S.Kinnaird 00 Indonesian Rosewood/CO BlueSpruce

[TuckerRE]

Car recovered in SLC..flew back last night..now to determine condition/driveability. Hopeful. But that isn't about guitars. Will put together some Ryan-esque thoughts on this, somewhat of a milestone guitar for me. And my association with Steve and Ryan.

[TuckerRE]

Depending how you slice it (and Ryan’s literally been slicing ‘em up lately, ouch), this guitar might be my 10th Stephen Kinnaird guitar (and perhaps Ryan, have you worked on ALL but one? Perhaps all but two?) – well the count lies somewhere between 8 and 11.4 guitars depending on how and what one counts, but let’s say it’s 10 for the sake of paying tribute. It would seem I have at least one of each of their six models and each one has had a different wood for sides and back (and one 50,000 years old…careful when you move that one), and fairly varied tops including Sitka, bearclaw Sitka, more bearclaw Sitka, Engelmann, mango (hardly your normal top wood, but chosen for its somewhat nonresponsive qualities for the nylon electric, sinker redwood, port orford cedar, Lutz, (what’s that? at least seven different types of tops)..no, no eight given this, the Colorado Blue Spruce (how could I forget?!). Most are 12-fret, but a couple 14-ers (something we revere in Colorado), four kinds of strings (if you count silky/steely as Steve likes to call it and 12-strings as different from ‘regular’ steel strings), at least three scale lengths, two neck widths and a couple of cutaways, and a partridge, wait…

Ryan help here: how many different bracing patterns? At least three, right? How many different binding woods (does anyone really care?), and how many or how few left on the drawing board (shhh…somethings should remain private!)?

But the proudest: has to be the first-ever signature Kinnaird and perhaps a model ‘just made for me!’. Most have a traditional ‘K’ (somewhere)…and now, finally, a sound port for moi! Someday I might go crazy and end up with an armrest, who knows.

It’s an honor and pleasure: doing business with these chaps…doing fun and fellowship with these brothers…and well the rest surely stays, well, somewhere (including on a dorm room floor)! But if it isn’t obvious by all the aforementioned, I believe they build the finest guitars out there, they are terribly fun to kibitz with, and my goal is to see how many I can acquire before they realize how great they are at it all! Because he who dies with the most Kinnairds, nah…but a very sincere, sincere thank you Steve. And thank you Ryan. And cannot wait to see you, hopefully within the month.

[nacluth]

Wow Bob, thanks.

I started working in time to install the tuners on your second guitar. I just remember thinking at the time that I really hoped I didn’t screw up such a simple task at the end of a build.

Well time would fail if I tried to return the favor and try to express how much Bob has meant to us personally and to our company. Also, I’m already running low on Kleenex in the house... His patronage has really been the steady ballast for our company, and his constant encouragement has kept our spirits up through the years. It’s been a sincere pleasure to have a friend through these ten builds (maybe more but who’s counting). We’re not done trying new things yet, but it is nice to say look how far we’ve come.

Thanks again Saint Bob.

[TuckerRE]

Stolen car recovered, trashed a bit but repairable...



But the big news for this thread is that ... the "hopefully within the month" visit to SFA-ville is ON! (Seat assignment..check; prototype (ransome) to return..check.). What fun! The picking up the guitar 'in person' has become a tradition and since I waste, er, take up so much of their time doing it, they try and put me to work. Sweeping the floor is all I am qualified to do, but they allow me to be pictured doing other things...





... that are fixable after the photo is taken!

[cigarfan]

Thanks for the heads up. I sure hope they let me participate in a week or so during my visit.

[nacluth]

We’ve got work lined up for you Bob, and we’ve got some rosette inlay for you to do Dennis!

[nacluth]

When you come to get your guitar, we’ll put you to work. Bob’s job today is recording his instrument for us!

[cigarfan]

Guitar looks like it fits great! And I'm with you on the dirt thing!

[Nemoman]

Looking good, Bob--let's hear that little thing!

[TuckerRE]

Originally Posted by Nemoman

Looking good, Bob--let's hear that little thing!

The Best Sounding Kinnaird guitar yet, oh my goodness - braced ridiculously light for its silk 'n steel strings. It sounds SO sweet and the sustain is like 45 minutes..enough for a short lunch!

[TomB'sox]

Congrats Bob! That thing looks to small to produce a big sound!!!!!!

[TuckerRE]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

Congrats Bob! That thing looks to small to produce a big sound!!!!!!

Totally, but unreal output. I think Ryan's making a short sound clip. Stunning!

[nacluth]

I’ll be putting up some sound clips tonight or tomorrow, but until then, I snapped some pics outside the recording session. Thanks for following along Bob’s journey.






















Sound clips coming.

[TomB'sox]

Beautiful, will this be at Woodstock to see? That back wood is so pretty I can almost see past Bob's favorite color, but not quite......

[nacluth]

I heard through the grapevine that my punctuality with these sound clips was being impugned on a form of social media that I don't have, so I guess I'll post these now...

We made Bob record his own demo for this guitar which can be daunting, but he did great! I hope you hear how this small guitar with silk n' steel strings has a nice big voice. Also the last track I included because it's just fun to hear a new owner playing around on their guitar. Thanks everyone.








Enjoy!