The rosette is underway ...
 

Once again, the guys are exercising their DIY thinking caps. The Turquoise dots came in a bit oversize and not wanting to wait for a smaller dots to arrive Steve put together a technique to shave the larger dots down.

This is called, make a mini lathe out of your drill press. First step: glue your dot to a dowel that can be chucked into the drill press.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2819/...41883d_o_d.jpg

Step two: Carefully sand down the spinning dot to size. They also used a fine toothed rasp for the cutting.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2849/...c0900d_o_d.jpg

Step three: Release your appropriately sized dot from the dowel.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2819/...fed224_o_d.jpg

Then there are, what we are calling, the squiggle wood pieces to be cut.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2894/...01ef14_o_d.jpg

Here's the roughly laid out rosette. Some of the dots appear lighter due to the flash but they are all blue except the white dots at the cardinal points. Also, the wood pieces are close, but final adjustments will be made right before they are inlaid.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2863/...c8da67_o_d.jpg

Then the inlay process begins.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2845/...47d8e9_o_d.jpg

Now the surprise of the day ... we come to the place where Steve and Ryan feel instead of all the rest of the "stuff" is just that. They got to this point and were astounded at its simple beauty. Maybe Howard would call it wabi-sabi, but the Texans thought it was a perfect completion.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4173/...3d6df1_o_d.jpg

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Just kidding ...
 

Here the green leaves have been installed as well as the dots. Steve is now relieving the area inside the penciled outline for the other wood pieces.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2874/...98859e_o_d.jpg

The squiggles have been installed and a pause as the glue dries. What a mess!

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2894/...b6226d_o_d.jpg

The tape is top protection for the inlay leveling process. Getting each piece down without harming the top is essential.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2894/...77b174_o_d.jpg

The rosette was "finished" but on inspection, Steve decided he didn't like the value of one of the green leaves. So quality control demanded he re-cut the piece and rout the other out. I like that quality control guy!

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2850/...8887b6_o_d.jpg

So here it is ... all cleaned up and looking beautiful!

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2836/...e79726_o_d.jpg

And a shot with the fretboard. A whole lot of color from the soundhole to the peghead!

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4175/...e6ff96_o_d.jpg

Top bracing is next!

Very nice work fellas, hope your getting paid by the hour:D
Travis

We are, but our website was priced in pesos for years before we caught on...

Wow Dennis, that is exactly what you wanted, from photoshop to your guitar! Congrats on the nice work Steve! Steady eyes and hands involved there.

Does this actually happen in lutherie?
Usually in our shop we get paid by the month, sometimes by the season.

Appreciate the kind words, thanks!

Steve

Mighty fine indeed!!!
 

Egads Dennis!

What a beauty!!! Nice going fellas... VERY NICE INDEED

and it will sound at least as good as it looks I wager!!!

Cheers

Paul

Very nice indeed. I would like to know what woods you used in the band of diagonal stripes. I really like the way it fades from light to dark. Was that a stack of veneers or some other trick?

Thanks for checking in John. Although purchased as Lignum Vitae Steve and Ryan think this is Verawood. The herringbone in the rosette (and soon the top purfling) is formed by cutting the Verawood at 45 degrees across the transition between regular and sapwood (above the knot at the south end of the red line shown here).

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/617/3...80b777_o_d.jpg

Thanks for following Rye. This build is definitely going to rank in terms of art, both natural (top and back/sides) and created by the awesome talent and ingenuity of these guys. One of a kind!

Even more astounding when remember that Larry's fretboard was accomplished twice!

Thanks Dave. Appreciate your comments.

Thanks Kevin. What fun working thru the various renditions! And I think Steve has really done us proud. :)

Thanks Mike! I love that fact that I won't know what to do with this guitar when I get it ... gaze at the amazing beauty of it all or play!

Appreciate your kind words Michael!

Hey there Travis. At the risk of a mid-build price hike, I opine that Kinnaird guitars are an incredible value. The build is tight and the tone is off the charts. As has been said before, the product is one of the best on the market.

Isn't that amazing. I had a lot of fun working up the mock-ups and these guys came through. Love what they have done!

