McKnight all-walnut 00-12 fret build

[Neil K Walk]

Originally Posted by 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.

I just wanted to add my public condolences as well. I know that both your brothers were dealing with health problems and that your mother is not as ambulatory as she once was. Such is life and when we are gone I like to think that good memories we leave with others are our best legacy. I will miss Ralph and I hope that his own early McKnight stays in the family. Whenever it sings again that it sings one of Ralph's favorite songs.

As for this build I'm just glad to know it will be a first of sort and I feel privileged to have seen it with my own eyes, even if it wasn't quite finished yet.

[Mary]

Thanks, Neil. I will send McJammers and customers an email this week.

David's guitar is the main subject and I won't let that get away. It is now sitting at the Marion, Ohio UPS hub waiting to go home to a new home. When guitars leave Momma and Pappa it can be a bitter sweet moment. We like that each of you joined in the fun with David.

[Tim McKnight]

Bridge glue is dry, clamps are off so its time to fit each bridge pin to its hole. Its my opinion that the bridge pin to string mechanical coupling is a critical area that deserves time and exacting fit. The bridge is the point of central excitation, where all of the sound transmission begins, so it only stands to reason that the interaction between the strings and top are extremely important.







Each hole is slotted with a small saw to accept the string.







You'll notice that the bottom of each hole is square and flat. This does not fit a round string precisely. Round pegs will fit in square holes but its not an exact fit is it?




Therefore each square hole must be filed with an appropriate sized round edge file. The file will add the proper concave radius to the bottom of the slot that matches the string size and profile. This was done using the series of files in the first photo of this post. The file I am using here is used to break over the top edge of each pin hole slot that guides the string to the saddle.








Each pin hole is reamed with a tapered tool that matches the taper of the pins. The pins are numbered to fit each hole. We use un-slotted pins and rely on the tapered round pin to force the string into the slot in the bridge to make the critical mechanical connection between the string and top. This is a time consuming step of placing a string in the hole, inserting the bridge pin and checking the fit, in a series of repetitious steps, until the fit is exact.







The pin fits are complete and its time to fit the saddle blank.

[cigarfan]

I love this numbered pin thing!

Can't tell you how many times (with un-numbered pins) I have come to the end of a string change only to find out the last bridge pin doesn't fit the last pin hole. I can't stand having a bridge pin stick up above the others. Pet-peeve of mine.

[Tim McKnight]

Originally Posted by cigarfan

I love this numbered pin thing!

Can't tell you how many times (with un-numbered pins) I have come to the end of a string change only to find out the last bridge pin doesn't fit the last pin hole. I can't stand having a bridge pin stick up above the others. Pet-peeve of mine.

Hey Dennis,
Glad we could help to pet your peeve in a small but oh so functional way

[Tim McKnight]

The rectangular saddle gets radiused to match the radius on the FB:







Then we intonate the saddle's string contact surface:










Polish the saddle:







And voila, its all done:







The nut gets cut to the requested 1-9/16" string spacing:







Frets are rough cut to size:







Fret ends are notched to fit over the bindings:







And WHAM O (that's a cool luthier term), the frets get driven home:










Thin CA is wicked under each fret to lock them in place:







After the CA glue is dry, fret ends get nipped flush with the edge of the FB. Then the next hour is spent dressing the fret ends:

[BrunoBlack]

Terrific illustration of your work and methods. Thanks Tim.

[Tim McKnight]

Only a few items left to go before reaching the finish line. Install the Dazzo pick up:







Oil the bridge and FB:









Install the requested Martin Retro strings:







Yep, string ball ends are seated against the bridge plate:







Test the pick up, dobro style, with a unique one thumb and invisible slide technique:






Ready the fiberglass flight case:







Take a few quick hi res glamour shots in our ultra hi tech photo booth:







And its good night Irene to get ready for the journey to the Lone Star state:

[Tim McKnight]

Originally Posted by Haasome

Terrific illustration of your work and methods. Thanks Tim.

Thanks Paul. I'll pass on the kudos to Mary for her photo documentation help. She is always sneaking around corners, with camera in hand, trying to catch me actually working.

[Tim McKnight]

A few quick pics to keep Song Writer Fan in balance while he awaits arrival of the brown truck later today




































This pic is for my friend Steve. Remember when I told you to watch for the book matched pin knots in the bindings, framing the end wedge? This might be overlooked by many but I think its a small feature that other builders would pick up on? This is probably my favorite picture of the project.














The shiny black case gets dropped into a trash bag:







Then double boxed:







Lots of bubble wrap for a safe journey:






Thanks again to all who have followed along and participated in this thread.

And now the final wait begins ...

[riorider]

Tim & SWF, very nice. That's the most "mahogany-like" walnut I've ever seen!!!

Congrats,

Phil

[Jobe]

Gorgeous! I hope it is well loved. Very nice looking guitar to me!

[Tim McKnight]

Originally Posted by riorider

Tim & SWF, very nice. That's the most "mahogany-like" walnut I've ever seen!!!

Congrats,

Phil

Thanks Phil and Jobe.

SWF's tonal goal was some added warmth, depth and bass response from a OO sized body. Personally I think we've nailed it but I will wait for SWF's verdict in a few days. It sounds almost as if its firmly leaning towards the RW-ish / Tree tonal spectrum. I am VERY surprised by the outcome of this guitar. SWF asked me a few days ago over the phone, if there would be more all 1700's Black Walnut guitars coming from our shop. I didn't even have to pause before I gave him a resounding yes.

I also want to publicly thank Bruce Sexauer again for his all walnut guitar that I played a few years ago at SBAIC and for his inspiration of building one. I hope other builder's follow Bruce's lead and test the waters.

[rockabilly69]

Wonderful attention to detail on such a deceptively simple looking guitar. I wish every guitar I own had that slotted bridge, and tapered and numbered bridge pin job you did on this one. And I really like the sound of walnut so I hope the new owner posts some sound-clips so I can hear your workmanship come to life. Congrats on a great build!

[Bruce Sexauer]

Originally Posted by Tim McKnight

I also want to publicly thank Bruce Sexauer again for his all walnut guitar guitar that I played a few years ago at SBAIC and for his inspiration of building one. I hope other builder's follow Bruce's lead and test the waters.

Thank you, Tim, and you are most welcome as well. I am delighted to read that you are apparently as happy with your result as I was with mine. Most people who played mine said they were surprised at how much it seemed like a regular guitar. It was distinct IMO, but not odd; right in there. My all-Walnut immigrated to Oz, and the owner has several times gone out of his way to tell me that he is happy with it.