmatching quilted and fiddleback maple on the 12” jointer for visual appeal.

Bracing of the tops: X-bracing or parallel bracing is used. A non-cutaway top produces a better-sounding guitar

A standard Athena f hole; custom multi-bound wood f hole; custom curly maple bound f hole.

Completed chambered solidbody back. Next step will be to glue top onto it.

Routing chambers into solidbody back

Completed archtop body. Next step will be to glue top onto it.

Bookmatched necks, right with trussrod installed

Graphite neck reinforcement

Neck Glue-up Press

Trussrod assembly ready to install

Side port

Side port inside reinforcement

Custom purlfing top view

Custom purfling back view

Brass parts for tailpiece assembly

Snakewood bridge assembly

Gluing up a chambered solidbody