OK - spruce top was promised and here it is: Tom's recommendation was Sitka so that's what I've got. One of the best sayings I've adhered to in commissioning guitars is, "don't buy a dog and then try and bark yourself".
Here is the top:
Tom and I collaborated on the rosette design a lot. I'm not at all a fan of bling and unnecessary fluff, especially on guitars, and I wanted something simple; it's a guitar man, not a sideboard! I really like Phillip Woodfield's half-moon rosette on his classical guitars and suggested something like that. Tom then chose the materials to go with his overall aesthetic - burl maple, dyed, and copper:
Gluing in:
And the finished result:
Top bracing next.
...and thanks for all of the attention from those viewing this thread!
Cheers,
Steve