...and so begins the accumulation of the next sawdust pile in the McKnight Guitars workshop!
Hello AGFers, Tim began just a day or two ago, and I received the first batch of pictures, so I thought I'd get a thread started to share the details of this unique build.
There are a number of McKnight builds in the AGF archives, but I don't believe there's been a build thread of a McKnight Lowlander before, so that'll be something new for you McKnight fans!
So first, what exactly is this Lowlander model? Well, it's shape is based on the general contours of an 000. The Lowlander, however, is larger than an 000 in every dimension, I'd say it's roughly halfway between the size of an 000 and a slope dreadnaught, in fact.
I chose this model because it's body dimensions and 12 fret configuration seem like a perfect size for a modern fingerstyle guitar, but at the same time, it's "vintage" body shape would allow me to give it some matching vintage details that I might not otherwise want to include on a more "modern"-shaped body.
I had the good fortune to visit Tim and Mary on a rainy Tuesday (I think it was a Tuesday, I was so jetlagged, I can't remember) in late August where, after a marathon-length day of talking, tapping, chatting, and other related activities, I made a tentative choice of the woods and model for this guitar. By Thanksgiving, we had pretty much settled on all the details, except a last-minute change of fretwire dimensions.
So on to the details of the Lowlander model:
Body dimensions:
Lower Bout: 15.375"
Waist: 9.265"
Upper Bout: 11.25"
Body Length: 20.25
Depth at the Tail: 4.5" (this is my spec, Tim is willing to adjust body depth to your preference)
Scale length: 25.4"
Nut width: 1 13/16"
Bridge spacing: 2 5/16"
Tonewoods: Pretty much every piece of wood on this guitar was selected first for tone, not appearance--lightweight, unrivaled tap tone, stiffness, low-dampening, etc.
Soundboard: McKnight-certified "Tone King" Grade German Spruce
That's my designation, anyways--selected strictly for stiffness and tap tone--I was able to see it and hear it for myself, as well as directly compare it to other very fine spruce tone wood sets from Tim's diverse and carefully-curated collection. Along with Tim's personal recommendation, it was an obvious choice.
Back/Sides: Brazilian Pernambuco
--Quartersawn, very beautiful, high quality set. Unfortunately, there aren't many sets of this quality-or ANY quality--to be had now, and I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to get an instrument with this prized wood, built by someone of Tim's skill and reputation.
Additional Specs:
Honduran Mahogany neck
Pernambuco body binding with Ebony and African Blackwood purflings
African Blackwood fretboard (originally Pernambuco, but changed later!)
Pernambuco Pyramid bridge
Slotted headstock with Gabon Ebony veneer
Rodgers tuning machines
Florentine cutaway
Luckenbooth soundport
EVO gold jumbo frets with hemispherical fret end treatment
AST Titanium bridge pins