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Help me design a graduation present
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Author:  Kelby [ Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:21 am ]
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My brother will be getting his Masters Degree from the San Francisco Art Institute next spring. I figure that, since an Art degree isn't good for much, he should at least get a guitar for it!

Here's my idea for the guitar; I would appreciate any suggestions or ideas anyone can offer. (My brother is a conceptual artist, and doesn't mind unusual things. So this is your chance to get someone else to experiment with some of those weird artistic ideas you were afraid to do on your own guitars!)

The theme for the guitar will be "ebony with sapwood," using some of this great Macassar ebony I picked up a short while back. The back, sides, bridge, and fretboard will each have a big streak of sapwood in them. Here's a pick of the back/sides:



The fingerboard and bridge will have roughly 30-40% sapwood; the fretboard will have a strong streak of sapwood down the left, and the bridge will have a strong streak across the lower end of the bridge (perpendicular to the strings).

The ebony will be accented by a zooty tannish wood, either a curly koa, curly eucalyptus, or the like. That wood will be used for binding on both the body and fingerboard (probably with purfling out of the same wood and a cocobolo line). I will also use it for the fretboard position markers --- either round pieces like typical MOP dots or possibly trapezoidal inlays. There will be no backstrip, which I think would interrupt the sapwood at the back joint unnecessarily.

I welcome any suggestions regarding the above, but I would particularly appreciate thoughts on the following undecided questions:

(1) Soundboard material. I have no clue what will complement the tone of Macassar Ebony, which I haven't used before.

(2) Body style. My brother plays mostly fingerstyle, so I'm leaning toward an SJ or an OM. I'll include a cutaway; I haven't decided what style.

(3) Peghead veneer. I don't want something that will detract from the Macassar theme, but I want the peghead to stand out a little.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Author:  Dave White [ Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:08 am ]
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Kelby,

1) My usual standard response - European spruce Failing that Shane's Lutz or some Engelmann would work well for a fingerstyle guitar

2) Depends on whether you are working from "published" plans or designing your own. Designing your own gives carte-blanche - a 13 fret join would be fun. I suspect you will be following a "published" plan I would say OM is usually regarded as a fingerstyle guitar.

3)Maybe a light wood with figure - curly ash??

I don't know what your budget is, but as your brother is an artist, you might consider one of my good friend Peter Cree's fantastic art finishes for the top Peter Cree.

This is what he did for one of my guitars:

Author:  ecklesweb [ Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:24 am ]
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Only suggestion I have is on #3. If you could make your headplate out of the same piece as the fingerboard, it would be cool for the sapwood streak in the fingerboard to continue "through the nut" up into the headplate.
Author:  Bruce Dickey [ Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:25 am ]
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Dave, that is an incredible guitar. Is that a bigger mouth than normal? What is the underlying wood Italian Spruce?

Kelby, you can't go wrong with an OM, and Lutz or may I suggest Adirondack, because it sounds great.

Unless you just want to go nuts, longevity says go with tradition. I know, just kind of takes the fun out of it doesn't it. Good luck, we trust you'll make great choices, after all, it's your brother.   
Author:  Kelby [ Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:47 am ]
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Thanks, all!

Dave, that's beautiful artwork. I probably will go with a tried-and-true structural design to ensure the sound comes out well. I'll be a little more bold in the cosmetic design aspects, though.

Jay, that's a great idea on the headplate. That is exactly what I will do.

Bruce, those are excellent suggestions. Longevity is important, because he is the sort of person that will keep this guitar for life, and I want it to be the sort of guitar he would want for his whole life. OM is probably the right choice. Adirondack is a handy choice because I have some very nice Adirondack in my stash. ;)
Author:  Dave White [ Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:51 am ]
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Bruce,

It's European spruce top, EIR b/s. The guitar is my "Nancy" model - 16 fret body join, 13 3/4" lower bout but with a 110mm diameter soundhole (4.33") so it looks big! I documented it's build here on my website Cree Guitarif you are interested.

Kelby,

Peter's finishes are amazing!! They are nitro and are as thin as those applied by great handbuilders here on the OLF and elsewhere, and as such are fabulous for acoustic sound.Dave White38825.6620717593
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