Kinnaird Student Build: 00 Deep Body Sitka/Maple (Final Pics and Video added)

[justonwo]

That ebony is really something.

[jguns]

Originally Posted by justonwo

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

I have some woodworking experience. I built this. So I have experience using power tools such as table saws, band saws, jointers, routers, drill presses, lathes etc. However, a musical instrument is on a whole different level. A grandfather clock is but a fancy cabinet that only has to be the correct size to fit the clock mechanism. Sure it has to look nice, but it does not have to actually sound great too.

The idea of taking pieces of wood and joining them together in such a delicate balancing act to be structurally strong enough not to implode under the string tension, yet light enough to vibrate/resonate musically is still mind boggling to
me. I can't wait to experience it first hand!

John

[jguns]

Originally Posted by Carey

The soundboard wood looks very nice, too. I like Sitka spruce.

Thanks Carey. Hopefully, it sounds as good as it looks.

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.

Thanks Paul

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by jguns

I have some woodworking experience. I built this. So I have experience using power tools such as table saws, band saws, jointers, routers, drill presses, lathes etc. However, a musical instrument is on a whole different level. A grandfather clock is but a fancy cabinet that only has to be the correct size to fit the clock mechanism. Sure it has to look nice, but it does not have to actually sound great too.

The idea of taking pieces of wood and joining them together in such a delicate balancing act to be structurally strong enough not to implode under the string tension, yet light enough to vibrate/resonate musically is still mind boggling to
me. I can't wait to experience it first hand!

John

What kind of bracing did you use for the clock? I assume you thinned the panels to about 100 thou?

[jguns]

Originally Posted by justonwo

What kind of bracing did you use for the clock? I assume you thinned the panels to about 100 thou?

Ha. Juston you crack me up. I really and truly did laugh out loud. The clock was constructed without any x bracing, ladder bracing and very definitely, no popsicle brace! No scallops were involved in its construction. I did however, use 1/8" splines to structurally support the 22.5 degree angle bevels for the base and hood.

I am leaving for tomorrow morning for the 6 hour drive to the oldest town in TX. I can NOT wait to begin the build on Monday morning. More to come soon...

All the best,
John

[Carey]

You're sure to have a great time, John. The first time I saw (and smelled) some spruce soundboards with rosettes inlaid, in the shop of a maker in L.A. I had taken my guitar to for a refret, I was hooked.

I wish I had taken many more notes and photos during the instruction I've had,
for what that's worth. And I was young then..

[BlackKeys36]

Originally Posted by jguns

... 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 rosette looks great! I'm doing something similar on my next commission that Ryan started this week. Great choices on your woods and great decision to do a student build in the Kinnaird shop. That place is one of my favorite spots on planet earth. Enjoy!

[Mbryan]

Originally Posted by jguns

Ha. Juston you crack me up. I really and truly did laugh out loud. The clock was constructed without any x bracing, ladder bracing and very definitely, no popsicle brace! No scallops were involved in its construction. I did however, use 1/8" splines to structurally support the 22.5 degree angle bevels for the base and hood.

I am leaving for tomorrow morning for the 6 hour drive to the oldest town in TX. I can NOT wait to begin the build on Monday morning. More to come soon...

All the best,
John

John, you will have great time! I just finished a student build with Ryan and Steve in June. Awesome people and the quality is top notch. Anxious to see pics of your build!
Melvin

[jguns]

Originally Posted by Carey

You're sure to have a great time, John. The first time I saw (and smelled) some spruce soundboards with rosettes inlaid, in the shop of a maker in L.A. I had taken my guitar to for a refret, I was hooked.

I wish I had taken many more notes and photos during the instruction I've had, for what that's worth. And I was young then..

Thanks Carey. Good idea about writing notes. Even if you never go back and read them, the act of writing them on paper helps to cement our thoughts and the concepts into our memory.

Originally Posted by BlackKeys36

The rosette looks great! I'm doing something similar on my next commission that Ryan started this week. Great choices on your woods and great decision to do a student build in the Kinnaird shop. That place is one of my favorite spots on planet earth. Enjoy!

Of course the rosette looks great. I stole the idea from you and Ryan executed it beautifully! I look forward to seeing what Ryan has in the works for your next build later this morning!

Originally Posted by Mbryan

John, you will have great time! I just finished a student build with Ryan and Steve in June. Awesome people and the quality is top notch. Anxious to see pics of your build!
Melvin

Thanks Melvin. I just arrived at the shop yesterday afternoon and I am already having a great time! I am now slurping my first cup of morning coffee, looking over the build agenda and getting ready to start the process in a few short hours. More photos soon.

Did you do a build thread? If so I missed it. Tell us more about your guitar. What body size and woods did you choose? Speaking of morning coffee.... I need to go make a second cup and maybe, actually play guitar for a bit rather than just read and write about it.

