Another McKnight Build
 

There seems to be a lot missing.

Very nice, bk -- will be watching this one with serious interest! Nice set of zir...

Phil

it will certainly be worth the wait......:evilgrin:

Love that Ziricote, and seeing Tim hard at work.

+1 :up: ...very nice wood set

The rosette is under glue as we speak. I hope to show you what it looks like later tomorrow. :)

Congrats! This is sure to be an amazing guitar. I'll be watching this thread closely!

bk, you are in for a thrilling ride with your McKnight build! Not only does Tim work his magic out in the shop, Mary does a tremendous job of assisting with the choice of appointments, plus keeping the communications flowing. Her pictures document each step of your guitar's gestation period, and if you're like me, they add a great deal to the enjoyment of having a custom guitar built.

Love your choices, particularly the zircote. That's what I chose for mine, and I never cease to marvel at it's visual beauty. (Mine had a Brazilian inner back, so that's the wood that contributes to the guitar's tone, more than the zircote, which is damped by being somewhat in contact with chest and tummy.)

Not trying to hijack your thread, but as an encouragement, here's how the back of my McKnight turned out. LOVE it!

cotten

http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/...n/IMG_1374.jpg

wow nice:)

Congratulations! I'm sure you will love what Tim and Mary create for you and that they have already made you feel like part of their family! :)

Hi Phil - Thanks. I take it you have an order with the McKnights or are thinking of one.

Hi Todd - I know you're right. I know you love yours. So will you own 1.25 or 2.25 McKnights? :)

Thanks Scott - me too to both your comments.

Thanks Jeff!

I look forward to Mary's comments. It's amazing how much time she spends dealing with us lucky customers. Thank you!

Hi Joel - I look forward to our time.

Cotten - I can only hope that the back of my guitar is as sweet as your's is. That's simply gorgeous. It's an honor having you comment.

Thanks taz

Hi Neil - You're absolutely correct about the McKnights. I love being part of their extended guitar family.

I'm going to post some pictures of the rosette in a little bit.

Thanks everyone,
BK

Last night Mary sent me photos of Tim doing the pain-staking work of inlaying pearl in the center of my rosette.

First a channel was routed from the center of my rosette:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6239/...c8a193b3_z.jpg

I doubt many prospective luthiers think about this part of the job. "Oh yeah, I need to buy dental tools ..." I'm amazed at the patience one must have for this part of the job. Thanks Tim!

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6115/...8450f33a_z.jpg

I love this photo. The precision needed is obvious. I love the purfling. Great shot Mary!

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6038/...e39a9752_z.jpg

I'm just blown away by the beauty of Tim's work. Bravo!

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6117/...731e4a1d_z.jpg

So what does Tim fill the rest of the channel with? Mary tells me it's a mixture of cocobolo sawdust with epoxy to make the paste dark.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6042/...410c56f3_z.jpg

Again, here's a shout out to Tim (and all other luthiers) - thank you for patience you have. This can't be fun.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6054/...f669eeed_z.jpg

Here's another view of an obviously yucky part of the job.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6217/...5d0ff412_z.jpg

That's it for now. Thanks for giving a look.

BK

Cotten:

The wood on that guitar is just amazing! It has a certain gem-like quality about it. Just beautiful.

OK, back to the OP's original thread....

That's an allergic reaction waiting to happen! Huh Mary? :)


Bel isi,
-kyle

Yep, Mary is extremely allergic to Coco so she has learned to keep her distance when it is being sanded. We had to totally rethink and revamp our vacuum system a few years ago after she came down with a severe rash and open sores. She was a mess. Once Coco is under sealer though there are no more risks for her.

Nice build thread. I always love them. The guitar is sure to be a beaut. You can't go wrong with the McKnights. Awesome folks

Yep - I'm on the list. Tentative Healdsburg 2013 delivery, but that's flexible. SDG (Tim's new body), '59 Sitka over 'tree' mahogany, theme chosen but unannounced, details still in vitro.

Now, back to your reality!!

Thanks,

Phil

Kyle, you are so right! I tend to pick the Cocobolo up by the edges. Kurt discovered I was allergic to his Petosky stone guitar. I understand the need to wear a mask more often.

Bruce's guitar is coming together very smoothly. However, occasionally we get a guitar with a glitch. I will save the agony of bringing it back up, but feel free to ask our Healdsburg brothers. :eek:

Mary - I didn't know about your allergy to Cocobolo (thanks Kyle). Sorry about my choice (but I do love the look). How long before it's sealed?

Thanks Greg and I totally agree with you about the McKnights!

Phil - your guitar sounds wonderful. I know you'll have fun with Mary and Tim figuring out the details.

<deep sigh> Every time you bring this up, I begin to feel guilty about my guitar and the cost to you folks for the new ventilation system! ;)

Your guitar won't be sealed for quite some time. It is much easier for me to handle since your guitar is being built in fair weather. We open shop doors and I can walk around as if I own the place. ;)

Kurt, if you wouldn't have ordered the first cocobolo custom built I may have never known about this allergy. Remember how I use to "lick" the wood to test the final color? Bad, bad Mary. Not smart in the least.

You used to actually lick the wood? :eek: Yes, I can see where that miht be a problem for you - like me heading to the woods to find some poison ivy to lick! :ha:

cotten

It didn't take long for her lips and tongue to swell. It looked like a very bad Botox lip job ;(

I don't think I've ever seen a good one! :D

Hey, new business venture idea: Cocobolo lip gloss to "enhance" the presence of your lips. I bet it would be a smash in Hollywood!


