Martin Keith - Woodstock Invitational presentation guitar, Curly Mahogany / Adi

Martin Keith · #1 10-29-2016, 07:12 PM

I'm finally back down on Earth after another great Woodstock show weekend.
Seeing the amazing instruments and wonderful people at this show is a highlight of my year. Every time, I come home inspired and delighted by the community of builders, players, and guitar lovers. It's a great little world, and I love being part of it.

Here are the "official" studio shots of my 2016 show guitar
This is a 15.4" body, which makes it a bit like a large OM.
Unlike some earlier models, this is driven by a pin bridge and x-bracing, so it's more like a 'traditional' flattop guitar in terms of tonal contour and application.

This guitar is voiced for balance across a wide range. It has a nice solid bass, but not to the detriment of upper register projection. The middle and upper fret positions are still vibrant and lively. I've played some fingerstyle guitars which are incredibly warm and thick in the low range, but feel a little sluggish up top. I really wanted a guitar that spoke with equal power and balance across the whole range.

This Adi top has lovely color and silking. The curly Mahogany is from the increasingly renowned "Mahogany Mama" tree, a windfall tree from Belize that came down during Hurricane Irene.
This guitar has bracing cut from the wing spar of a 1935 Porterfield Flyabout airplane. The fingerboard is old stock, rescued from Gibson in the 1960s. They were on the waste pile because of the color and curl -imagine that!
I got lucky to get about a dozen of these from the stash of the ex-Gibson employee who salvaged them. Nice stuff!

Anyway - on to the pics!

Thanks to all who came out to the show and said hello!

Cheers,
Martin

LouieAtienza · #2 10-29-2016, 07:51 PM

One of my favorites, Martin! I love the art-deco details and that bridge pin! Sounded awesome, especially in the gypsy jazz band setting on Saturday. Great seeing you again, and best of luck!

GeoffStGermaine · #3 10-29-2016, 10:31 PM

Wow! Everything about this guitar is spectacular. It has a very cohesive look!

Nemoman · #4 10-30-2016, 10:09 AM

Beautiful guitar, Martin!

CoolerKing · #5 10-30-2016, 10:24 AM

Beautiful work! Thanks for sharing.

Kerbie · #6 10-30-2016, 10:33 AM

Wow… a big WOW! Lovely...

Diamondave · #7 10-30-2016, 11:50 AM

Whoa, This is awesome... and the strap button! 🎯

JoeCharter · #8 10-30-2016, 11:56 AM

That's a killer headstock. Very well done.

Jeff Scott · #9 10-30-2016, 04:03 PM

Hi MArtin,

Wonderful looking guitar! One of these days I have to make it out to your neck of the woods and play one of these guitars of your. They have to be, at least, as great as the two Elfin 5s I have

Beau Hannam · #10 10-30-2016, 08:26 PM

I wish i knew how Martin pulled off those headstock and rosette inlays!!!

Martin Keith · #11 10-30-2016, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beau Hannam

I wish i knew how Martin pulled off those headstock and rosette inlays!!!

Beau,

Next time we're in the same place with beers in hand, I'll fill you in.
It's not actually as complicated as it may look, honestly.
The work you're doing requires much stronger kung-fu.

Cheers!
Martin

Bill Kraus · #12 11-03-2016, 05:47 PM

Very nice. Love the fingerboard, straight from the Gibson garbage can!. What is the nut made from?

Martin Keith · #13 11-03-2016, 08:30 PM

Hi Bill,

The nut is ebony. Since I use a zero fret, the nut material is pretty much unimportant, so I tend to match it to the fingerboard for visual consistency.
I wouldn't use balsa wood or anything, but ebony is plenty dense for the purpose. On some materials like wenge, I soak the nut blanks in penetrating resin first to make them more "nut-like".

Cheers,
Martin