Author Topic: Hatcher Greta - 13-fret Black Walnut / Old Growth Western Red Cedar  (Read 11866 times)

cigarfan

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I have commissioned a guitar with Mark Hatcher of Hatchers Guitars, a sponsor here on AGF. If you have been hanging around the Custom Shop you've surely have seen some of the incredible instruments coming out of Mark's shop. He is a master of luthery, very talented photographer and a magician with design in wood.

I visited Mark's shop in February this year and we spent a day talking guitars, touring the shop and discussing the build. You can see my post about the visit here.



Enjoy !!!

Specs
13-fret Greta model w/Venetian cutaway
Old Growth Western Red Cedar Top
Black Walnut Back & Sides
Abalone everywhere
Brazilian Rosewood Binding and Trim
Slotted-headstock
Tamarind and Abalone Rosette
1 3/4" nut and 2 5/16" string spacing
Soundport
Schertler Tuners
Plus lots of other fun surprises

And the saga begins ...

The Black Walnut set we choose.



Joining of the top and back sets





Joined back



Joined back with a little naptha to simulate the look under finish.



The back strip ... BRW w/abalone ... looks like jewelry!

« Last Edit: November 05, 2015, 06:11:10 AM by cigarfan »
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timfitz63

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Re: Hatcher Greta - 13-fret Black Walnut / Old Growth Western Red Cedar
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2015, 03:44:29 PM »
Very cool!  You really know how to pick 'em!  Someday I'll have to try out a Hatcher!
DN: 360e, 510ce, 510e-FLTD, 810ce-LTD (Braz RW), PS10ce
GA: 414ce, 614ce-LTD, 714ce-FLTD, BR-V, BTO (Makore, 'Wild Grain' RW, Blkwood), GAce-FLTD, K24ce, PS14ce (Coco, Braz RW, "Milagro"), W14ce-LTD
GC: 812ce-LTD TF, BTO TF ('Sinker'/Walnut, Engelmann/"Milagro"), LTG #400
GO: 718e-FLTD, BTO (Taz Myrtle)
GS: Custom 516e, BTO 12's (Taz Tiger Myrtle, 'Crazy' RW), 556ce, 656ce, K66ce, PS56ce ("Milagro")
GS Mini 2012 Spring LTD (Blackwood)
T3/B: Custom (Cu & Au Sparkle)
T5: C1, C5-12, S (Aztec Gold)

Earl

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Re: Hatcher Greta - 13-fret Black Walnut / Old Growth Western Red Cedar
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2015, 05:12:36 PM »
So this is why you've had so many wonderful guitars for sale here over the last few months.  I get it now.  Way cool!    :D
Taylors:  424-LTD (all koa) and a 114ce that lives with friends in Alaska.  Low maintenance carbon fiber guitars are my "thing" these days, but I will always keep the koa 424.  Several ukulele and bass guitars too. 
*Gone but not forgotten:  a 2001 414ce, 410, 354-LTD twelve string, 314-N, 416-LTD baritone, T5 Classic, 615ce, 2006 GS-K, 1996 (first year) Baby

TaylorGirl

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Re: Hatcher Greta - 13-fret Black Walnut / Old Growth Western Red Cedar
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2015, 05:38:27 PM »
She sure is pretty  :o
Susie
Taylors: 914 ● K24ce ● 414 ● GSMeK+ ● BT-K
Ponos: ABD-6C Master Series (Cedar/Acacia) ● MGBD-6 Deluxe (Mango)

Have been finger-pickin' guitar since 1973!

Strumming Fool

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Re: Hatcher Greta - 13-fret Black Walnut / Old Growth Western Red Cedar
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2015, 07:25:48 PM »
Love that black walnut! If your new baby sounds anything like my '97 Cujo14 (same wood combo), you're going to be one happy camper. Enjoy the journey - we sure are!
My Taylor Grand Auditoriums:

1997 Cujo14 - old growth cedar/black walnut
2014 K24e - master grade koa
2018 Custom GA - bear claw sitka spruce/mahogany
2019 614 - torrified sitka spruce/flamed maple
2020 714 - lutz spruce/rosewood

cigarfan

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Re: Hatcher Greta - 13-fret Black Walnut / Old Growth Western Red Cedar
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2015, 06:23:01 AM »
Hey folks. Thanks for checking in. Appreciate the kind words.

I guess you could say I'm hooked on this stuff. Love to watch as they come together.

