[alohachris]

Beautiful Guitars!

I've wanted to ask these few questions for many years based solely upon enjoying this forum & your instruments. I'm just curious, is all.

I've seen so many flat-cut backs & some sides used on your & your brother's guitars. I wonder, have they remained stable through the challenges of seasonal humidity changes & intensely dry indoor heating systems? Have they been able to travel well or survive an occasional stage ding without cracking? Especially the rosewood guitars?

If I were still able to build, I'd definitely make a four-piece, straight-grained back before I'd ever use such a flat-cut Madagascar or other RW on any guitar back. In fact, I did, using 4"+ wide, quarter-sawn fingerboard & recycled stock for the box as Brazilian & other rosewoods like Madagascar & Honduran RW became rarer to find in acceptable grains for musical instruments. And historically, most other luthiers would as well. Is wood choice today driven primarily by the desire of the customer or simply by the limitations of available supplies?

What special designs or luthierie techniques do you do to keep those flat-cut backs & guitars stable? Are you a stickler for shop humidity, brushing on a lot of finish inside the box, or even using veneers like many do for sides or what?

Again, very beautiful & detailed instruments. Good picking' too.

alohachris