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  #1  
Old 04-11-2016, 08:07 PM
jim1960 jim1960 is online now
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Default Jack Spira bouzouki build

Last September I contacted Jack Spira in Australia about having a bouzouki built. I wanted a zouk that could stand up as a solo instrument and not sound too tinny as zouks can in the upper registers. We had some very interesting conversations and finally settled on a tiger myrtle/cedar combination. Here we are in April and the work has begun.

This is the cedar top and tiger myrtle b/s set.



Here's the tiger myrtle wetted down.



The rosette is going to be a tiger myrtle ring with inner and outer abalone rings. The binding is going to be an inner strip of tiger myrtle with an outer strip of ebony.

The tiger myrtle ring for the rosette being cut and fitted.




I'll post more as the build progresses.
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2023 Iris ND-200 maple/adi
2017 Circle Strings 00 bastogne walnut/sinker redwood
2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar
2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce
2004 Taylor XXX-RS indian rosewood/sitka spruce
1988 Martin D-16 mahogany/sitka spruce

along with some electrics, zouks, dulcimers, and banjos.

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  #2  
Old 04-11-2016, 08:16 PM
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That is some nice Tiger Myrtle! In fact it looks like you almost have the whole face on the back.
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Old 04-11-2016, 09:45 PM
Brucebubs Brucebubs is offline
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Looks outstanding.
You're a lucky person, I believe Jack is a busy builder with quite a waiting list.
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Old 04-11-2016, 09:58 PM
Halcyon/Tinker Halcyon/Tinker is offline
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Cool, curious to watch this play out!
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Old 04-11-2016, 10:02 PM
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Oh this is gon' be gooooood.
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Old 04-12-2016, 06:05 AM
jim1960 jim1960 is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nacluth View Post
That is some nice Tiger Myrtle! In fact it looks like you almost have the whole face on the back.
Thanks. I have to ask... the phrase "whole face" isn't one I've heard before. What does that mean? If I had to guess, I'd guess it means from bark to sapwood. Am I close?

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Originally Posted by Brucebubs View Post
Looks outstanding.
You're a lucky person, I believe Jack is a busy builder with quite a waiting list.
It wasn't too bad of a wait and it allowed time to converse about the details and it gave me time to think about the aesthetics.

And speaking of aesthetics, I'm going to have two inlays on the fretboard. I haven't decided where to place each, but I did a mockup picture on a guitar fretboard just as an example... "síocháin" is the Irish word for peace.

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2023 Iris ND-200 maple/adi
2017 Circle Strings 00 bastogne walnut/sinker redwood
2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar
2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce
2004 Taylor XXX-RS indian rosewood/sitka spruce
1988 Martin D-16 mahogany/sitka spruce

along with some electrics, zouks, dulcimers, and banjos.

YouTube
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  #7  
Old 04-12-2016, 06:11 AM
colins colins is online now
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Jim that myrtle is so 'tiger' you can almost hear it growl! Beautiful wood! Makes me want to drive up to JS shop and have a look in person.

Thanks for this thread,
Col
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Old 04-12-2016, 06:51 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jim1960 View Post
Thanks. I have to ask... the phrase "whole face" isn't one I've heard before. What does that mean? If I had to guess, I'd guess it means from bark to sapwood. Am I close?

That wood is amazing. My guess is he was referring to the fact that you can almost see a Tiger's face in the wood. The eyes are just being cut out from the shape and there is a nose coming down from the eyes ending in nostrils in the middle of your back. Just my guess, we will wait for Ryan to clarify to see if I was right
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Old 04-12-2016, 08:07 AM
jim1960 jim1960 is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TomB'sox View Post
That wood is amazing. My guess is he was referring to the fact that you can almost see a Tiger's face in the wood. The eyes are just being cut out from the shape and there is a nose coming down from the eyes ending in nostrils in the middle of your back. Just my guess, we will wait for Ryan to clarify to see if I was right
I like your guess better than mine.
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Jim
2023 Iris ND-200 maple/adi
2017 Circle Strings 00 bastogne walnut/sinker redwood
2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar
2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce
2004 Taylor XXX-RS indian rosewood/sitka spruce
1988 Martin D-16 mahogany/sitka spruce

along with some electrics, zouks, dulcimers, and banjos.

YouTube
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  #10  
Old 04-12-2016, 08:53 AM
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Yeah, it looked like a tiger's face to me. A luthier's Rorshach test.

It looks like the eyes are right along the upper portion of the back with a long cat's nose down the middle capped with a sly grin. Yes, a little craziness runs in the family.
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Last edited by nacluth; 04-12-2016 at 09:06 AM.
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  #11  
Old 04-12-2016, 09:20 AM
jim1960 jim1960 is online now
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Now that it's been pointed out, I see it. Pretty cool.
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Jim
2023 Iris ND-200 maple/adi
2017 Circle Strings 00 bastogne walnut/sinker redwood
2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar
2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce
2004 Taylor XXX-RS indian rosewood/sitka spruce
1988 Martin D-16 mahogany/sitka spruce

along with some electrics, zouks, dulcimers, and banjos.

YouTube
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  #12  
Old 04-12-2016, 04:01 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jim1960 View Post
Now that it's been pointed out, I see it. Pretty cool.
Just stick with us, one of us has a history of seeing all sorts of strange stuff in wood grain hahaha!
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  #13  
Old 04-13-2016, 10:53 AM
locust19 locust19 is offline
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Jack's work is wonderful. I have owned 3 of his guitars. My favorite is still a custom model that I still have.
Enjoy it!
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  #14  
Old 04-19-2016, 05:38 PM
jim1960 jim1960 is online now
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Jack sent along some new pictures today showing the work he did on the tiger myrtle rosette.

Getting ready to add the lines.


And then the abalone.


The rosette completed.


I'm ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille!
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Jim
2023 Iris ND-200 maple/adi
2017 Circle Strings 00 bastogne walnut/sinker redwood
2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar
2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce
2004 Taylor XXX-RS indian rosewood/sitka spruce
1988 Martin D-16 mahogany/sitka spruce

along with some electrics, zouks, dulcimers, and banjos.

YouTube
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  #15  
Old 04-19-2016, 05:47 PM
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j. Kinnaird j. Kinnaird is offline
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If you move that back outline up a little you will get the Tigers eyes and it nose. You'd have the entire face staring at you.
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