Kwasnycia Jumbo Figured Padauk/sitka build

[D.Kwasnycia]

I have started a few more guitars and this is one of them. It's a Jumbo model that will have,
Figured Padauk Back and sides,
Sitka Top
East Indian Rosewood binding
Wide Padauk rosette
Gold Evo Fret wire
Standard 6mm finger board markers (dots)
Gold Gotoh 510 machines

No fancy inlay, bevels or sound ports on this, but an all around great guitar!

You can't see the figure in the wood, but once the body is put together, I will show more of that then.

[D.Kwasnycia]

Here are the sides,


sides brought to size.

the back,


the rosette finished,



More later, finishing bending sides at the moment.

[Neil K Walk]

Wow, that padauk looks orange - but I like it!

Loooove that rosette too. I tried something similar on my first but with rosewood and ... well, let's just say there's room for improvement! Purfling ain't as easy as you guys make it seem to be.

BTW, I thought that thing you're using on the rosette was for thicknessing? I had to look again to note the different bits on it.

[D.Kwasnycia]

Originally Posted by kwakatak

Wow, that padauk looks orange - but I like it!

Loooove that rosette too. I tried something similar on my first but with rosewood and ... well, let's just say there's room for improvement! Purfling ain't as easy as you guys make it seem to be.

BTW, I thought that thing you're using on the rosette was for thicknessing? I had to look again to note the different bits on it.

Hey Neil, The Padauk will darken up to a dark auburn color in time. As for the cutter, It is one that I made some time ago and the bits that I used are broken 1/4 inch taps for threading holes. I shaped the square heads of the taps to make the cutter bits.
Thanks.

[RiloKiley]

This beauty is headed my way. The rosette appealed to me a bit more then some of the other options that were thinner and had more rings.

I thought a lot about the body shape. I seem to be a big guitar guy, and haven't liked the GA or 000 size guitars I've owned in comparison to my dreadnoughts, mostly due to the higher volume ceiling of bigger guitars. I don't play out and don't have pickups in my guitars, I was going for un-amplified volume. I like to strum, play bluegrass, classic rock, alternative and some fingerpicking, and also some lyrical jazz type of playing, think Pat Metheny Beyond The Missouri Sky type stuff, except perhaps not quite as good.

I thought long and hard about a K45 (IE slope shoulder) size, but ended up going with the jumbo because I wanted a real cannon and I just love the shape in general.

In terms of tonewoods, I talked to Dennis about this a lot. He sold me on Padauk, and spruce I know well. I've owned several Sitka topped instruments, and currently my only guitar is topped with Adirondack. With the padauk I'm going for a more rosewood type of sound, and I love the more reddish look of it. I guess some people don't like red guitars, but I know I will. I even considered a redwood top, but at the end of the day I wanted the more direct, loud tone that I think the Sitka will impart. It seems most people are making their jumbos with Maple back and sides, but I know Dennis will make this guitar sing.

[dchristo]

be careful, that padauk will bleed into other woods


BTW looking very good

[D.Kwasnycia]

Originally Posted by dchristo

be careful, that padauk will bleed into other woods


BTW looking very good

The Dr is in the Haaouussse! know how to make Padauk stop bleeding, Every things gona be alright

[dchristo]

Originally Posted by D.Kwasnycia

The Dr is in the Haaouussse! know how to make Padauk stop bleeding, Every things gona be alright

cool, cant wait to see some more progress

[D.Kwasnycia]

More progress on the Jumbo. I will start with some pictures I should have posted at the first.



Just finished bending the sides.


kerfing installed.

[RiloKiley]

I have a feeling that the figured padauk is really going to pop under the finish.

[D.Kwasnycia]

Originally Posted by RiloKiley

I have a feeling that the figured padauk is really going to pop under the finish.

Nic, I think so as well. Im really impressed with how nice this set is. I knew I should have got more of it when I had the chance. Im not sure if other builders have seen much of the figured Padauk, but I haven't seem much of it around.

[Masao]

Dennis, did you run out of clamps (binder clips)?

Nice looking wood BTW - even with my color challenged eyes i can see that it is orangish.

Looks like another eye candy in the making!


Ken

[D.Kwasnycia]

Originally Posted by Masao

Dennis, did you run out of clamps (binder clips)?

Nice looking wood BTW - even with my color challenged eyes i can see that it is orangish.

Looks like another eye candy in the making!


Ken

Thanks Ken, Binder Clips, got lots of those. I don't use them all through the glueing of the kerfing. some clips are wider than others and in the areas where the wood bends I like to use smaller clips. Thats why you see different types being used.
The wood is orange in color, but in time will turn a very nice almost auburn color.

[D.Kwasnycia]

Here we go, more progress on the Padauk Jumbo.

braces being glued in on the vacuum press.









Top being tuned.



back strip being glued in.


Top completed.


shaping back braces.


Tuning the back.

[D.Kwasnycia]

A shot from the inside.


Top and back glued to the sides.


Progress on the neck.