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  #1  
Old 10-07-2017, 07:26 AM
CaE CaE is offline
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Default Ensor Guitars- Kids Convertible- FINAL PHOTOS

My kids like to play around on my guitars. To say they are a little rough is an understatement. They like the ukulele my wife and I bought them while in Hawaii a few years ago, but really want to play guitar "like Daddy". So I let them play around on an old prototype I have laying around, but it's a bit big- they're 1 and 4 after all. So what's a luthier to do but to build them a guitar?!?!

The first problem with this plan is that they're young. Building them a full sized guitar wouldn't solve the problem completely as they already have one of those they can play with and it's the wrong size. And building a kids sized guitar seems like a waste since they'll grow out of it in no time. So after much thought, I decided to build them a convertible guitar- one that accepts both 23" (kids) and 25.28" (adult) scale length necks. This adds a little bit of difficulty to the engineering of the build, but will make the guitar usable for years to come- assuming they still have interest in guitar when they get older.

I've been working on this project off and on for a little while (between builds and such), so this won't be a full build thread- simply highlights.

So what would happen if you let a 4 year old spec out a guitar with very little guidance...? This:

Parlor
Port Orford Cedar top
Ovangkol back/sides
Bocote binding
Brazilian Kingwood rosette and end wedge
Indian Rosewood fingerboard
Ebony bridge
Mahogany neck
Sycamore headstock overlays







Follow along. This should be fun one.
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Last edited by CaE; 12-12-2017 at 09:14 AM.
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Old 10-07-2017, 07:51 AM
printer2 printer2 is offline
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Nothing wrong with smaller guitars. Eventually it could be used as a travel guitar. But back to this one, it does sound interesting.
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Old 10-07-2017, 03:57 PM
mountainguitar mountainguitar is offline
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What a great dad!!! I would have loved to spec out a guitar when I was four

And it will be wonderful for them to have a such a good instrument to learn on when they're young. I'll be surprised if they don't fall in love with the guitar!

Thanks for letting us follow along!

beth
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Old 10-07-2017, 06:02 PM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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I can't wait to see how you brace the top and decide on bridge placement! Unless you have some sort of plan for a moveable bridge, I think I would optimize it for the longer scale since they will be playing it that way longer. What a great project!
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Old 10-07-2017, 08:03 PM
printer2 printer2 is offline
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Why move the bridge, just swap necks. The string width at the bridge might be interesting.
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Old 10-08-2017, 06:59 AM
Osage Osage is offline
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Very cool! I'll be following this thread. I'm builing my daughter a terz guitar for her 4th Birthday in April. She picked out all the wood as well and I think it's going to be a really cool guitar.
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Old 10-09-2017, 10:19 AM
CaE CaE is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SJ VanSandt View Post
I can't wait to see how you brace the top and decide on bridge placement! Unless you have some sort of plan for a moveable bridge, I think I would optimize it for the longer scale since they will be playing it that way longer. What a great project!
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Why move the bridge, just swap necks. The string width at the bridge might be interesting.
Some good thoughts here. This is the sort of "luthier stuff" I had to think about in order to bring this concept to fruition.

The guitar will be built with its final form in mind. The bracing will be my standard parlor bracing, the bridge will be placed for a 14 fret, 25.28" scale, and the string width at the bridge will be set at 2 1/4".

The kids neck is built somewhat in reverse. Since the bridge placement is set, the neck connection/nut placement is found in reverse order. Typically the bridge, or more specifically the saddle, is placed based on the nut. In this case, the nut is placed based on the saddle. It's a bit complicated, but doable.

So in order for the kids nut placement to be correct, the neck connects at the 12.5ish fret.
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Old 10-09-2017, 10:43 AM
Ozzy the dog Ozzy the dog is offline
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This has got to be one of the best reasons for building a guitar. When my two boys were very young and money was tight, I used to make them things so they might have something unique to show off to their friends.

Jump forward 25 years and they still treasure those items.

Making something like a musical instrument Chris will, no doubt, help maintain an interest to give them a talent to be proud of in the future... And it will be extra special because daddy made it.

Looking forward to this developing.

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Originally Posted by Osage View Post
Very cool! I'll be following this thread. I'm builing my daughter a terz guitar for her 4th Birthday in April. She picked out all the wood as well and I think it's going to be a really cool guitar.
Osage - Will there be a separate thread for this?
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Old 10-09-2017, 11:26 AM
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Steve Kinnaird Steve Kinnaird is offline
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Great idea, Chris. Of course, the 1 year old will eventually want his (her?) own guitar as the older sibling exercises the position of "first born", so you might have to do this again...

Steve
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Old 10-09-2017, 08:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Steve Kinnaird View Post
Of course, the 1 year old will eventually want his (her?) own guitar as the older sibling exercises the position of "first born", so you might have to do this again...

Steve
It would be a dream come true for me to build my youngest one of his own as well.
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Old 10-10-2017, 06:17 AM
CaE CaE is offline
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Bracing, as previously mentioned, is my standard parlor bracing- with one exception: a special message written to my boys.





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Old 10-10-2017, 07:38 AM
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WayneJohnson WayneJohnson is offline
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Love this whole concept Chris, may it yield many wonderful memories of bringing your family together. I built one for my 25 year old son who is a very gifted player, doesn't get much better than that. I respect your work by the way, you do really nice things on your builds. All the best to you.
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my current guitars;
2014 personal build eir/cedar 25.4
2020 Irvin SJ eir/tunnel 13 redwood top 25.5

guitars I have owned;
1977 Martin D-28
2006 Tom Doerr Legacy Select
1956 Gretsch White Falcon
2011 Taylor GA3e
1967 Silvertone
1969 Stella Harmony
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Old 10-10-2017, 07:48 AM
Marihino Marihino is offline
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Subscribed! I am thinking about building a guitar or two over next few years. While I don't expect to ever be as great at this as yourself or any of the inspiring luthiers participating here, I think if I approach it meticulously enough, I might enjoy the result as well as I will the process. I have made two electric basses before and modified many more, with the results ranging respectively from roughly functional to very good. In the meantime, I will continue getting inspiration from this thread, and others
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Old 10-10-2017, 12:04 PM
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Joel Teel Joel Teel is offline
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It's hot and humid down here on the Gulf Coast today...in fact, the humidity around here is so thick that it seems to be collecting around my eyes ☺️

Chris, a while back, I sent you a PM about something you and I have have in common. Once again, I commend you for listening to the rhythms of your heart and soul. I hope you and I have the opportunity to meet one day.

Joel

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Originally Posted by Chris Ensor View Post
Bracing, as previously mentioned, is my standard parlor bracing- with one exception: a special message written to my boys.





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Old 10-12-2017, 02:22 PM
CaE CaE is offline
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Jumping ahead a bit now....

My son picked out brazilian kingwood for the rosette and end wedge. For the binding- bocote. Not exactly what I would have picked, but it's not my guitar.
So I did what my "client" ordered.

The neck carving was pretty standard- just a little less mahogany to remove.











I made the hollow circles for the inlay on the face of the fretboard on my lathe. You may notice (if you have a keen eye for detail) that the ID and OD are not concentric. When I first realized what had happened, I almost pitched the rod and started over. Then, after looking more closely, I thought it made them look more like "googly eyes"- especially when paired at the 12th fret. How appropriate for a kids guitar! So I left them alone and moved ahead with the inlay. I think they add a little fun to this little guitar.
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