Official Luthiers Forum!

Here is what I did this summer.
Different build for me in that I had the concept of the finish before I started building. The sunbursts are a first and turned out alright. Sprayed on Target USL.

Both are 3 piece Douglas Fir tops with DF braces on African Mahog. It is trimmed out in maple. The neck is maple and walnut.
They sound great. Very different, but very good. First time that has happened where a guitar came off the bench sounding like a million bucks.

I'll buff again in a few weeks and put a finish on the bridges.

Dave

I've read that Douglas fir can make a great guitar Dave.. I sorta like the bridges left natural,
I'm sure that you are looking forward to the next build,
regards,
jack

Beauties, Dave!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Great job, Dave!

How would you characterize the Doug fir in terms of the impact on sound quality? More or less open than spruce when you strung them up? I'd really be interested in how the sound evolves as the guitars break in.

Oh, and did you change any of your design for tops, braces, (dimensions?, scalloping?) when building with the Doug fir? Thanks.

Wow, beautiful work Dave! I love the visual effect of the dark walnut against the light maple on the heel when viewed from the side. Very nice indeed!

WOW!
Dave those are BEEUUTIFUL !

You have a right to pat yourself on the back sir!
Let's see some more work when it done.

Mike

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Mike Collins

Nice going Dave! Did you get the wood locally?
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Thanks guys for the comments.

Corky, I built a parlor from this same board a few years back and absolutely love it. Went straight off the plan (mostly, but with my own little changes like feathering the X and lower legs into the soundboard and using what some describe as a parabolic shape.) The D was around .110" thick and the L-00 .100". I might try to finger braces on the next L-00 just to give a little more focus to the trebles.
Both are punchy and loud with the smaller being a little bassier than the big D (yes, I said that right.)
The D has that throaty Martin tone you hear in a nice D-18 with lots of mid range to punch through and be noticed.

Terrence, the wood is sorta local. The top came from a board I found at the family farm back in SD. The back came from Youngblood lumber yard in Minneapolis and the neck is lumber from Menards. All in all the lumber for the two guitars cost about $60. That's less than the hardware and fingerboards.
It was all an experiment for the sunburst and the new body sizes. So now, I can do three new things with good wood, the slope D, the L-00 and sunburst for anyone requesting.

I did give the D to a good friend and bandmate. When i handed it to him and he saw the label with his name on it, his knees went weak, he started weeping and he threw his arms around me. Well worth every minute I spent building it for him.

Dave

Dave, what's not to like about these beauties?
And the story of your friend is priceless.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

A couple real beauties. I really like that two color heel carving.