00 Rockbridge build bracing now complete

[datzus1]

I just spoke with Brian at Rockbridge Guitar Company about a build I commissioned a little bit over a year ago. He called to report that they'll be starting on this soon and offered me some back choices. We decided on an Englemann top over Ziricote for the quote, a sunburst akin to Gibson L-00's from the 30's, firestripe pick guard combined with a more modern touch of a thin abalone rosette and a 12 fret neck. The Ziricote below hasn't been sanded or stained. I'm excited to think of what it will look like with those touch-ups! I asked for the center line to be free of any sapwood.

If I have researched correctly, Ziricote can be prone to cracking if not stored/aged correctly, but has an interesting grain pattern and a nice blend of tonal qualities/properties. I am confident that I can keep the guitar in a humidity controlled environment, so that will eliminate the cracking issue. I think I read somewhere that it is considered a rosewood that sounds like it wants to be mahogany. Has anyone else in this thread have any insights into Ziricote in general or considered it in a smaller bodied guitar?

Thanks, Burr

[JJI]

Great set. Really.

[sayheyjeff]

Congrats in advance. Never played a guitar with ziricote but it sure is beautiful. No doubt it will sound great too. Having recently acquired a Rockbridge 00, I have not doubt it will be an be an exceptional guitar that will be a joy to play and with a sound that matches its beauty.

Jeff

[MCDEMO1]

Nice looking Ziricote !
I'm a fan of Rockbridge guitars and own one of their D sized models. I'm interested in how your 00 turns out.
Aside from the Lowden Richard Thompson model F size I've never played a guitar made from Ziricote and that Lowden has a cedar top.

Found this demo of a 12-fret 0 size Datlen guitar made of Ziricote/Engelmann and to my ears it sounds great on YouTube. The playing begins at 2:36.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlXO_DbiH54

And another Datlen Ziricote/spruce, but an OM with cutaway. Never heard of the builder before, but good sounding guitars with that wood combo. Nice playing at 14:00.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGSe8EiZFQQ

[colins]

I have owned several ziricote guitars and never had problems with cracking. And it looks great! My favourite was a ziricote Goodall and it had a fantastic tone to my ears, with less overtones than my rosewood Goodall which kind of puts it in your “rosewood that wants to be a mahogany’ zone. You can do that with some acacias (koa, Australian blackwood) and walnuts too.

Bocote is from the cordia family like ziricote. I currently have a parlour guitar with bocote back and sides that also sounds fantastic.

All that said, the builder is far more important to the overall sound than the tonewood. If you like Rockbridge generally you should be in for a guitar that will give you a lot of enjoyment.

[cigarfan]

I've had 3 guitars sporting Ziricote. 2 things to be aware of: If you ask the builder for a lighter build and they thin the back/sides significantly, that would lend itself to be more prone to cracking if not cared for (humidity). And the second thing is, as you mentioned, keeping the guitar properly humidified.

Bottom line, if cared for properly, you can reduce the cracking possibility significantly.

[datzus1]

I received an email from Randall about his hopes to carve the bracing on Friday, Jan. 19, so I'm hoping to be able to drop by and visit his shop while he is working his magic. This means that I hope to be receiving this nugget within a month our two, and don't know who is more excited about it, me or the guys at Rockbridge!

When they sanded the Ziricote that I originally selected, they found enough tiny little micro cracks in the wood to reach out and provide other options for sets of Ziricote. They will use that original set to make a demo... and they have been a pleasure to work with on this build.

Here's what the Ziricote now looks like on my custom, with the sapwood cut out.

[CoolerKing]

This is awesome Burr! Hope you and your family are well. My 25th reunion is this year! I’d like to come back and I’ll let you know if I do.

[Tim McKnight]

Originally Posted by datzus1

If I have researched correctly, Ziricote can be prone to cracking if not stored/aged correctly, but has an interesting grain pattern and a nice blend of tonal qualities/properties. I am confident that I can keep the guitar in a humidity controlled environment, so that will eliminate the cracking issue. I think I read somewhere that it is considered a rosewood that sounds like it wants to be mahogany. Has anyone else in this thread have any insights into Ziricote in general or considered it in a smaller bodied guitar?

Thanks, Burr

Hi Burr,

Zircote is a great tonewood and is stable if properly dried and seasoned before building with it. Its more in the Ebony camp since its a cousin. Zircote guitars are heavy due to the density of the wood but they [can] be very powerful if built properly. We use double sides which eliminates any cracking issues on the sides. I also glue 1/2" wide thin strips of veneer between each back ladder brace. This doesn't effect the tone but is an extra layer of insurance against cracking. As has been mentioned, proper humidity control is more important for this particular tonewood than most.

[KevinH]

That back is beautiful. Looking forward to seeing how it all turns out.

[datzus1]

I just experienced an amazing few hours watching Randall Ray carve and sand the top and back braces on a 00 12 fret model I ordered in late 2023. They use spruce for the top bracing, and I've ordered Englemann over Ziricote. The grains on the top are incredibly fine. During the carving process, he tone tapped the top about four or five times, listening for the desired effects on the treble and bass tone bars and then scraping small slices where he wanted and tapping over and over until he was satisfied. He showed me how to hold the top with one hand and tap with the other, and the resulting tones were different, for me, very much a "Wow! I hear THAT." Once he finished rough carving with a chisel, he sanded with a small machine before completing the process by hand, using different grits of sandpaper, explaining that they now like to use mahogany for inside the back strip because they like its stability over sitka. In the middle of the top bracing process, he grinned and held up the top so the braces faced me. He put one extended hand directly over where the main braces cross, just below the soundhole and said, "John Arnold once said, 'Everything below this is about tone; everything above is about stability'". He also demonstrated the flexibility of the top from side to side and then from top to bottom, which surprised me because I'd never imagined that a top would bend like that... but it now makes so much sense to me for a top to vibrate like that and pump sound out through the sound hole. What a wonderful experience to observe an artisan and a friend work their magic and passion on and with wood that will soon become a guitar, one that we designed together, a labor of love and a work of art.

Enjoy the pics... Burr