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Old 07-25-2022, 05:31 PM
jguns jguns is offline
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Default Kinnaird Student Build: 00 Deep Body Sitka/Maple (Final Pics and Video added)

Hey All,

Well after reading (and re-reading) all of the Kinnaird student build threads, I decide I had to try it for myself. I rarely post here but have been a daily reader of the AGF for at least the last 3 years. I have been playing for only a bit over 4 years as this has been my retirement project to learn guitar. I play only with my fingers (flesh) at home for my own enjoyment. I have 3 great acoustics and don’t really need another but having done some wood working in the past, I really wanted to experience the process of building an instrument.

One week from today I shall begin my adventure in the piney woods of Nacogdoches, TX working along side Steve and Ryan to make this build a reality. I chose a 00 body size for its inherent comfort and the deep body to provide a bit more bottom end. Steve and Ryan did a blind test where they built three “identical” guitars with Sitka tops and the only difference being back and sides of rosewood, mahogany, and maple. I preferred the sound of the maple. To add icing on the cake I am a sucker for the aesthetic beauty of flamed maple. So that was what was chosen for this build.

Since is my first attempt at creating a new thread and posting pics, I hope I get this right. The (hopefully) attached pic shows the beautiful flamed maple, the Sitka top and the Mora/Moradora/Monterillo Rosewood that will be used for the bridge, binding, fingerboard and rosette. Since I have been instructed the days are long and action packed, the thread may sit unattended next week while the actual construction occurs. I will provide updates after the fact.

All the previous student build threads have been so inspiring. I hope I too can provide others a bit of insight into this process. To say I am excited is an understatement in the extreme!

All the best,
John
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File Type: jpg guitar woods.jpg (55.5 KB, 418 views)

Last edited by jguns; 11-28-2022 at 05:48 PM. Reason: Update Title
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  #2  
Old 07-25-2022, 05:39 PM
Nemoman Nemoman is offline
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Welcome to the Kinnaird Student-Build Club!

You'll have an awesome time filled with lifetime memories and come out of it with a fantastic guitar as well!

Your woods looks wonderful--enjoy the ride!
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Old 07-25-2022, 07:40 PM
vpolineni vpolineni is offline
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Congratulations John! You're in for the thrill of a lifetime which will result in an heirloom instrument. You're the perfect candidate for a student build, someone who appreciates a luthier made guitar and is intrigued by all of the steps taken to produce a remarkable instrument.

Great choice on the 00 deep body. Simply put, it sounds way bigger than its size belies. Are you going with a long scale or sticking with short?
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Old 07-26-2022, 05:54 AM
jguns jguns is offline
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Quote:
Quote:
Welcome to the Kinnaird Student-Build Club!
You'll have an awesome time filled with lifetime memories and come out of it with a fantastic guitar as well!
Your woods looks wonderful--enjoy the ride!
Thanks for the welcome Kevin. I picked out the wood back in March during a pre build visit to the shop. Like a knuckle head I didn't take any photos. I had forgotten how pretty the flamed maple is until Ryan sent the photo this past week end.
Quote:
Congratulations John! You're in for the thrill of a lifetime which will result in an heirloom instrument. You're the perfect candidate for a student build, someone who appreciates a luthier made guitar and is intrigued by all of the steps taken to produce a remarkable instrument.

Great choice on the 00 deep body. Simply put, it sounds way bigger than its size belies. Are you going with a long scale or sticking with short?
Thanks Vasu. Your 00 deep body was definitely an inspiration, but I have decided upon a short scale for this build.
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Old 07-26-2022, 12:52 PM
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nootis nootis is offline
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Congratulations John! I already can envision that this will be a nice looking build based on the sneak peak. You will have a rewarding experience that will keep on rewarding you as time goes on. This past weekend I sat down with my little OO, and it still doesn't disappoint. In fact, it's sounding better than ever.

I'm looking forward to following along and reliving some of my own memories.
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Old 07-26-2022, 08:46 PM
vpolineni vpolineni is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jguns View Post
Thanks Vasu. Your 00 deep body was definitely an inspiration, but I have decided upon a short scale for this build.
That's cool, John. It would be fun to compare them side by side once yours is strung up! Also, congrats on being the first student build to use Steve's favorite tonewood. It's a beautiful set of maple.
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Old 07-27-2022, 09:39 AM
jguns jguns is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nootis View Post
Congratulations John! I already can envision that this will be a nice looking build based on the sneak peak. You will have a rewarding experience that will keep on rewarding you as time goes on. This past weekend I sat down with my little OO, and it still doesn't disappoint. In fact, it's sounding better than ever.

