McKnight Mini Mac...

[Kitchen Guitars]

I do some photography for Tim and Mary. Here are some pictures
I have one of my own OMD's and one of Tim and Marys OMD's. Tone has been covered. Ask Either of these guitars to whisper or roar they do it with style clarity and sustain. They are sooooooo different in tone.
The Cocobolo/Redwood sounds Airy and Moody (thats mine) the Cuban Mahogany/Cedar sounds like warm honey dripping. Again, attack changes everything.





I have played/photographed well over a dozen of Tim's Guitars. They are simply put; Art. Fit, finsh attention to detail makes McKnights a visual feast. The tones are an incredible bonus. Gotta do a soundport!

[asuh]

Everything that could be said about Tim, Mary, and their guitars have already been said. Excellent people, excellent guitars, and how about some excellent pictures?! These photos were taken by Yamaha Junkie before the guitar was strung up...except for the one with the bulldog

[SuperB23]

I have a Jumbo Mac in Adirondack and Honduran Mahogany and it is a top notch guitar for sure!! I have played a lot high end acoustics from various builders and small shops and this McKnight is right there with them tone wise. A huge woody snappy sound!! Great with .013's on it.

[Kitchen Guitars]

Originally Posted by asuh

Everything that could be said about Tim, Mary, and their guitars have already been said. Excellent people, excellent guitars, and how about some excellent pictures?! These photos were taken by Yamaha Junkie before the guitar was strung up...except for the one with the bulldog

I love how personal that guitar is. The Inlay is fantastic. I love the sound Paw...I mean Port. The picture of my Elephant Puppet, from my act, poking his head out of the soundhole is going on my business cards!

[Chilibill]

Count me among what seems to be a growing list of McKnight enthusiasts. You don't get to choose your family but you do get to choose your friends AND of course you can choose your luthier for your custom built guitar. Personally I don't see how anyone could go thru the process of having had a McKnight custom build without developing a genuine friendship with Mary and Tim. All the compliments you read about them in this thread, even though accurate and true, seem like such a small sampling of knowing this incredible team.

Then there are the guitars. Owning a McKnight is akin to having the spirit of your personal musical taste captured in fine woods and shaped into a piece of functional art that comes to life in your hands.

If you missed Tim's thread about the "LS redwood" about 10 days ago, here it is: http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=170102

I received this guitar ( a Highlander OM ) a week ago and I would be hard pressed to write an accurate review since I'm still recovering from the giddy (almost intoxicating) feeling of playing such a fine instrument.... a feeling that seems to come less frequently to me as the years pass.

My primary interests in a custom build was the playability and the sound. If you've had the opportunity to play a guitar with a well tuned redwood top you can understand why I wanted the LS redwood. If you haven't.... find one or better still see if Tim has one available for a good "test run."
I also chose the "hollow back" feature with the back and sides made of Black Walnut. The bindings are rosewood. The headstock overlay, the fingerboard, and the bridge are all made of ebony.

I love what some people have chosen for inlays and various features on their McKnights but for me the natural beauty of the woods was enough. The only features that I chose, in what might qualify as "bling", were the McKnight logo on the headstock, the contrasting spalted maple rosette, and on the 12th fret- a star of David with a cross in the center (maple & rosewood). This personalized the guitar for me. And in Biblical terms 12 is the number of completion...... 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles..... oh and there just happens to be 12 steps in an octave. Coincidence?
The results, as you can see, is a guitar that is made beautiful by the skills of the luthier and the selection of woods yet somewhat understated in overall appearance and still personalized. I haven't asked Tim but I guess I was the first and possibly the only one who has requested this inlay on the fretboard. There are no other fretboard markers.

Over the last decade I've had the privilege of playing a considerable number of custom built and "boutique guitars". I have played guitars with prices that are two and three times the price of a McKnight. A very few of those would match Tim's guitars and in my opinion would not justify the additional cost.

So you've committed to a McKnight as your next custom build. Congratulations!!! I'm sure we won't have to beg you for pics of the finished product.

[McKnight Fan]

I have owned a Jumbo Mac in Adi/Hog and it is quite a guitar. I have been playing Tim's guitars since 2002 and his guitars started off pretty good, and his ability to learn, innovate, and improve is outstanding to say the least. He has fast risen to fame for good reason. His guitars today are among some of the best you will play. Don't hesitate. Deal with Tim with confidence.

Tom

[gregc]

I love the looks, detail to construction, 1st rate materials, tone and playability of my Highlander OM-D. Tim & Mary have my absolute trust. I can't come up with anything beter, cept for the pic...........

[jameshughd]

Redwood double top... with walnut and cherry inner top of the hollow back.... amazing sound......

When I sell my novel, my wife said I can order #2... have the novel written and now need to get it ready to send out and see what happens... plus I already have McKnight #2 designed, subject to eventually running everything by Tim and Mary.

So much fun in the design process and then you get your guitar...... by now you get the feeling we "McKnighters" get pretty ignited by our love and respect for Tim and Mary. This is way beyond having someone build you a guitar. This about two people who want to help you make music like you have never made in your life.

Peace out and welcome to the clan! Glad to have you aboard.

