John Kinnaird Pau Santo 000 Build

[invguy921]

Originally Posted by Jamiejoon

And here is the completed rosette, with the wood and stone inlaid:

That is a really cool and original look. Gorgeous Jamie!!

[Jamiejoon]

Originally Posted by cigarfan

John's really getting good at this bevel stuff. King of the bevels!

And your rosette is a beauty! Really like the colors and geometrics.

Thanks Dennis! John is exploring cubist rosettes, and I encouraged him to just do his thing. We are both very happy with what he came up with. I proposed Tibetan turquoise, but it would be extremely difficult for John to cut raw turquoise precisely into the curves of the rosette. I think the recon stone is a great substitute. I am still hoping Tibetan turquoise finds its way into the guitar elsewhere, possibly the fretboard. Stay tuned!

[Jamiejoon]

Originally Posted by invguy921

That is a really cool and original look. Gorgeous Jamie!!

Thank you Mike! Happy New Year!

[Bill Kraus]

Originally Posted by Jamiejoon

Thanks! It's actually Pau Santo, not Pau Ferro. Different genus, though also from Brazil. Pau Santo is Zollernia paraensis, sometimes called Brazilian Blackheart. I have never personally seen a guitar made from it, but I am told that it makes a fantastic tonewood. Harder than most rosewoods.

I was curious about Pau Santo so I had to look into it. Here is some of what I found.
"Zollernia Paraensis is a medium to tall sized tree with a long straight trunk, growing on non-inundated land of the lower Amazon. Small quantities have been exported to England as a substitute for Lignum -vitae and to the United States for handles of cutlery, butts of billiard cues, and brush backs. Extremely hard, heavy and compact, but brittle. Specific gravity 1.10 to 1.35; weight 72 to 83 lbs. per cu. ft. texture medium; feel waxy; grain irregular to definitely roey; working properties similar to Lignum-vitae; finishes smoothly, with a high natural polish; very resistant to decay.

[j. Kinnaird]

So this wood will not float.
I will say that it bends nicely, more or less like rosewood. Like lignin vitae it does have a greenish tint, in some places rather more than others

[Jamiejoon]

John tells me we are moving into a phase where this project will start to look like a guitar. I am excited to see it come together. A few new shots coming from John. First, another look at the back before it meets the sides:

[Jamiejoon]

Next up: a clamp convention as the sides are attached

[Jamiejoon]

And now, back and sides are together:

[cigarfan]

Beginning to take shape. Really like that back.

[Jamiejoon]

Dennis, me too. Excited to see it under finish!

[Guitars44me]

"King of the Bevels!" That has a nice ring to it...

Whadda ya think John? I am sure Jamie will be stoked with the ergonomics.

This is really a beauty

Cheers

Paul

[j. Kinnaird]

Originally Posted by Guitars44me

"King of the Bevels!" That has a nice ring to it...

Whadda ya think John? I am sure Jamie will be stoked with the ergonomics.

This is really a beauty

Cheers

Paul

Hmm
A real king would have an easier time with bevels. Its a time consuming process and winds up having me spend a lot more time on the sides than with a "normal" guitar.
But the edges do feel great and I like the aesthetics.

[Jamiejoon]

Hi all, I have not posted an update on my John Kinnaird pau santo OOO in some time, but here’s a shot as it comes together. No finish yet of course, but I think the wood combination looks very nice already. The back is pau santo, the bevel and all binding are cocobolo, the back strip is cocobolo and purple heart, the “cameo” is “yard maple” burl and I think cocobolo, and the purfling is (I think) holly and purple heart.

[invguy921]

Jamie, That looks great! Can't wait to see it with some shine. It's a beauty!

[j. Kinnaird]

Yes indeed, the purfling IS holly and purple heart. That purfling almost made me lose my religion (as my sainted grandmother used to say) couldn't get the thin purple heart to hang together. Too much curl to scrape thin without breaking. I made a carrier for the purple heart and ran the strips through the abrasive planer till the strips were 0,020 inches.