Official Luthiers Forum!

Top: Bearclaw spruce
B/S: Myrtle
Neck: Mahogany with Cocobolo FB
Bridge/Rosette: Cocobolo
Head/Tail/Heel: Wenge

_________________
"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

Wow Steve, that's a heck of a piece of bearclaw you got there. I like the Myrtle too, I haven't tried that yet but want to. Overall it looks great with excellent attention to detail. I do have to admit I'm not a big fan of the headstock, too much of a traditionalist I suppose. Edit: after looking again at the headstock I think what grabbed my eye was the length.

I've been real interested in OM/000's with short/long scale and 12/14 fret body joins. Since you said OM I'm assuming a 14 fret/25.4" scale but for clarity, what's the scale and how many frets to the body. And, of course, how does she sound?

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Excellent color matching, all pieces work together nicely Perhaps the heelcap purfling is too thick for my eyes

_________________
Build log

Thanks, Steve and Alexandru. I understand your reservations about the headstock and the heel.

It is a 25.4 scale, 14 frets to the body - traditional OM. The myrtle is wonderful to work and finish. While boring in the white, when finished it has an amazing, deep shimmer to the wood (chatoyance). It sounds nicely balanced with lots of separation, great for any style of playing. This one is pretty powerful, and with crisp highs and smooth bass. This bearclaw I got from LMI.

_________________
"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

Nice Steve!!
Geat looking wood.
Not too much bling,
I like that!
The headstock looks great to me too.

I'll second the comment about color matching - I think the coco may be the perfect accent for the myrtle! And I've said this before but it bears repeating...that top is just stunning. Nice work Steve!

I could sit and stare at that top all day.
Nice work!

Nice Steve! Myrtle sure is a pretty wood. Looks great with Wenge. I just finished my 2nd OM and you are right about it being a well balanced guitar. If I was to have one guitar (ya right) I think that's what it would be.

Cheers,
Danny

Great looking axe you made there Steve.

Very nice and very busy bearclaw but it looks cool

Fred

_________________
Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Great looking guitar, Steve! Everything works well together.

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Very nice, want to work with myrtle myself. Congrats. T

Very nice, Steve, it's pleasing to the eye--and I'm sure to the ear.
I missed it somewhere, so let me ask, what wood did you use for the bindings? More Coco? Wenge? Can't tell from down here in Texas; but I like the contribution to the Myrtle.

Steve

_________________
From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Great job Steve. That bearclaw is

_________________
My Facebook Guitar Page

"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

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Beautiful job, Steve. I don't mind the long headstock as long as it fits in the case.

_________________
Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

Very nice Steve! I too plan on building a myrtle guitar in the future. That coco FB looks nice on it!

I am glad you like it, Steve! The binding is some IRW (that I had laying around). It is the right color (not red or black) to go with the "antique" finish on the top and the brown streaks in the sides. There is some color in the poly finish.

Thanks for looking in, everyone.

_________________
"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

Wow! Love the beautiful figure and complimentary color in the woods. Well done.

_________________
George :-)

Gorgeous guitar and incredible top.

_________________
Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

Wow Steve.
Came back for another look.
It looks better the second time around!
I really like that poly finish.
What brand is that?
I've got a quart of McCloskey that I'm thinking about using.

Holy Cow Steve, How did I miss this post?

That looks great! Love the Coco Bolo (but you already knew that).

Steve

Whoa! That's just too pretty to look at without sunglasses. Well done Steve!

_________________
Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!

Thanks, Alan. You will have to ask Joe White what he uses, because he shot the finish. I should also mention that Joe and I decided on one of his vintage finishes for the top. So the finish on the top has some color.

Thanks Steve and Bill. Cheers!

_________________
"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

Very beautiful guitar! I like it very much Steve - all of it !

_________________
Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Excellent job! The rosette looks great with that top