[riorider]

Originally Posted by Chilibill

The only features that I chose, in what might qualify as "bling", were the McKnight logo on the headstock, the contrasting spalted maple rosette, and on the 12th fret- a star of David with a cross in the center (maple & rosewood).

Chili, the pics of your guitar in Tim's thread (thanks for the link - I MISSED that the first time!) are beautiful, but I can't see the inlay very well. Do you have any pics you could share? Lovely idea.
Thanks!

rr/Phil

[Idaho John]

I appreciate all of your posts. This will be the last time I have a guitar made for me and this gives me some encouragement to make the investment and stay the course.

I was so comfortable in corresponding with Tim and I had the intuition that I had found the right luthier, but I just wanted to hear from others. Your generosity with both your feedback and photos lets me know that Tim and Mary are the real deal.

I look forward to becoming a member of the McKnight family. Tim - you will hear from me this coming year.

[tarpon]

John:

I'm another grateful McKnight owner! Mine is the Osage Orange Mini Mac that BK spoke of earlier in the thread.

Let me assure you that you are in for one fabulous ride! By the time its over, you will discover that the bond you make with Tim and Mary will mean as much to you as your new McKnight! They are salt of the earth people that will always have your happiness foremost in there mind. They will guide you through every phase of the build, trust me when I say that you will never feel alone!

There guitars are second to nun! The tone that flows from these instruments has to be heard to be believed! My Osage was a fabulous guitar at Healdsburg, it has matured since!!! It is very loud, extremely articulate and incredibly balanced and continues to change and surprise me almost daily! I'm quite sure that David and Jim along with all the other owners feel the same way about there McKnights! You can't go wrong.


Here's what Michael Chapdelaine thinks of McKnight Guitars!

[Danno]

I can't add anything that hasn't already been stated in previous posts, but wanted to be counted as another McKnight fan. It's evident in the craftsmanship that Tim and Mary pour their hearts and souls into every instrument they build. They are two of the nicest, kindest folks you'll ever get to know. I lucked into owning the Mini Mac that I got a couple of years ago(long story), but did write a short review shortly after I received it.


A Joyful noise indeed!

On Jan 2, 2008 the planets aligned, my wife gave her blessing, and the guitar gods bestowed unto me a beautiful guitar built and designed by Tim and Mary McKnight. My quest to own a McKnight guitar started with an email inquiry to Mary and Tim about another McKnight dread that I was considering for purchase. I have dreamed of owning one for some time, but had not found the ‘right’ one…….until I spoke with Tim and Mary. I must say, these folks are two of the kindest, most down to earth people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing….just delightful people. After a bazillion emails and a phone conversation with Tim and Mary, it was becoming apparent that this might be the ‘right’ one for me. They both insisted that I try the guitar out with absolutely no obligation to purchase…it was as important to them, as it was to me, that this guitar was ‘the one’.(but I think they knew)
Well, after receiving the guitar and getting her acclimated from a 5 day UPS journey, I picked her up for a test drive. The first thing that struck me about this guitar was the feel. I never thought I'd ever find a neck that feels better to me than a Taylor...but it was absolute perfection. It's like it was custom made for my hands. Hard to explain, but it’s that feeling you get when you’re holding something of supreme quality….you just know it by the feel. For the gearheads out there, it’s like the first time you picked up a Snap On ratchet…..you can just sense the quality and craftsmanship that went into making it. After getting her tuned up, I noodled around with a little fingerstyle piece that I’ve been working on….and it was just one of those moments where my ears could not believe the sounds emanating from this guitar…..’tones so rich and sweet that you could almost taste it’ to paraphrase one of my guitar heroes, Buddy Guy. The thing that really struck me was how incredibly loud and balanced she sounded….just blew me away. As nice as it sounded being plucked, this thing begs to be flatpicked and took everything I could give it without ever coming close to being overdriven. In my 40 plus years of playing, I’ve never experienced anything like it….I couldn’t stop playing it. When I wasn’t playing it….I was thinking about it. When I was sleeping, I was dreaming about it. Like I told my son the first time I played this guitar.... I am not worthy of owning a guitar like this, and never will be.

Here’s some specs that I’ve cut and pasted from an email for the spec geeks.

Indian RW back and sides,
Adirondack spruce top
Indian RW BF, bridge & peg head
25.4" Martin scale length
Medium 18% nickel frets
Eucalyptus bindings (looks like curly maple only a bit darker and more open grain.
Access Stage Five 7 ply arch top wood case.
Grover open back tuners

.

Without a doubt, the best part of this entire experience was getting to know Tim and Mary. They love what they do and it shows in the instruments they build. Like Mary told me, they don’t sell guitars….they adopt families that own their guitars. I’m sure glad they adopted me.

[Alexrkstr]

Wow, impressive attention to detail well highlighted with the pics. Might start looking into these if I move to the midwest....

[Idaho John]

Originally Posted by Danno

I can't add anything that hasn't already been stated in previous posts, but wanted to be counted as another McKnight fan. It's evident in the craftsmanship that Tim and Mary pour their hearts and souls into every instrument they build. They are two of the nicest, kindest folks you'll ever get to know. I lucked into owning the Mini Mac that I got a couple of years ago(long story), but did write a short review shortly after I received it.


A Joyful noise indeed!

On Jan 2, 2008 the planets aligned, my wife gave her blessing, and the guitar gods bestowed unto me a beautiful guitar built and designed by Tim and Mary McKnight. My quest to own a McKnight guitar started with an email inquiry to Mary and Tim about another McKnight dread that I was considering for purchase. I have dreamed of owning one for some time, but had not found the ‘right’ one…….until I spoke with Tim and Mary. I must say, these folks are two of the kindest, most down to earth people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing….just delightful people. After a bazillion emails and a phone conversation with Tim and Mary, it was becoming apparent that this might be the ‘right’ one for me. They both insisted that I try the guitar out with absolutely no obligation to purchase…it was as important to them, as it was to me, that this guitar was ‘the one’.(but I think they knew)
Well, after receiving the guitar and getting her acclimated from a 5 day UPS journey, I picked her up for a test drive. The first thing that struck me about this guitar was the feel. I never thought I'd ever find a neck that feels better to me than a Taylor...but it was absolute perfection. It's like it was custom made for my hands. Hard to explain, but it’s that feeling you get when you’re holding something of supreme quality….you just know it by the feel. For the gearheads out there, it’s like the first time you picked up a Snap On ratchet…..you can just sense the quality and craftsmanship that went into making it. After getting her tuned up, I noodled around with a little fingerstyle piece that I’ve been working on….and it was just one of those moments where my ears could not believe the sounds emanating from this guitar…..’tones so rich and sweet that you could almost taste it’ to paraphrase one of my guitar heroes, Buddy Guy. The thing that really struck me was how incredibly loud and balanced she sounded….just blew me away. As nice as it sounded being plucked, this thing begs to be flatpicked and took everything I could give it without ever coming close to being overdriven. In my 40 plus years of playing, I’ve never experienced anything like it….I couldn’t stop playing it. When I wasn’t playing it….I was thinking about it. When I was sleeping, I was dreaming about it. Like I told my son the first time I played this guitar.... I am not worthy of owning a guitar like this, and never will be.

Here’s some specs that I’ve cut and pasted from an email for the spec geeks.

Indian RW back and sides,
Adirondack spruce top
Indian RW BF, bridge & peg head
25.4" Martin scale length
Medium 18% nickel frets
Eucalyptus bindings (looks like curly maple only a bit darker and more open grain.
Access Stage Five 7 ply arch top wood case.
Grover open back tuners

.

Without a doubt, the best part of this entire experience was getting to know Tim and Mary. They love what they do and it shows in the instruments they build. Like Mary told me, they don’t sell guitars….they adopt families that own their guitars. I’m sure glad they adopted me.

Thanks so much for your post. I am wanting a mini mac to play country blues (mississippi john hurt, gary davis, stefan grossman), ragtime (blind blake, gary davis) and early music that is a mix of country, blues and possibly jazz (merle travis - most clearly but I am also in love with Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, Doc Watson - and - some of Chet's stuff of course). I am probably (note I said probably) not going for another guitar after this because of declining years and the upcoming joys of "retirement," so I want this to be right (or as right as can be expected - too much can tag along on some things, especially guitars). I have fixed on the mini mac design and the warmth and kindness of Tim has made it easy to push in that direction. We will see in 4 years won't we? We may be cinders by then but if not (and I am still employed and on the planet) I intend to be learning to play "Goodbye My Bluebelle" on a Mcknight Mini Mac.

[Idaho John]

Originally Posted by Betz

Hello John,

Have you seen that full-page ToneRite ad making the rounds in the guitar magazines? That sunburst MiniMac featured in the ad is mine, and if you think she photographs well you should hear her sing. You may look at the picture and see that incredible birds-eye flamed maple and think you know how she will sound but you would be wrong. Because that McKnight Hollow-Back allows for rosewood inside (where it counts, sonically speaking). I will be posting some tracks on my website (www.acousticsaver.com / now an AGF sponsor) so you will be able to hear her.

Did I mention playability? I am primarily a finger-style player. The neck is just right, the body nestles against you, and the Hollow-Back allows for that secure contact feeling without dampening the sound. And, I don't know exactly how to describe it (much less how you design or build it) but the resistance and release of the strings on the right hand can make or break a finger-picking guitar. The moment I picked it up in Healdsburg I felt it; it was there. I sat in a chair and Tim was explaining the Hollow-Back to me. He could have stopped at any time, though, because I could feel the guitar vibrating in my hands in response to his voice. I was so sold.

Finally, you have Mary overseeing every step of the build process as well as visual presentation of the instrument. Elegant and appropriate without a trace of overdone or gaudy. At the risk of sounding redundant; just right.

So, if you are looking at a 3+ year wait I have some definite suggestions. Eat right, get plenty of sleep, and exercise. You are going to want to be in shape when she shows up.

Betz

Betz: you have the most beautiful guitar that I can remember seeing, other than a highly figured Les Paul. Congratulations...and I am jealous in a good way.

Thanks for the kind words.

John