MARK BLANCHARD Bristlecone [Italian Spruce | Brazilian Rosewood]

[iim7V7IM7]

Mark has routed the binding channels...

[iim7V7IM7]

Mark has bent some Macassar Ebony bindings with curly Koa purflings.

[iim7V7IM7]

Now that the Brazilian Rosewood body has had it’s binding and purfling channels routed, it is time to route and install an end graft. Here’s Mark’s routing jig for the end graft. That’s a 1978 Porter Cable router which Mark has changed out the bearings on 6 times!



The Bristlecone’s end graft is contrasting Macassar Ebony with curly Koa purflings to match the binding design.

[iim7V7IM7]

Mark is installing the top 0.080” Macassar Ebony top binding framed with 0.050” Koa/0.020” Black Fiber top and 0.040” Koa side purflings with titebond 1 glue.

[iim7V7IM7]

You can now begin to see how the curly Koa top purfling will visually tie together with the Koa accents in the radial grained Brazilian Rosewood rosette. Not a traditional “blingy” look like shell or marquetry, but I think that these hardwood accents will make an elegant and handsome look. The small shim in the purfling near the continuous cutaway neck junction is there to ensure the binding junction smoothly transitions into the neck.

[Nemoman]

Wow--I agree. Beautifully elegant!

[cigarfan]

Exquisite!

[iim7V7IM7]

Originally Posted by Nemoman

Wow--I agree. Beautifully elegant!

Originally Posted by cigarfan

Exquisite!

Thanks for the kind words Gentlemen...

[iim7V7IM7]

Mark has completed Macassar Ebony binding and curly Koa purflings the Brazilian Rosewood “box”.

[mhw48]

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

Mark has completed Macassar Ebony binding and curly Koa purflings the Brazilian Rosewood “box”.

Wow, that is really beautiful! The ebony/ koa works really well with the BRW.

[iim7V7IM7]

Originally Posted by mhw48

Wow, that is really beautiful! The ebony/ koa works really well with the BRW.

Thanks, it is a classic combination used by many builders...

I like my bindings to be hardwood and usually using a very hard species such as ebonies, rosewoods, hard maple or even satinwood. Binding’s function is to protect the guitar from dings. When the back and sides are visually dark, homogeneous and plain as with this set of Brazilian Rosewood, a bit of figure in a purfling can be nice. The Koa will show a bit of curl and mottle once under finish...

[mhw48]

It certainly has a classic elegance. I didn't know that Koa was typically used as a binding material -- although Nick Kuckich told me he just built an all Koa guitar, with Koa bindings.

[iim7V7IM7]

Yes, I have also seen many guitars bound in curly Koa. It is a beautiful figured binding material. That said, functionally, I am not a fan because it is a relatively soft hardwood. This defeats the protection purpose of binding in my view. As a purfling material however it is a great visual accenting choice against a dark binding.

[iim7V7IM7]

Mark was able to set the neck today so it is beginning to look like a guitar. Creating a Macassar Ebony/Koa purfled heel cap and roughing in the Gaboon Ebony fingerboard radius are next tasks ahead of him.

[iim7V7IM7]

3/32” MOP side position markers...