Cheers,
John

[Mbryan]

John, I didn’t do a build thread. Just joined the site. Mine was a dreadnaught with Ovangkol back and sides with an Adi top with prewar bracing. I love playing it it has a huge voice. They can build a guitar to the sound you want. Keep us updated on the process if you’re not to tired at the end of the day. Lol

[Mbryan]

Anxiously awaiting updates.

[jguns]

Originally Posted by Mbryan

Anxiously awaiting updates.

Fear not Melvin, updates are indeed coming. We completed the guitar "in the white" yesterday afternoon. Wow! What an absolutely awesome experience. I am completely thrilled with the resulting instrument. It is a real beauty if I do say so myself. If it sounds as good as it looks I will be over the moon.

Not only are Steve and Ryan incredibly skilled and detailed oriented craftsman, they are also excellent teachers who patiently guided me through the "hows" of guitar building and the "whys". It was an amazing week. I arrived back home last night a bit after 7:00.

I hope to get all the pics downloaded and organized today (along with some overdue lawn work). Hopefully, tomorrow I will begin the post starting from last Monday, Day 1 of the build, and take you along for the picture story of how I built a guitar in 6 days. Stay tuned....

[jguns]

As mentioned earlier, I am documenting this build retroactively as the days were fairly long and very full as you will see. So let's get into Mr. Peabody's Wayback Machine, set the dial to last Monday August 1 and get started.

Note: For some reason when I attach my photos , some are displayed sideways yet others not. All had the correct orientation originally. On the first photo that is displayed on its side, I even rotated and saved the original and reattached yet it was still displayed in the preview in the exact same orientation. I did some searches to try and understand, but was unsuccessful. If some one can educate me on how to correctly orient these photos I would greatly appreciate it.

Day 1 and all of the following days are busy. The days work is well scripted and planned to not only keep the student on task/schedule but to also make sure the build sequence is such that as particular pieces are being glued we can move on and make progress on other parts of the build. No down time

day1_1square back edges.jpg

The work on day one begins by truing up the book matched back plates of flamed maple. This is completed by hand using this piece of float glass mounted with sand paper.

day1_2glue back.jpg

Once the back panels are exactly true, they are glued together along with the decorative back strip.

day1_3layout rosette.jpg

Next while the glue is drying on the back, we move to the already prepared Sitka top and carefully measure and layout the rosette.

day1_4rout rosette.jpg

Once drawn out and all measurement triple checked, I rout the channels into the top using extreme caution to get the depth just deep enough to accept the wood ring and purfling inlay.

day1_5install rosette.jpg

Gluing in the wood ring and black/white/black purfling. Note the effective use of the hearing protection and the eyeglasses

day1_6thickness sand sides.jpg

Next on the agenda was to sand the sides to thickness in preparation for bending,

day1_7sides in form.jpg

Unfortunately, I didn't get any pics of the actual bending of the sides. It was a really fun process to complete watching the combination of moisture, heat and gentle pressure completely transform the shape of the wood. Once bent, the sides were placed into this form and glued in place along with the end and heel blocks.

day1_8rough cut back.jpg

After a delicious lunch break, it was time to rough cut the back to shape

day1_9thickness sand back.jpg

and the sand it to the proper thickness.

day1_10back brace layout.jpg

Laying out the back braces.

Build Day 1 Part 2 coming soon stay tuned......

[jguns]

day1_11marriage strip.jpg

Once the back brace pattern has been layed out and the "marriage strip" back seam reinforcement has been installed I sand it to the proper contour.

day1_12install back braces.jpg

With the first brace installed glued and held in with the go bar, I carefully notch the marriage strip for the second brace. It was at this stage I became aware that the back of the guitar was actually arched. Probably common knowledge to most folks here but it was news to me. The bottom to each brace was radiused and the go bar deck base was of course complementary radiused as well.

day1_13back brace go bar.jpg

Gluing the last brace in place and securing it into the go bar deck.

day1_14rough cut top.jpg.

The last step of day one was to layout the Sitka top bracing pattern. We begin by rough cutting the top to shape on the band saw.


day1_15top brace layout.jpg

Measuring twice at each step I connect the dots and lay out the bracing pattern for the top of the guitar.

day1_16 final top brace layout.jpg

So, at the end of Day 1 of my Kinnaird Student Guitar Speed Building 101 class we have a Sitka top marked and laid out ready for bracing tomorrow.

day1_17 eod sides with blocks.jpg

Flame Maple sides bent and glued with heel block and end block installed with fabric side reinforcement.

day1_18 eod final rosette.jpg

A super cool rosette inlayed into the top

day1_19 eod back in go bar deck.jpg

And finally a back glued, braced and ready for carving tomorrow.

Wow I can't hardly believe the amount of progress made in only one day!

[Steve Kinnaird]

It’s fun seeing the pics, John. Getting to relive the excitement.
Dejavu all over again—as is said.

Steve