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I am planning to build a Classical with a nice set of African Blackwood. I would appreciate any and all material choice suggestions, such as neck, top, binding, purfling, headplate, bridge etc. I will make the rosette.
I'd also like to see some pics of what you have built with any very dark B&S wood.

Thanks,

Ray

If I would do it, I would take the headplate and binding from the actual set, especially since it is a large D set. One option is curly maple for the binding.
Spruce top, Brazilian RW bridge, but make sure it is a dark one. Alternatively you can find ABW blanks but you you'll need to make sure it doesn't end up too heavy.

Trim should be very simple, precise, clean. One or two lines of maple. The wood makes enough of a statement by itself, no need for too much decoration.

Since the black of the guitar, head and bridge is quite neutral, I think you have a lot of liberty in picking the rosette pattern. But I would guess something not too colored. Top purfling should match outer purfling of the rosette.

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Build log

Very nice set of African Blackwood! I have used it with Englemann and really liked the tone. I also used it with PO Cedar. Very nice too.
Only advise I would give is to go much thinner than most woods. ABW can be hard to work with and bend and it will make a heavy guitar....very heavy!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Ditto what Alexandru said.

Going light with the trim/bindings will offset the dark really well. Especially if you do a light colored wedge...it would line up with/incorporate that wonderful blonde stripe down the center.

-Matthew

I would pair it with a nice Euro spruce top, and as Alexandru says use some wood from the back for the headplate. Neck of Cedrela. I'd still go with ebony bindings but insert a holly or maple side purfling to define them, I've never liked pale bindings on a classical.

I think you can go as 'loud' as you like on the rosette as long as you carry the colour sceme over into the top purfling, but I'd either go with Torres style multi purfling rings for the rosette, or a more contemporary take using some of the blackwood with purfling rings to match the top purfling.

Something along these lines (with different wood obviously)



or the Torres style:



Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

I didn't build this, but I really like the look of the eucalyptus bindings against the blackwood. http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=23423&hilit=african+blackwood

Here is one I built for myself. The binding and heelcap are ebony. I didn't get a chance to do the pore fill yet, just a quick squirt of shellac so I can play it. The blackwood doesn't need any pore fill, BTW. The more you polish it, the more the grain pops out and it's absolutely superb. In raw form you don't see much happening on it.

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Build log

-Jeff Elliott has made some very beautiful guitars of African Blackwood. Worth taking a look at
elliottguitars.com, click on the 'alternate woods' link.

Myself, I wouldn't use a light coloured binding, too strong of a contrast to my eye. Mind you, something light, but not as light as maple could work well, maybe cherry of figured Koa?

I would probably go with a very dark binding, but with a bold single line of flame maple in the purfling. In the top it would need to be paired with another bold single line of dark. Could do this for the body, too, but it depends upon how much contrast there is next to the body wood.

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

Ray;
Take your time with this guitar.
Look at all possible color & wood combos for rose & trim.

This will help you make a decision on what color & woods you want to use.

I personally like contrasting binding & body woods.
(koa on rosewood-bubinga on everything )

Let us know what you use !

Mike

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Mike Collins

Of course a good piece of European Spruce for the top. Light or dark bindings as you like. The one advantage of light bindings on very dark wood is that you get contrast while still maintaining simplicity of design.




I made the headplate for this one out of the matching incuts at the waist on the outer back panels:

For my part, i'd use a nice pale Engleman Top... And maybe something brown for binding, to make transition between pale top and very dark sides... maybe spalted maple? Or if you want something more colored, bloodwood (always amazing with ebony or blackwood), padauk or purpleheart.

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

You might consider peruvian walnut for the neck. What I have used is about the weight and stiffness of cedrela, though the walnut is harder to carve.

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