The new model semi-hollow body electric, called the Portland, is well on its way now. In design stages for a couple years, the  Portland is now entering the physical realm! This first Portland has a Honduran Mahogany chambered body and a flamed Redwood top. The flame will pop with finish.  The neck is also in process, and photos of the neck and fretboard will be posted soon.

The 1920′s Galiano shaped and inspired guitar is in process. It is being custom made for Eric Schoenberg  of Schoenberg Guitars in Tiburon, California. The shape of this Madagascar Rosewood guitar is traced from a 1920′s Galiano that was in Eric’s shop for some time. Eric asked James to make him a Schoenberg Galiano inspired by this guitar. The shape is of course modified by the cutaway; Galianos did not have cutaways. The book-matched back is now glued and the back strip is in, and the back bracing is done.

The Russell Telemark, a custom T-style guitar, is in the spraying stage. Only about four coats of spray have been applied so far. The body is made of lightweight Swamp Ash and the neck is made of thirty-five year old Honduran Mahogany. This is the new, updated prototype for this model. There are many wood, color, and hardware options for this guitar.

The Telemark body has a forearm contour which is slightly visible in the top photo, and this model also has a rib contour.

The custom designed pickguard was made by James from celluloid sheet stock. The Callaham bridge plate is a left-hand bridge chosen so that the pickup slant would be reversed from the slant on a standard Tele. The brass saddles are right-hand compensated. Both pickguard and bridge plate were simply laid in place for the photos.

The Deep Lake guitar is at the end of the curing stage after all finish has been sprayed. In fact, at this point, after a couple weeks of hanging and curing, it’s time to start rubbing out the finish. This weekend!

These photos are mock-ups taken on the kitchen table; the neck is sitting in place. Once it is rubbed out and buffed, the guitar will have its beautiful high sheen.

The curved-end fretboard is made of Madagascar Rosewood, the soundboard is Carpathian Spruce, and the body is Madagascar. All binding is flamed Koa with Maple Herringbone purfling and detailing.

The Sweetbriar parlor guitar is a new Russell guitar model. It has a 13 1/2″ lower bout and a long vintage-style body similar to some of the original parlor guitars. This Sweetbriar has Madagascar Rosewood back and sides and a cutaway. The cutaway is optional on the Sweetbriar model, and the headstock can be slotted or standard. This particular Sweetbriar will have a slotted headstock.

The Sweetbriar “boat” is sitting in its mold in the vice. The next step is to start working on the soundboard.

James does the wet-sanding process on the Deep Lake guitar. It is wet sanded after receiving several coats of finish each day. The guitar hangs overnight, then the process is repeated. It’s almost ready for curing. The neck is already done.

Here you can see this Deep Lake’s flamed Koa end graft and binding. The Madagascar back and sides are a beautiful red-brown with nice grain lines. The back strip is Herringbone as is the purfling around the soundboard and around the elliptical sound hole.

This guitar is being custom made for Anchorage singer-songwriter Gene Anderson.