Thanks Paul! No way I would take that bet. This guitar is going to sing! :)

Dennis, what a delight to see such artistic mastery being applied to grace your guitar. Can't wait to see it all together! Imagining the tone as you enjoy playing it later his year... :up:

Thanks for the graphics Dennis. That makes complete sense. My dear brother is a master at (among other things) decorating a guitar.

There you go, channeling Aunt Viola. (Admittedly an inside joke.)
But thanks to you--and all--for the very kind remarks.
Helps us make our way out to the shop each day.

Steve

Inside is what counts the mostest ...
 

Here is a bit of where the magic happens. Adi braces are placed under the go bar and then shaved to perfection. I love how creamy that top looks! Gonna be special. :)

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4156/...f2ee3f_o_d.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4163/...97cc93_o_d.jpg

The box will likely be closed up tomorrow.

Love a good adi top, and you're right--that one definitely looks special! Beautiful grain and creamy color to it.

What material is the bridge plate?

They usually use Padauk, this looks to be the same to me. They say it rings like a bell so they like to use that....Of course I could be completely wrong!!!

Dennis, I love those shots, the thick just glued on braces to the beautifully carved braces, what a transition. There really is something about this one that makes me believe that top is special!!!

Glad I checked in tonight, as I didn't even make it into the shop today.
Ryan--that looks nice. Of course, I'll want to put me old paws on that tomorrow, and invoke the tone fairies to pay their visit.

Oh, and that is a special Italian spruce top...with Adi braces.
Let's hope they can reconcile their differences, forget their intra-species rivalry and work together, though they grew an ocean apart. ;)

Steve

Wow, thanks boss. I was pleased with this carve job, but you are too generous. You know I do this for the love of the job and to make our customers feel like they are joining a family. But, I won't turn down the drinks. ;)

Whoa there, padawan. The Force is strong with you, but not that strong.
DP's it is!

Actually, the top is Alpine Spruce. The braces are Adi. Steve and Ryan identified this top when I said I was looking for "the best". I have high hopes.

Bridge plate is Padauk. Ryan says "it's strong and musical". Works for me! :)

That is coming along really nicely! I like the use of all of the inlaid woods.
It's fun following along on this one!

Mark

This is shaping up to be one spectacular instrument ... love it!

Thanks Guys ...
 

I'm with you on that! I think the guys have picked out a choice one!

You guys are some generous folks! I always knew you had it in you!

Well thank you Mark. I'm glad to have you following along! :D

Thanks David. Happy to have you along for the journey as well. :)

Almost a box ... it is
 

You know it's official when the luthier has affixed their signature to the underside of the top. This date will always hold a special significance for me.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4180/...d2a66d_o_d.jpg

Then the label representing the product to whom ever may peak inside. Or whomever may be hovering their nose over the hole for a whiff!

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4190/...5dfa8c_o_d.jpg

I don't know why but when I see this part of a build I always think of poor Gulliver and those pesky Lilliputians. Never fear ... you will be released tomorrow!

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4192/...c764e5_o_d.jpg

I would imagine tomorrow we will see some routing for binding. Can't wait to see the box as one piece.

You know, I see the beauty, but now I feel like I am looking at sound...I feel like I can hear this one already and I KNOW you will NOT be disappointed!!!

Ahhh yes--the Star Wars guitar:

May the Fourth be with you...

So....Dennis, I think you should do some sort of live, online broadcast of your beautiful new piece of functional art, from a visual walk around to the first strum through the first few songs. Heck, I bet folks would pay to see and hear the unveiling, I would.

I Kinnairdly wait to seeing the finished product. This is by far the most beautiful guitar build I have ever seen.

Wow! Now that is some high praise. We're very happy you like what you see. Dennis has been a great customer to build for. He's had a clear vision of what he wanted the whole time. Not necessarily every detail, but when presented design options, he could state clearly how he wanted to move forward. He knew from the beginning that he wanted color in the instrument. As luthiers, we know how hard it is to balance an appropriate color palette for an instrument, but Dennis could see where he wanted to go. This has been a great partnership, and his vision deserves some praise.

Also, great use of Kinnairdly - a great southern word. Our second reunion t-shirts designed by our patron saint read, "Kinnairdly live without 'em!" While it's a little on the nose for a marketing campaign, we try to live up to the sentiment.

Thanks for following along.

That rosette is so beautiful! Wow!