Thanks cigarfan!

Thanks Nemoman,

Yesterday I recorded a couple sound clips of the new Piña parlor guitar which has similar woods to this small jumbo I'm building. This parlor has the sister African Paduak back and side set and a maple neck. Volkert Volkersz was at my studio and was kind enough to help me out;





Mark

Very nice! That little guitar really excites the air.

Thanks for commenting Glenn23. It's a lightly build guitar and has a sound port and active back helping out.

Very nice demo Mark, the guitar sounds fantastic. Congrats on another great build! The small jumbo is looking mighty good too!

Closing the box
 

Thanks Tom!

Here are a couple pictures of the body being closed up;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/373/32...c3d7302e_c.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/780/32...a0a7264d_c.jpg

Thanks for viewing!
Mark

Trim
 

We're going with African Blackwood trim which starts on the end graft;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/498/31...3695f044_b.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/527/32...e9e1e1dc_b.jpg

Unfortunately, what you don't see in my photos is that this is not the stark black you would have with Black Ebony it's a bit lighter a little more brown than what the photo shows.

Then comes the binding
 

Then comes the African Blackwood binding;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/676/31...abe80407_c.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/778/32...45f59e02_c.jpg

Thanks!
Mark

Very pretty, Mark, and the Padauk is to die for.
But hold on a minute--we didn't see the top bracing completed.
Got a pic of that?

Steve

Pina sounds great...such a substantial and complex voice.

Very nicely done Mark!

Thanks ross748!

Thanks ukejon,

I've been experimented with a bracing pattern for the parlor sized guitar and have been happy with the results. I'm thinking I may move this up to the next larger Penelope model on my next spec guitar build.

Thanks Steve!

I was fortunate to come across these two figured "bacon" Padauk sets. Padauk is generally a fine sounding tonewood but, the typically solid brick red Padauk is such a mess to work with as the sawdust is like powdered red dye! This "bacon" sawdust is a nice flesh tone so you don't see it so much.

I didn't catch a picture of the finished top bracing. I do have a pic of the second round of braces going on though:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/459/31...7d6d2342_c.jpg


Meanwhile, I've been getting the neck together. This is local Sugar Maple (Hard Maple) with a black bordered cross grained African Padauk center strip;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/760/32...8930fc6b_c.jpg

Thanks for commenting!
Mark

Open Tuning on Sound Clips?
 

I have a question about preferences for sound clips. I invite a number of local artists to my studio to make demo sound clips. I ask them to play what they feel the guitar wants to play.

I do make some requests;
Keep it short (2:00 min or so)
Play across the strings and up and down the fretboard
Give an opportunity to show sustain



So here is my question; When you are listening to a sound clip do you feel open tuning interferes with your evaluation or is helpful?

Personally I think it's helpful. If a the low end sounds good in drop D you know E is covered. If E sounds good you don't know if D is good.
But I often play in open tuning. If I tended not to maybe open tuning would just makes it harder to get a feel for how the guitar sounds. Maybe I am totally missing something else? So I'd appreciate your take on this

Thanks,
Mark

I'm kinda mixed on this question. Because I play in standard tuning most of the time I like to hear the balance and intonation that way. But there is value to me to hear a guitar down a half step or alternate in DADGAD to know if there is any floppiness with less tension. Sorry that doesn't help your cause any.

Thanks for your comment cigarfan. This helps. I typically do more than one clip and it makes sense then to not have them both be open tuning.

Mark

Neck Assembly
 

Here is the neck coming together;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/562/31...ec02642e_c.jpg

We're going with a Padauk backstrap;

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/350/32...ee67faa6_b.jpg

Thanks for viewing!
Mark