KOZM "Performer LS"
 

Here’s a computer-generated look at the guitar I’m currently working on – the KOZM “Performer LS”.

It’s basically an acoustic-electric hybrid – intended to give acoustic-guitar players a simple, straight-forward way to produce a very clean, natural-sounding acoustic signal.

As most players recognize, trying to capture and amplify the natural sound of an acoustic guitar is fairly difficult. The best way is to use one or two external microphones. This may be OK in a recording studio, but terrible if you’re performing on stage and actually need to move.

The primary goal of the Performer LS is to make a guitar that produces a very natural, clean, acoustic-guitar-sounding signal – without the need for external mics, nor any special pre-amps.

Employing the same technique used on the recent KOZM Eva 1, it uses a conventional magnetic pickup. However, to reduce the likelihood of feedback, it’s mounted to a “non-floating” pickup mount. The pickup is also mounted close to the bridge, to produce a brighter, more-natural, less boomy sound.

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...ormer_LS-1.jpg
Custom hard-tail bridge, Joe Barden Deluxe-S pickup

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...ormer_LS-3.jpg
Mahogany back. The elliptical hole is for threading strings into the hard-tail bridge.

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...ormer_LS-4.jpg

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...ormer_LS-5.jpg
Separate tone and volume controls. The tone control is also a push-pull switch that allows the dual-coils of the Deluxe-S to be run in series or parallel.

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...ormer_LS-6.jpg
Cut-away view of the support structure for the non-floating pickup mount.

This first model will use maple and Alaskan yellow cedar in the front half of the body – with a mahogany back.

I hope to have some "work in progress" photos shortly.

Please stay tuned!

Cheers,

Jeff

KOZM Guitars

Update - Body
 

Some photos of recent work on the front and back halves of the body.

Starting with the front half, outside.
Alaskan yellow cedar outers, black maple stripes, hard maple center.

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...%20%283%29.JPG
After a roughing pass.

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...%20%289%29.JPG
After a finishing pass

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...%20%281%29.jpg
The front inside, after a roughing pass.

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...%20%285%29.jpg
After a finishing pass

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...%20%286%29.jpg
It's now ready to be "liberated".


Here's the back half.
African mahogany
http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...%20%281%29.jpg
Outside surface, after roughing

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...%20%284%29.jpg
Outside surface, after finishing

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...20%2810%29.jpg
Inside surface, after roughing


http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...20%2814%29.jpg
Inside surface, after finishing.

More photos to follow.

Thanks,

Jeff
KOZM Guitars

Dude that's incredible. Very cool concept.

Very cool work Jeff. Tell me about black maple. I am not familiar with that wood ... or is it soft or hard maple that has been torrified?

Tim,

Yep, it's torrified maple.
I've been experimenting with black maple and "black oak" - mainly as an option to ebonies and rose-woods - when I want a dark, contrasting color.
I'm pretty happy with it so far.

(IMHO, "Black" sounds a little more sexy and mysterious, than "torrified". ;) )

Cheers,

Jeff

Jeff some cool stuff there. Seen some of your work over at the CNC Zone. What CAD/CAM system are you currently using?

Louie,

Thanks for the kind comments!

CAD: Solidworks
CAM: VisualCAM (Mecsoft)
CNC: ShopSabre 3636

...

Update - Body II
 

The body's been glued together, and I was able to do some sanding today.


http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...ng%285%292.JPG


http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...ng%282%292.JPG
The aluminum "saddle base" goes out for anodizing tomorrow. Still waiting for the Joe Barden Deluxe-S pickups to arrive.
Hope to start applying clear-coat in the next few days.
With any luck, I hope to have it singin' in a couple of weeks.

Stay tuned!

Jeff

KOZM Guitars

Completed guitar
 

Here’s a look at the finished KOZM “Performer LS”.

As this is the first one I’ve built, I basically view it as a prototype. A “learning platform”, for the next one.

As a bit of review from my previous posts, this guitar is designed to be primarily a performing guitar; i.e., plugged in to some type of amplifying system.
The centerpiece of the concept is the Joe Barden Deluxe-S mini-humbucker pickup, mounted to a non-floating pickup mount.
This is a conventional magnetic pickup, as opposed to a piezo or an internally mounted mic. The Deluxe-S is typically used on Strats. On the Performer it’s positioned close to the bridge (as opposed to the sound-hole area), to produce a brighter, more trebly, natural-acoustic sound.
Additionally, the pickup mount is fastened to the back of the guitar body, not the front. This is intended to reduce the amount of feedback, and not unduly burden the soundboard.


http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...S_1%282%29.JPG

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...S_1%287%29.JPG

Body woods:
Front: Yellow Alaskan Cedar, black maple stripes, hard maple center
Back: African mahogany


http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor..._1%2816%29.JPG

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor..._1%2825%29.JPG


http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...ack%282%29.JPG

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...ck%2847%29.JPG

The neck consists of a padauk spine, flanked by 2 planks of black maple, and leopardwood headstock.

More photos in the next post...

Finished guitar, continued.
 

More photos of the KOZM Performer LS

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...dge%285%29.JPG
Here's a close-up of the modified "soft tail" bridge plate, the padauk bridge mount, and the saddles.
I'm experimenting with different saddle materials.
The saddles for strings 1 and 2 are steel.
The saddles for strings 3 and 4 are white tusq.
The saddles for strings 5 and 6 are black tusq.

The bridge plate is made of relatively thin aluminum, black anodized.

The knobs are 3D printed. The tone knob is also push-pull - for changing the way the two individual mini-p-ups are wired.

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...ock%284%29.JPG
A close-up of the leopardwood headstock, and the black horn nut.
Tuners: Gotoh Cosmo 510s, chrome black.

http://kozmguitars.com/images/Perfor...ha%2832%29.JPG

The Buddha, tapping into the acoustic richness and enlightened tonality of the KOZM Performer LS.

I hope to have a video in the days ahead.

Please stand by.
Thanks for taking a look!

Jeff Kosmoski
KOZM Guitars

looks awesome.

very cool.

Wow! It really came together. Congratulations.

Very cool looking - I hope it sounds as good! Looking forward to the video. The top seems to be slightly concave between the pickup and the fretboard - is there a reason for that?