Build thread: Walnut & Sitka Salz PS - Video demo update!

[Salz Guitars]

The new model (PS) that I've finished last month blew me away with it's small form and beautifully complex sound. So I want to explore more wood combinations to get my inner sound library updated.

This time I went for European wallnut (Juglans regia) and Sitka spruce top that I got from Maxime at Baron guitars. I absolutely love this top, because it has this huge imperfection which would normally make it unsuable. But it landed right in the soundhole and the grain lines are not even disturbed by the missing branch wound.




Even though it looks like I've started with the plate joining the truth is I always start with glueing the neck blank. I just forgot to take pictures of it. The neck will be made of spanish cedar and ebonized prior to finishing.

The theme of this build is almost coffee-ish, the walnut is warm brown and the top is almost capuccino foam colored. So i wanted to compliment that with exotic ebony fingerboard, bridge and headplate. It reminds me a streak of espresso in foamed milk.



From here we skip a little bit in time just because I got so into the build I forgot to document it. Here is the top and back finished prior to the box closing.

Right beffore I started this build I got married and changed my last name together with my wife. So this is the first top that is signed under my new name!



Also the back is done and sealed with shellack.



And again....I forgot to document my waist bevel process, but here's the box afully bound and prepared to accept the neck. A little bit of shellack on the whole body to make everything nice and clean for as long as possible.

[Deliberate1]

A beautiful piece of work.

The body shape has a handsome profile, with a cutaway that enhances rather than overwhelms or interrupts the line of the guitar. A very svelte and, dare I say, feminine form. I also like the way the inlay at the bottom of the bout (I don't know that that is called) wraps around and becomes the back strip. It visually ties the guitar together in a very flattering and holistic way. Your work looks careful and elegant. Looking forward to more images, especially of the completed top.
Well done.

David

[kbinde2]

What heel/body attachment are you using? That body profile would lend itself well to a "Spanish Slipper" style. Beautiful woodworking.!

[IBKuz]

Sitka seems like a nice choice for your theme, the subtle variations in the grain colour and more golden hues is very “Coffee” like to me. The medullar rays are also quite pronounced, kind of a latte look … lol. I hear it also pairs well with Walnut, so a good choice all round. I too look forward to seeing more pics of the top and rosette …

[Salz Guitars]

Originally Posted by Deliberate1

A beautiful piece of work.

The body shape has a handsome profile, with a cutaway that enhances rather than overwhelms or interrupts the line of the guitar. A very svelte and, dare I say, feminine form. I also like the way the inlay at the bottom of the bout (I don't know that that is called) wraps around and becomes the back strip. It visually ties the guitar together in a very flattering and holistic way. Your work looks careful and elegant. Looking forward to more images, especially of the completed top.
Well done.

David

Thank you, I need to give credit where It's due. The cutaway is relly inspired by this build by Noemi Guitars



I absolutely fell in love with that and once I've started drafting my newest model, the cutaway was already done in my mind.
The binding is quite challenging on these builds. I've always done the endgrafts as thick as the binding itself and once I've added the backstrip it all just fell together like it was ment to be.

Originally Posted by kbinde2

What heel/body attachment are you using? That body profile would lend itself well to a "Spanish Slipper" style. Beautiful woodworking.!

My necks are fully bolt-on/bolt-off in the style of Trevor Gore (also Treehouseguitars, Taran guitars, G.R.Bear guitars and so on...) And with this model I've modified my neckblocks so it has a spanish slipper foot. It makes more sense to my building style. I try to built to last and overengineer where it deserves to.

Originally Posted by IBKuz

Sitka seems like a nice choice for your theme, the subtle variations in the grain colour and more golden hues is very “Coffee” like to me. The medullar rays are also quite pronounced, kind of a latte look … lol. I hear it also pairs well with Walnut, so a good choice all round. I too look forward to seeing more pics of the top and rosette …

Next week I'll get some pictures of the rosette, because I've been using actual coffee grounds for some time in my rosettes. And this is the first build that really holds the theme.
I've never tought of meddulary rays as a latte similar structure, but now I will never unsee the pilowiness of them

[Steve Kinnaird]

What a treat—thanks for posting. Very clean work. And your set of Juglans regia is spectacular. I have one set on hand, but it doesn’t display curls the way your set does. That’s special—at least on this side of the Atlantic!

Steve

[Salz Guitars]

Originally Posted by Steve Kinnaird

What a treat—thanks for posting. Very clean work. And your set of Juglans regia is spectacular. I have one set on hand, but it doesn’t display curls the way your set does. That’s special—at least on this side of the Atlantic!

Steve

Thank you very much, It's an honor reading these words from you. That!s the best looking set I have of Juglans right now, It's not that easy to come by sets like these even on our side of the pond.

[Salz Guitars]

Here are the promised photos of the rosette and the first look at the sideport. I've done one years ago and needed new photos for the website. And this being a spec guitar I have a free hand on my decisions.





Here's a closeup of the rosette. Materials used are: recycled paper mixed with coffee grounds, brass and black veneer trim. All casted in resin because It¨S the only adhesive in my mind that has the wanted properities.

[Salz Guitars]

Updating my progress that has been a little slow over the past week. I've been working on some repairs and building a present for a 90th birthday! But that being done I had some time to rough carve the neck.








This build will be done by the end of this month and also available! So if you like what you see you can send me a message to reserve this one for yourself.

[Nemoman]

Beautiful work--thanks for sharing!

[canuck7]

Beautiful guitar! That 'branch wound' is interesting...too bad it couldn't be used somewhere as a pattern on the back, or ?? The workmanship is awesome!! Thanks for the pics!!

[Salz Guitars]

Originally Posted by Nemoman

Beautiful work--thanks for sharing!

Thank you very much, I'll be sharing the progress till the end.

Originally Posted by canuck7

Beautiful guitar! That 'branch wound' is interesting...too bad it couldn't be used somewhere as a pattern on the back, or ?? The workmanship is awesome!! Thanks for the pics!!

Unfortunately this wound won't be used, but I'm still looking for a piece that can actually incorporate branch or live edge as the soundhole.

[Salz Guitars]

After a little break from posting I've accumulated photos of the progress. So buckle up here's the current state of my latest build.

I've managed to finish the instrument and even throw a little bit of a curveball to the color of hte neck. The first two photos are the back being in the process of finishing. I use the Ken Parker method od epoxy base coat and building oil layers on top of that. I absolutely love that finishing method and result, leaving natural feeling wood and big open sound.




Here's the curveball I was "talking" about. First I've tried to ebonize the spanish cedar neck which resulted in more gray-ish color that was almost non present under finish. So I used that as a base layer and stained the neck with black dye. The result speak for itself, deep dark with a little present of orange undertone in the pores.



From here I went and took one as many pictures of the whole instrument as I could (because I'm still learning the art of photography)

These are the most representative pictures I've managed to take







The guitar has been strung since then and taken to a professional photographer. You can expect more photos soon.

[TomB'sox]

Simply stunning guitar is all respects. Congrats for such beautiful work! The woods all really do work so well together here.

[Nemoman]

Gorgeous guitar--the neck really turned out fantastic.

Kudos and great work!