I'm looking forward to following along and reliving some of my own memories.
Thanks Dan, I am not one to post often. However, all of the previous student builds have been so well documented and inspiring, I decided I would attempt to post pictures and continue the tradition. I can only hope that my errors are few in number and small in scale and don't bring back too many nightmares.
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Old 07-27-2022, 09:47 AM
jguns jguns is offline
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Originally Posted by vpolineni View Post
That's cool, John. It would be fun to compare them side by side once yours is strung up! Also, congrats on being the first student build to use Steve's favorite tonewood. It's a beautiful set of maple.
That would be an fun side by side for sure. Interesting.... I had no idea that maple was Steve's favorite. It has always been a fave of mine purely from a beauty stand point. After I heard the maple guitar Steve and Ryan built side by side with the identical mahogany and rosewood versions I was sold. I can't wait to get started.

John
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Old 07-27-2022, 03:05 PM
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What is a “student” build? A guitar made by a Kinnaird apprentice?
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Old 07-27-2022, 03:52 PM
jguns jguns is offline
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Originally Posted by justonwo View Post
What is a “student” build? A guitar made by a Kinnaird apprentice?
Hi Juston, Yes the student build is a guitar built in 1 week by a Kinnaird apprentice. In this case ME!!! I will travel to the Texas workshop next week and complete a guitar "in the white"(with no finish applied) in one week's time. I am unsure of the exact number but I think there have been 8 or so student builds so far with at least 5 of them documented here on the AGF. It is an incredible opportunity to get hands on build experience while being guided by not one but 2 incredibly talented luthiers. I am really excited. More pictures and documentation of the adventure will follow. Please feel free to follow along.

PS: As I mentioned earlier, I love the look of flamed maple. Your Circa maple 000 is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen!

Cheers,
John
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Old 07-27-2022, 04:38 PM
jguns jguns is offline
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Well in order to complete a guitar build in such a compressed, 1 week, schedule certain steps must be finished in advance. This allows the student to hit the ground running and be productive on the very first day. Ryan just emailed some photos of that preparatory going on this week prior to my arrival.

Step one is to glue up the book matched Sitka top. Next the the multi piece neck is glued up and ready for rough shaping. Lastly, John (BlackKeys36) was an early student who after his build with Steve and Ryan was complete, came back for an amazing commissioned build. It had a wavy, electric Koa back and sides and a Port Orford Cedar top.

On that build he selected one of the prettiest rosettes I had seen in quite some time. I asked Ryan if we could do a somewhat similar, scaled back for a student, radial design. The last two phots show the initial glue up of the radial rosette and then with it cut out and placed on the Sitka top to get a sense of what is to come.

John
Attached Images
File Type: jpg sitka top.jpg (34.3 KB, 361 views)
File Type: jpg neck begin.jpg (36.2 KB, 362 views)
File Type: jpg radial rosette.jpg (53.1 KB, 362 views)
File Type: jpg rosette on top.jpg (35.6 KB, 362 views)
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  #12  
Old 07-27-2022, 08:43 PM
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justonwo justonwo is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jguns View Post
Hi Juston, Yes the student build is a guitar built in 1 week by a Kinnaird apprentice. In this case ME!!! I will travel to the Texas workshop next week and complete a guitar "in the white"(with no finish applied) in one week's time. I am unsure of the exact number but I think there have been 8 or so student builds so far with at least 5 of them documented here on the AGF. It is an incredible opportunity to get hands on build experience while being guided by not one but 2 incredibly talented luthiers. I am really excited. More pictures and documentation of the adventure will follow. Please feel free to follow along.

PS: As I mentioned earlier, I love the look of flamed maple. Your Circa maple 000 is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen!

Cheers,
John
Oh, wow! That is cool. Do you have any prior building experience?

I absolutely LOVE maple (as you know).
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Old 07-27-2022, 09:25 PM
Carey Carey is offline
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The soundboard wood looks very nice, too. I like Sitka spruce.
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  #14  
Old 07-28-2022, 02:35 AM
paulvdb paulvdb is offline
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I'm also keen to see how this turns out - particularly soundwise. Maple intrigues me in that it looks awesome but seems to be very dependant on the builder regarding how it sounds.

John - enjoy the trip. It's something to always be thankful for afterwards - great memories of the people and processes, and finishing with a stunning guitar to cherish forever.
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Old 07-28-2022, 08:48 PM
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I have really been getting into my two Maple guitars lately, but always find time to play my Kinnaird…Black & White Ebony, which makes a beautiful sound!!

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