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Just thought I would share this project with you folks. I don't claim to be an inlay artist by any stretch of my imagination but this is the largest inlay project that I have ever done to date. It has consumed several months of work. Phew, glad it is behind me. It came close to being used as a Frisbee several times. This is all done by hand and no CNC was used either.

Last year, our friend, Henry Lowenstein, encouraged us to stretch our limits and build something totally out of our normal box for his 2010 Newport Guitar Show in South Florida. While we were in Healdsburg, CA we met up with Denis Merrill (creator of the Sonic Sitka Project). As we were rummaging through his Sonic Sitka stash he had in his car’s trunk, in the parking lot of Allied Lutherie of all places, he pulls out this little bundle of tops from his "back seat stash". He asked us if we were interested in looking at some old but unique tops that he had cut from an old ship spar that he salvaged off the coast of Oregon many years ago. As I began flexing and tapping these tops, I felt as though we were doing a "deal" in the parking lot. Soon there were about a dozen builders gathering around Denis' car. I am sure we looked really suspicious. All the while I could see Mary getting excited about what would eventually become the "Spar Guitar" pictured below.




The design came easy for her and she really wanted to capture the history of this unknown ship that had sunken off the coast of Oregon, probably in the late 1800's. She has since done a considerable amount of research and to the best of our knowledge that seems to be the appropriate time frame. The tops Denis salvaged from the spar were really old Sitka which was commonly used for the ship masts and spars of that era and locale.

Mary began jotting ideas down and sketching pictures while we made the drive back to Santa Rosa that morning. We were equally excited to begin this new project especially after Henry had sparked our interest to create something unique and different.

Since the top was so small it just barely fit our Deacon body shape so there was little question of what the box size would be. Since she wanted me to inlay a tall ship, common to that late 1800 time period, on the back, we chose African Blackwood for the sides and back. The inner sides are Honduran Mahogany, chosen both for tone and to minimize weight while the inner back of my “Hollow Back” design is Brazilian Rosewood.



Linda Manzer was kind enough to allow us to use her 'Manzer Wedge" design which really make this little guitar so comfortable to hold and play. I have built a couple of Manzer Wedges so far and the idea makes perfect sense from an engineering standpoint. It’s a way to increase player comfort without sacrificing [vibrating surface area] of the top or reducing sound box air volume. The bass side is about 3-1/2" deep while the treble side is 4-1/2" deep. In effect it is the normal body volume of a 4" deep body but feels so much thinner in your lap.

The side soundport is in the shape or a hook anchor of that period. It was very difficult to photograph since the wood is so dark. You might be able to see it in the pictre below?



It’s a long scale 25.4” neck, 14 frets to the body. The peg-head and fingerboard are Madagascar ebony while the rosette & bridge are Brazilian RW. African Blackwood bindings, maple side and back purflings and Pau Abalone top purfling. The peg head and fingerboard inlays are white, gold and black mother of pearl, abalone and sea snail. The ship is Cuban Mahogany with a Brazilian RW mast, the sails are Quilted Big Leaf Maple, Curly Rock Maple & Curly Big Leaf Maple bound in Gaboon ebony and birch purflings. The waves are reconstituted Jade and MOP wave caps. The moon and stars are white MOP. I had over two months of work in the back inlays alone so this was a VERY long and challenging project.







We wanted to squeeze every ounce of tone out of this little guitar so Mary spent several weeks applying a very thin but approprite French Polish to the top. I must say that she did a great job. For those of you who are going to the show we hope you can stop by our table and test drive this guitar and give us some feedback. Thanks for looking...

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

Worth every minute, wow, that is just spectacular, so cool to tie in the history of the wood.
Rob

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Wish I could see your pictures but I can't for some reason. Great sounding story though.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

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WOW! Great story, beautiful instrument! Totally awe inspiring!

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Michael Lloyd

“I was born to ignorance, yes, and lesser poverties ...
I was born to privilege that I did not see ... I didn’t know it, but my way was paved” – John Gorka

Wow Tim! I'd hate to see what you might consider a 'big' inlay! Outstanding job. I can certainly see where several months could have gone by.

Rick

Amazing!!!!!!

What a piece of work. Incredible!
Kent

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EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

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Can we see a couple of fretboard closeups? Who did the fretboard inlay?

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Wow, can't wait to get home so I can see the images.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Wow - Tim, what a spectacular and very unique design. WOnderful work.

Regards,

Now that is very cool. Great job you guys.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Absolutely incredible work Tim & Mary!!
This should be a show stopper !

THAT GUITAR IS JUST BREATHTAKING !

Mike

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Mike Collins

Whoo-eeee that is awesome. I second the request for closeups of the fretboard.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

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Rob

Beautiful Tim - absolutely beautiful!!!!

Looks cool Tim!

I'm with Howard - I'd love to see a closeup of the fingerboard inlay!

Trev

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http://www.PeakeGuitars.com

That's an amazing job Tim!

I am quite impressed.

Ehem, did you say you are not an inlay artist? I have a small feeling you are now after making something like that . Although not the main eye catching part of the guitar with all the inlays, I really like the anchor soundport, it's different yet seems to really suit any guitar for a soundport.

Great work indeed.

Most impressive...can't wait to play it!

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Yep, I'd say show-stopping is the word!!!

Great work,
Joe

Yeowza!!

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http://www.casperguitar.com

You did all this inlay and you don't consider your self to be an inlay artist? I'd consider you to be a very humble inlay artist. Looks great, love the theme, awesome idea and totally cool rosette.