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After more than 10 years of building guitars..I'm in the planning stage of my first build in almost 5 years. This one is a keeper !! (I always say that but, still don't have one that I built). I would like to get some opinions (ideas) for the cosmetics on this one. After seeing so many beautiful guitars on this forum..I know you guys have great ideas and food for thought that will kindle my inspirations. I've been holding this set of BRW for about 9 months and it's been calling me night and day. I don't have access to all the tools and jigs required at this time so, this will be a back burner guitar as I make new jigs and acquire the proper tools, bits..etc while still cutting wood. But, I like to have a mental picture before actually starting the process. This is such a beautiful and rare set of BRW that I don't want overkill. I much prefer a simplistic approach. The back and sides are almost black so, I want to use contrasting colors for the appointments, binding..etc.
I have an englemann spruce top that I acquired here in Brasil..not the quality I've seen here lately or what I'd get from Shane or one of the other sponsors but, it has a great ring and good sustain to it. So, it'll do the job.
I'll use a mahogany 3 piece neck (with BRW stripe in the center). BRW head plate and probably an ebony fingerboard (to keep that Johnny Cash...man in black theme going). The thing I'm most in doubt about is the binding and purfling choice. I'm thinking flamed maple, snakewood or lacewood ??? I'm really leaning towards the flamed maple but, that's difficult to find here and I'm thinking it might clash with the mahogany neck where as the snakewood or lacewood would be more of a consistant color with mahogany ?? Also, I'm not sure if I should use a purfling strip between the back halves or just join it as is ?? The rosette is another issue. I normally make a traditional Martin style rosette with abalone and black/white purfling ??? Maybe this one requires a more original idea. I've uploaded photos of the back/sides/top. Anyway, that's where I am right now....all input is greatly appreciated.

Nice looking top...looks like some addy spruce I have. I like those color streaks. Call me weird.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Beautiful rosewood and top plates, no wonder you want to keep this one, i'm jealous!

Serge

Jeff,

I think that you should have a nicer top than that (appearnce wise I mean!). PM me your address and I will send something fitting in exchange for future considerations. As for binding, I agree that maple would be too much of a contrast, IMHO. I think Koa/Acacia would look awesome!

Shane

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Canada

Hesh...I actually have some pretty red BRW pieces about 43" long that I had considered binding with. Just wasn't sure if that was "Overkill" on BRW but, I'm still considering the possibility.
Don...call me weird but, I tend to like the striped look of this top as well. I've seen lots of old Martins with the same look. It worked for them but, that's not the real reason I chose this top. I bought 5 tops from a local here. 3 Englemann and 2 Sitkas. The sitkas sound dead in comparison to the englemanns. The other two englemann tops look very nice and consistantly white without the streaks but, didn't have the ping and resonance that this one has.
Serge...yeah I always say this one is a keeper but, wind up selling them. However, I'll probably NEVER find another back/side set like this one. It's very rare, even here in Brasil. So, I'm fairly certain this one I will keep. I'd like to leave it to my son when I kick the bucket. He's a very good guitar player but, I'd have to say his natural abilities are as a drummer. He cut his first CD with his band at age 13 and it was incredible.
Shane...man what can i say ! That's a very nice offer. I would like to see the quality of your tops and your maple as well. I'll definitely send you a PM..been meaning to anyway. I have some things we might need to discuss.

Standing by!

Shane

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Canada

Jeff,

On my very first guitar that I used dark Old Rio Rosewood on (multipieced as they were small) I used English walnut as binding and I liked the look. Here's a pic:



Koa would look nice, or for more of a contrast, holly like Russell recently used might be interesting.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Beautiful looking BRW, Jeff. Might I suggest bloodwood bindings with thin flamed maple (or something similar) accent lines. That is a combination that really compliments something like good BRW. I use that combo frequently with the more figured cocobolo. At first, the bloodwood looks a bit bright, but after it mellows for a few months, it gets really nice and even seems to make more color show in the back and sides. And it is a good clean color with no figure to compete with the BRW.

Grant

Hesh,

Tht one has Tru-oil micromeshed up to a shine.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Hey, Dave

Is the whole guitar finished in tru-oil?

And, did you seal all or maybe just the top with shellac before the oil?

Ronold man38718.6781018519

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

How about boxwood binding with that guitar. It has a nice creamy look that accentuates but does not fight with the figure in the rosewood.   Here is boxwood some on madagascar rosewood

Ron.

Yes the whole guitar was done with Tru-oil around 3 years ago using the technique outlined on the LMI website. Tone is great so I'm not convinced by some arguments that Tru-oil sinks into the top and "kills tone". Now I French polish with shellac and finish off with some Tru-oil coats - partly as a "belt and braces" against Tru-oil possibly sinking in but also because I like the look you get.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Dave..the english walnut looks very nice on your guitar
but, that's a little darker than I was envisioning.
John..I really like the look of the Boxwood. That's more in line with the contrast in colors I'm looking for. A cream color is just enough contrast but, doesn't scream at you like a white binding would. It looks like you have a thin purfling of boxwood, then thin purfling of rosewood and then the boxwood binding ?? Is that right ? And also, did you use abalone trim around the top ? Very nice look...I think the boxwood is a good choice. Next question...where can I find boxwood binding ?

Yes
I usually make my own purfling (or get Bob C to make up a laminate) so this is a boxwood/rosewood purfling and then boxwood binding. I was concerned at first that it would look too plain but was really pleased with the looks.
I may be wrong but I think Bob C has some boxwood, and if he does not, I have some you can have. Let me know.

   There is a little shell fish around the top. Here is a pic of that. Just plain old Underappreciated Sitka with a few bear claws. The sound was good enough that the owner sold his high priced small factory guitar with Adirondack top. ( I mention this because of the Sikta which I do believe makes great sounding guitars and is in fact too easily obtained to be appreciated)
    Here endeth the sermon   


I also used boxwood bridge pins just to complete the pic.
And, here is a shot of the back binding just to give a better idea of how boxwood looks with rosewood.

John Kinnaird38719.4366898148

John, that is one beautiful guitar. Great looking woods too!

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

Thanks Arnt. I appreciate your kind words.

Jeff, if you haven't settled on Boxwood yet...

... and, somewhat depending on whether you plan to use the lighter "milk chocolate" edge of the side material against the top or against the back...

...for binding material, I'd vote for something in a medium golden to reddish-brown to dark brown tone. (Though John Kinnaird's guitar is stunning, I'm with Dave White on the more subtle contrast looking especially rich.) Bloodwood would make a striking statement, but you'd almost have to work it into the neck and head as well. I'd definitely stay away from any light wood, and especially any highly figured wood for this deep, deep BRW. Options could incluse Koa, Black Acacia, Claro Walnut, Bocote, Honduras Rosewood, Granadillo, or maybe some "boring", unfigured Snakewood.

You might want to check out what bindings work well with some Ziricote and Ebony guitars, for other ideas of what will look good against such dark wood.

DennisDennisLeahy38719.6993518519

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia