Al Petteway plays a little on Steve’s koa Mitchell with the Pablo package

[j. Kinnaird]

The full pablo includes a manzer wedge, extensive bevels top and back, sound port, cantilevered fingerboard, adjustable neck, "D tube" neck reinforcement, carbon fiber braced neck block to eliminate top structural duties, and top bracing designed to encourage the upper bout of the top to sing

This will be a koa guitar with a cedar top and probably rosewood binding. The internals will mostly be Spanish cedar so that along with western cedar top should reward sound hole sniffing.

Here is the back



So the back is Koa not Kia but I don't seem to be able to do any editing on the title line


Here is what I'm considering for binding and bevels. BRW

[Steve Kinnaird]

And a handsome set that is! This will be fun to watch.

KBW

[j. Kinnaird]

Thank you brother.

Here are the internal blocks in transition from alternating layers of Spanish cedar and thinner layers of padouk to something unitary.
Shop made Plywood?

[j. Kinnaird]

Voila. Laminated SC and padouk neck and heel blocks

[Bill Kraus]

Oh YES!!!!, that is a sweet set of koa. By the looks of all the options, it would seem that the person that ordered this guitar said "alter everything". This will be fun to watch.

[Bill Kraus]

Originally Posted by j. Kinnaird

Thank you brother.

Here are the internal blocks in transition from alternating layers of Spanish cedar and thinner layers of padouk to something unitary.
Shop made Plywood?

Looks like you are doing a clamp test here, a sample of every clamp in the shop on one job.

[Guitars44me]

Originally Posted by Bill Kraus

Oh YES!!!!, that is a sweet set of koa. By the looks of all the options, it would seem that the person that ordered this guitar said "alter everything". This will be fun to watch.

Steve actually just asked for all the stuff John did for my new Custom, below. Just less the cutaway.

The Pablo Package is also 12 frets to the body, with comfy rounded bindings throughout when John does it for me! And it does include all his normal goodies which would often be extras from many builders: Hide Glue, wherever it helps tone, Jescar extra hard gold color frets, Gotoh 510 tuners, multi laminate Carbon Fiber reinforced super stiff neck. Beautiful head plate and backstrap with super strong duck tail volute. Also, John has now done four custom neck carves for me as I have small hands and am beat up after my lifetime of drumming and 26 years of solo guitar without backing tracks!

Folks, these instruments are OUTSTANDING in every way, and a monster value, too!!!

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=553751

Cheers

Paul

[Jamiejoon]

Hey, you can always add a cutaway later!

[Guitars44me]

Originally Posted by Jamiejoon

Hey, you can always add a cutaway later!

Didn't Steve K and Ryan recently do a "cutawectomy"? Hahahah

I need to call Steve M, and make him check this out! He rarely looks at his device, and his phone spends most to its time in an oven mitt in the back of the towel drawer. (lucky him!)

Cheers

Paul (Pablo)

[j. Kinnaird]

Originally Posted by Bill Kraus

Looks like you are doing a clamp test here, a sample of every clamp in the shop on one job.

Ha, there are lots of old clamps at work. Thanks for looking Bill.

[j. Kinnaird]

Laminated sides. The inner layer is Australian Blackwood. It seemed more appropriate than using cedar. Lots of epoxie squeezed through the pores in the wood as you can see. Cleanup needed on both sides.

[colins]

Love those koa back and sides John....awesome!

And also the use of another acacia for the double sides. Do you notice the koa and the Oz blackwood showing similar characteristics for bending and general workability?

Col

[j. Kinnaird]

Originally Posted by colins

Love those koa back and sides John....awesome!

And also the use of another acacia for the double sides. Do you notice the koa and the Oz blackwood showing similar characteristics for bending and general workability?

Col

Thanks Colins

I was thinking that Using acacia on the inside laminate would help conserve the koa tonal character. I did find that both layers bent pretty much the same way and that was remarkable considering how flamed the outside layer is.

[j. Kinnaird]

I love the way laminated sides hold their shape outside the mold.

[cigarfan]

Outstanding John! Going to be one purdy geetar. Love the shop plywood neck and tail blocks. And quite a beautiful set of Kia (I mean Koa - at first I thought maybe you had gone into the car business but I see someone fixed it for you). I think you are going to make Paul a little jealous on this one.