McKnight all-walnut 00-12 fret build

[SongwriterFan]

No new pictures yet, but Tim applied the final coat a week ago. So in about one more week, he should be making the first strum on his first hardwood-topped guitar.

Can you say "anticipation"?

[David Wren]

What stunning work!!!

[SongwriterFan]

Getting closer to the finished product:

[Tim McKnight]

Indeed it is getting closer to the finish line. To some it may seem counter productive to sand a beautiful shiny finish like this but its one of the often unseen steps in the final finishing process that allows us to end up with a mirror smooth and ultra high gloss finish:







After three progressive finer grits of dry sanding then its on to 3 even finer grits of wet sanding:







And finally 4 progressively finer grades of dry buffing compounds on the power buffing wheels. Sorry but I don't have any pics of that process since Mary was tending to other family matters.






The finger board gets covered with side walk chalk:







Sanded with a beam sander to knock down the high spots. The chalk quickly shows the progress of wood removed and the low areas that require more sanding:








When the fingerboard is perfectly flat the chalk is all gone:







A quick check with a straight edge verifies the chalking and sanding process works as intended:




Thanks for following along on our build.

[Neil K Walk]

Ooh. It's getting shiny!

[SongwriterFan]

Now it's on day 1 of 3 with the Tonerite, which Tim uses to let things "settle in" before doing the final setup.

I'm also having Tim install a Dazzo pickup . . . supposed to be like a K&K on steroids.

[cigarfan]

Looking so nice! And great to see this beauty is soon on its way to SWF. Congrats to you and Tim.

[SongwriterFan]

I suppose I should be really thanking Bruce Sexauer. I tried to get Tim to build me something like this over a decade ago (once I saw his stash of the walnut and listened to the tap tone . . . as if I really know what I'm doing ), but he just didn't want to risk building something without a traditional tonewood for the top.

It's only after Tim playled Bruce's all-walnut guitar (in Memphis, I believe) that he started to reconsider building it.

Fortunately for Tim, I was still game.

Tim said it sounded great, but it still didn't make him play like Jerry Reed, so I'm thinking I should just forget about buying it now? Just kidding, Tim, kidding!

[Jobe]

She is looking pretty! What a great and interesting choice all around! This is wild and wild is good...wild can be great...!

[Tim McKnight]

Now that the FB is dead flat its time to locate the bridge.














Drilling the bridge pin holes:














Countersinking the pin holes:







Scribing the exact bridge location:














Finish is removed down to bare wood to provide a proper gluing surface. You can't glue a bridge to finish because it would not hold ... Well ... it might hold until SWF strikes his first cowboy cord and then the bridge would likely go airborne and leave a permanent dent in his forehead

Sorry, but our insurance policy doesn't cover bridge removals from foreheads.

[Tim McKnight]

Bridge is glued and clamped:






While the glue dries, tuner peg holes get reamed to remove any finish residue:







Fret slots get beveled with a 3 cornered needle file. The slight bevel aides to guide the fret tang into the slot:







The filed micro bevel also prevents wood chip around the fret slot, when cleaning out saw dust or dried glue, from the slot with a hook tool:

[John Osthoff]

Originally Posted by Tim McKnight

...

Finish is removed down to bare wood to provide a proper gluing surface. You can't glue a bridge to finish because it would not hold ... Well ... it might hold until SWF strikes his first cowboy cord and then the bridge would likely go airborne and leave a permanent dent in his forehead

Sorry, but our insurance policy doesn't cover bridge removals from foreheads.

...

Actually I remember discussing this will Rick Turner. He has been gluing his bridges directly to finish. I thought this was a little nuts (and I don't do it,) but I am not one to argue with success. Rick is a pioneer and is so confident in his finish adhesion, that he glues the bridges right on to the finish and they hold!

[Tim McKnight]

Point well taken John and thanks for that information. Is he using PE finish and then using a PE Epoxy to glue the bridge down? If that were the case then I could see how the two could bond together.

[Mary]

I want to thank David for his patience during this guitar build. When luthiers have work to do it is great therapy to have wood in hand and sand paper to keep fingers busy, but as the McKnight photo journalist I needed to be where I was more needed. The pictures here are each worth 1,000 words and I am thankful Tim pulled my weight.

I was a pre-occupied caring for our biggest supporter of the guitar world, my best friend since birth, my closest brother, Ralph. Just over a week ago health issues took him "home."

On behalf of my husband, and all the luthiers around the world, as you wait for the guitar of your own dreams to be built, we thank each of you for the respect
shown and for appreciating our efforts to give you what is in your own minds eye desires.

Thank you for continuing to add McKnight guitars to your wonderful collection, David.

[Steve Kinnaird]

Originally Posted by Mary

I was a pre-occupied caring for our biggest supporter of the guitar world, my best friend since birth, my closest brother, Ralph. Just over a week ago health issues took him "home."

Oh Mary, so sorry for your loss.

Steve