Videos Added Page 3: Benavides Dreadnought - Torrefied Adi/Madi RW
 

This is a bit of a late start, as the build actually started back in April 2018. It is still on going as I had allowed Dave to slot in a few new orders in before mine since I was not in a hurry for a delivery. Plus Dave just had a baby girl at the time my build started.

I am not normally a fan of Adi tops as most of the ones I have tried appears to sound a bit tight for me. This build will my very first Adi topped guitar that I will own. So why did I take the risk and choose the top still? Probably influenced by the Collings Traditional series and the Martin Authentics that the current trend of combination is Adi/Madi. We sourced one with torrefaction so that the top will have a sound that is bit familiar (played in). My Collings has a baked top and I quite like what the torrefaction contributed.

Dave is based in New Zealand and his build style is heavily influenced by Santa Cruz guitars and as such he offers some of Santa Cruz's signature models like the H13s and the Grand OM.

The build specs are as follow:

• Dreadnought 14 fret body shape
• Torrefied Adirondack top
• Madagascar RW back and sides
• Honduran Mahogany neck
• Snakewood binding
• Walnut head plate
• Abalone rosette
• Abalone long diamond and squares on fingerboard
• Ebony fingerboard and bridge
• Waverly tuners with snakewood buttons
• Bold herringbone top purfling
• Oval shaped side sound port
• Ebony with MOP dots bridge pins
• Bone nut and saddle

Here are pics of the progress so far

The back and sides selected and joined
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7808/...1d7bb454_z.jpg

Abalone rosette inlayed on to the torrefied Adi top
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4839/...6b121be1_z.jpg

Neck slotted for truss rod
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7870/...5db88aa0_z.jpg

Bending the sides
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7862/...2183475f6a.jpghttps://farm5.staticflickr.com/4917/...a634c3b7c7.jpg

Boxed up
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4874/...0ab3c2d6_z.jpg

Back strip
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7843/...86c8e9f53c.jpg

Routing chanels making way for binding and purfling
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7871/...5032b1db30.jpg

Snakewood binding now in place onto the back
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4816/...414346bdb4.jpghttps://farm8.staticflickr.com/7842/...bda5680420.jpg

That's it so far as of today

Congratulations Pandaroo....there's something really satisfying about seeing your own guitar actually coming together!

I was going to ask whether you had played one of his guitars before committing to this one, then I noticed the OM in your sig. Will be great to have two different body sizes by the same builder.

Col

Anticipation must be high waiting since April. Congrats!

That a pretty wild piece of Madi on the back!

Thanks Collins, our local dealer here used to stock one or two of his models, so that is how I managed to try one out. After that, the rest is history, this is my 4th build with Dave.

Thanks cigarfan

Work done so far for the week

Chosen bold herringbone for the top purfling - it's now on the body nice and neat

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7926/...0bdf3646_z.jpg
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I can hear 'A Slice Of Heaven' playing in the background.... and rightly so!
Stunning.

Lookin’ schweeet!

Made a last minute change, I had requested a veneer for the back of the headstock in lieu of a volute. So Dave offered me a figured honduran mahogany neck instead of the standard one as this figured one can be had without a volute.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7914/...5489fcfc_z.jpghttps://farm5.staticflickr.com/4914/...31298919_z.jpg

Work continues on the neck
 

Getting ready for the headplate veneer

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4824/...cc32fe21_z.jpg

Black walnut with snakewood binding

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7856/...0fa4b1b2_z.jpg

Getting the back veneer ready, thinning out the koa veneer

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7895/...d83ce648_z.jpghttps://farm8.staticflickr.com/7826/...454135ca_z.jpghttps://farm8.staticflickr.com/7840/...3ecc8ae8_z.jpg

Testing the positions of the holes with the tuners

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7835/...c5a17293_z.jpg

Nice way to go with the back veneer on the headstock!

I bet you are counting the days as you see it taking shape.

Thanks Colins. Dave is aiming end of Feb.

Just curious, but why did you change from a rectangular end graft to a wedge or is this two different guitars, which is / are beautiful BTW.

Good eye Tim, I honestly didn't realise, may be its just the camera angles playing tricks, otherwise I'd be very happy with 2 guitars

Moving on to the fretboard
 

Getting prepped up for abalone inlays and more snakewood binding!!

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4865/...4ba17c25_z.jpg
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