I have a surprise Taylor coming my way in a few days too. NGD post incoming! :)
Blackbird, Froggy Bottom, Gibson, Goodall, Hatcher,
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Frettingflyer

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Re: Hatcher Greta - 13-fret Black Walnut / Old Growth Western Red Cedar
« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2015, 08:13:39 AM »
Great photo's, thanks for sharing. The Hatchers are all fantastic looking guitars, I would love to try one someday but for now they aren't in my budget so I will enjoy watching your build.
Dave
2014 Koa GS Mini-e FLTD (for the wife)
2004 314ce,
2014 custom GC Coco/Euro spruce
2015 Wildwood 812ce 12 fret
2016 522ce 12 fret
2019 K24ce BE
2021 322e
2017 Blackbird Lucky 13
2019 Mcpherson Sable

cigarfan

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Re: Hatcher Greta - 13-fret Black Walnut / Old Growth Western Red Cedar
« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2015, 06:58:14 PM »
During my visit to Mark's shop I asked that we consider something other than a round hole for the soundport. Something unique and interesting but not distracting from the overall design. A soundport should be heard and not seen, so to speak. I really like what he came up with. Ties in nicely with the binding scheme and rosette. Design wise, quiet and classy.

The soundport(s) bound in BRW.



Back attached to the sides.

« Last Edit: November 05, 2015, 06:14:11 AM by cigarfan »
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cigarfan

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Re: Hatcher Greta - 13-fret Black Walnut / Old Growth Western Red Cedar
« Reply #8 on: July 22, 2015, 09:32:55 PM »
More pics from Mark. Today the body has come together.

The back is on.





The luthier signature inside the top.



Top attached to close the body.

« Last Edit: November 05, 2015, 06:14:54 AM by cigarfan »
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CodeBlueEMT

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Re: Hatcher Greta - 13-fret Black Walnut / Old Growth Western Red Cedar
« Reply #9 on: July 24, 2015, 12:58:18 AM »
 Incredible. Dennis, you're gonna need an extra special cigar for this playable work of art. I love it. Dang photos even make the clamps extraordinarily beautiful. :)
Shayne

2023 Gibson Custom '57 Les Paul Goldtop
2017 Taylor T5z Pro SE "Erwin"
2014 Taylor 524ce
2013 Martin 000-28EC Sunburst
2011 Taylor 314ce
2008 Taylor SB-1 Classic
1999 Taylor XXV-DR 25th Anniversary
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cigarfan

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Re: Hatcher Greta - 13-fret Black Walnut / Old Growth Western Red Cedar
« Reply #10 on: July 25, 2015, 08:57:06 AM »
Incredible. Dennis, you're gonna need an extra special cigar for this playable work of art. I love it. Dang photos even make the clamps extraordinarily beautiful. :)

No worries CodeBlueEMT ... that special cigar for this one is already aging in my humidor.  And Mark's photography is exquisite. He is the man!

The endgraft is in. There is a K&K going into this guitar so nothing fancy in the middle of the endgraft but I love the fretboard/bridge matching piece of BRW. Mark proposed Tamarind inlays in the BRW arm bevel in a shape similar to the soundport. I think that would be awesome!



« Last Edit: November 05, 2015, 06:16:22 AM by cigarfan »
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cigarfan

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Re: Hatcher Greta - 13-fret Black Walnut / Old Growth Western Red Cedar
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2015, 08:35:53 PM »
The man has sent me more pics. Lot's of shining color. It's a good day!

Abalone purfling and BRW binding is going on and we get a sneak peak at that incredible fretboard.

Purfling and binding on the back/sides.



Purfling and binding on the top/sides.



The headstock sandwich begins.



The abalone purfling on the face of the fretboard and BRW binding. Mark and I agreed on fossilized Woolly Mammoth ivory for side markers with abalone dots.





We have been discussing the headstock and wait till you see what Mark has in store. I don't want to say because it is in a design stage and may change but it is going to be awesome!
« Last Edit: November 05, 2015, 06:17:27 AM by cigarfan »
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cigarfan

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Re: Hatcher Greta - 13-fret Black Walnut / Old Growth Western Red Cedar
« Reply #12 on: July 30, 2015, 04:41:48 PM »
The box is nearing completion and we get our first gander at the insets on the arm bevel.

All the elements compliment each other so nicely.







I really like the visual balance at this distance between the light colored designs on the arm bevel and the look of the ivory fret markers.



The headstock sandwich continues with veneers on the top.

« Last Edit: November 05, 2015, 06:18:30 AM by cigarfan »
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Craig

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Re: Hatcher Greta - 13-fret Black Walnut / Old Growth Western Red Cedar
« Reply #13 on: July 31, 2015, 06:54:29 AM »
Wow this is looking awesome, even my wife thinks so and that's really saying something!

Craig
1978 Music Man Sabre II
1980's Charvel Model 6
2014 816ce First Edition
2014 714ce FLTD Sassafras
2014 K24ce with AA top and Gotoh 510 tuners
2016 GS Mini e Koa
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cigarfan

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Re: Hatcher Greta - 13-fret Black Walnut / Old Growth Western Red Cedar
« Reply #14 on: July 31, 2015, 08:28:12 AM »
Wow this is looking awesome, even my wife thinks so and that's really saying something!

Now that's saying something indeed! I love it when that happens.
Blackbird, Froggy Bottom, Gibson, Goodall, Hatcher,
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