Bel isi,
-kyle

Errrr, uh this thread is slipping into um... "uncomfortable" territory. :eek:

Better post more pics of wood. Cotten's pic is kinda like a pinup. That Zirocote certainly is pretty, as was John Kitchen's former cocobolo/redwood Highlander. Anyone interested in Tim and Mary's guitars should really do themselves a favor and sample their wares if they are able. Lord knows they've been tempting me for years now but I've been coy! ;)

BTW bk, forgive me if I missed it but is that a solid redwood top or is it a double top combined with another tonewood? You said that the sides are zirocote and walnut double sides. Did you elect to go with a matching double back?

Neil, he has a single back. The glue was applied a few minutes ago. Thee back and sides are in the wood room under the go bar becoming one piece as I write.

Hi Neil - I have a solid redwood top. I love the look and sound of Redwood. I believe I asked Tim if it made any sense to do a double top of Redwood and Redwood, and he said he didn't see the point. Tim, please pipe in if I'm wrong. As Mary said, the back is a single back since I don't hold the guitar against myself generally.

But let's get back to the photos:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6171/...1c6854bf_b.jpg

Tim is marking the border of the top. I just love the look of the Ziricote with the Redwood:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/...aa41eaf4_b.jpg

The deflection weight lets Tim know the stiffness of the top. Tim - what will you do with that information? Mary also wrote to notice the rosette. Thanks Mary for all the comment with the photos:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6053/...8937b68b_b.jpg

The main back brace is glued:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6213/...52e61a38_b.jpg

Tim has the carbon fiber rods in place:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6046/...94765852_b.jpg

Tim preparing more bracing for the back:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6157/...577f1590_b.jpg

And lastly what I believe will be the backstrap headplate (am I right about that?):

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6217/...a4eb01cb_z.jpg

I was told that I would receive a lot of photos from Mary, but I can't keep up. Just as I started this post, my e-mail program alerted me that Mary sent more. I'll try to get them up later this afternoon.

Thanks Mary and Tim, and thanks everyone for taking a look.

BK

Hi again. Here are some of the photos from the last group that Mary sent me.

First is a "before" picture of my rosette:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6176/...4ce522c1_z.jpg

and an "after" shot (I love it!):

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6110/...8ddd15b1_b.jpg

Tim starts to shape the back braces:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6093/...f981bedb_b.jpg

On behalf of all guitarists we'd like to thank all the luthiers for the peril they expose their body parts to when building guitars for us. I know Tim practices the utmost safety, but I don't think I've ever seen any luthiers' hand without some sort of cut or gauge:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6054/...7bdd7f03_b.jpg

Mary wrote: "he will chisel each end and scallop each brace to achieve a special tone.":

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6223/...d2766b15_b.jpg

Tim - don't you ever get tired of sanding?

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6116/...bdb5023e_b.jpg

The box is pre-fitted to the back:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6120/...0e975ecf_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6052/...e3b36963_b.jpg

Excess glue will be removed in a few minutes:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6104/...42864408_b.jpg

Fitness - Mary threw in this picture of Tim calling you! Mary - I didn't know there would be commercial breaks. (What are the odds of Todd catching this?):

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6058/...1cc35c17_z.jpg

I just found out that we're limited to 10 photos per reply so I'll post this and start anew.

BK

Tim's making my cocobolo binding. Danger Mary - stay away:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6092/...7d7f45ae_b.jpg

Of course does Mary listen? No and look who makes her first guest appearance. Does that mean Tim is now in charge of the camera?

Mary is taping binding and purfling together. Mary - that's cocobolo! Where are your gloves?

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6033/...3883257e_b.jpg

Always the trooper, Mary won't quite until the job's done. Tim - keep an eye on her tonight.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6094/...b648b30a_b.jpg

And now I think I'm caught up. Thanks all for taking a look.

BK

Bruce,
I thickness each back to a desired stiffness and not to a given thickness dimension. I measure how much the top (and back) bow or "deflect" under a standard weight. This measured deflection of each piece of wood tells me exactly how stiff the top or back is. I keep running the top & back through my thickness sander, gradually removing a few thousandths of wood per pass and then repeating the deflection measurement until it bows or deflects a certain distance. This way all of my backs and tops are thicknessed to a desired stiffness regardless of the thickness. I have built with extremely stiff tops that measured -.080" and I have also used "floppy" tops that were +.140" thick yet both had the same stiffness measured on my deflection board. This just proves how much natural inherent variation there is in wood.

"Tim don't you ever get tired of sanding?" Yes, I do Bruce and I often ask myself why in the world do I sand the interior parts of the guitar that no one will likely ever see or touch. The only logical answer I can muster is "because its the way I am wired".

The two carbon tubes are braces that take the rotational torque load off of the neck block. As the strings exert pull on the neck the resulting force is trying to rotate the neck block and entire upper bout end of the guitar in an effort to make to collapse the top into the sound hole. This force will eventually allow guitars, without supports like these, to deform which results in a need for a neck reset. The carbon tubes transfer this rotational force to the waist which is the stiffest point on the guitar. It is highly unlikely that guitars with this truss brace design will ever need a neck reset. It makes the upper bout system extremely rigid without negatively influencing the movement of the soundboard.