While the boss is away #2...(your votes needed)

[ZorroElite]

It's looking great so far... well done to all of us, but mostly you Ryan obviously!

[lizzard]

Bind the fretboard in wood and soften the edges!

[nacluth]

Originally Posted by rogthefrog

May I throw my hat into this particular ring and suggest Oblivion by David Foster Wallace?

I'll have to check that out. I have only read some DFW essays back in college, but never read any of his longer works. Thanks.

[nacluth]

Well it's lunch time for me. Initially my goal was to build a fairly simple body while Steve is gone, but I just finished gluing on the last piece of binding and putting all the miters together on a box that is basically the same as one of our custom guitars. In fact, maybe even more custom as I've never had quite as much input from so many different sources. Also, tapping on the top a second ago has me realizing what a winner the sound is going to be.




After lunch I'm going to start the neck work. It's going to be a one piece Mahogany neck with Ebony fretboard. I will need to decide on a peghead style though. I'm going to post some sketches after lunch. This will help determine what the guitar looks like in the end. So please vote.

Thanks.

[TomB'sox]

I am glad all of us managers went with that red gum, that looks really nice even without finish. Good job Ryan.

[nacluth]

To tell you the truth, I've always had the sense I would be underwhelmed by the Red Gum. I thought that it would be too soft and kind of blah to look at. Man, I was wrong. This stuff is solid and beautiful to look at. The first piece of wood I purchased myself was a set of straight Eucalyptus. It's kind of a white to khaki color. This guitar is making me rethink being so reluctant to use it. I'm glad everyone cast the right vote.

[nacluth]

Ok, peghead design vote time. This could make or break everything done so far, so choose wisely.

Choice #1: The Down Under motif
- This choice would be a simple unbound Ebony peghead with the 5 stars of the Southern Cross as an erstwhile logo. It would be a minimalist nod to the Australian wood used. This would be followed with an unbound fretboard with a traditional diamond and squares inlay. Simple and clean.




Choice #2: The Middlebrook crest
- My previous two guitars had a combination design of our standard "K" logo capped by a blue crown of a turret top. This comes from my family's motto: "In a golden field, a blue turret." This design would play on that in more of a picture form. This would be by far the most involved of these three designs. I would use offcuts of the back as the main bulk of the peghead. The top swath would be golden Mahogany (the golden field), and I would use some blue acrylic to form the turret's body. Hopefully the effect would be of the late sun setting behind the red hill lighting the dark blue turret from behind. Maybe too much to grasp in a peghead, but you can decide. This peghead would need to be bound as well as the fretboard.




Choice #3: The Experiment
- As this guitar has featured some firsts, I have been thinking of something new to do with the peghead. This would be an unbound Ebony peghead as well, but with something new for us. I would pierce the top design of the peghead completely through. So where you see this 3 part design, it would be cut through the entirety of the peghead and you could see straight through. Things like this have been done before, but I think it could be an understated yet elegant approach for this interesting guitar. What do you think?




I will try not to do too much work that has to be done, but please vote ASAP.

[fitness1]

I have to say I love the idea of the family motto overlay - that would be really cool going forward (making it recognizably "yours")

Or, how about a "hybrid" where you make the blue area behind the turret a little darker (indigo) and put the stars on the left side to balance?

[cigarfan]

I vote for choice number 2. The Middlebrook crest seems fitting.

[jaymarsch]

I am late to this party but love how this has come together. I vote for number one for the headstock. I like a bit of curve with my angles. No matter which you choose, it will be fun to see it to completion and hear about how it sounds as well as looks.

Best,
Jayne

[Nemoman]

I'll tie this vote up with a vote for headstock #1--I like the simplicity of it.

I'm currently reading "The Paris Architect"--enjoying it thus far, but I'm only 25% into it. You're a more prolific reader (or listener) than me.

[Ed-in-Ohio]

Votes:

• With purfling (slight preference)
• Moradora wedge (strong preference)
• Yes, bind and purfle the neck and peghead (moderate preference)
• Peghead Design: The Middlebrook Crest (strong preference)

P.S.: The butt wedge is gorgeous (insert joke here )

P.P.S: I am preemptively voting for modest and tasteful fretboard inlays.

[TomB'sox]

Well no one has ever accused me of following the trends, I like number 3. I think that would be simple to achieve and be a cool look. If you do it though, I would do what John said and lay some veneer in there so it would have a cool look on cross section. But, I like the family idea too if that wins out...

Tom

[SiliconValleySJ]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

Well no one has ever accused me of following the trends, I like number 3. I think that would be simple to achieve and be a cool look. If you do it though, I would do what John said and lay some veneer in there so it would have a cool look on cross section. But, I like the family idea too if that wins out...

Tom

Ditto me. Experiment while you can!

[nacluth]

Ok 2 all on the vote. I see how you are...