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Old 07-13-2018, 10:39 AM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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Default S. Kinnaird build: a redwood for Stan - Video added!

I'll start with some pictures and add explanations when I have a bit more time. It started in January with birds, in Nacogdoches:



But I got sidetracked by an old-time jam.



(If anyone can teach me how to resize these FB photos, I'd appreciate it.)







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Last edited by SJ VanSandt; 11-17-2018 at 04:55 PM. Reason: Wrapping it up soon
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Old 07-13-2018, 10:45 AM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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Old 07-13-2018, 11:14 AM
Nemoman Nemoman is offline
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Congrats on your new guitar--looks like you're off to a good start so far.

I look forward to hearing about the birds and the inspiration.

And in the picture of the old time jam, I find myself intrigued by the multiple layers of flooring.....
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Old 07-14-2018, 06:01 AM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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Thanks, Nemoman!

Back in January I was in Nacogdoches for the winter meeting of the Texas Ornithological Society, but since the weather was extremely cold and windy and I was finding the field trips less fun than usual, I ended up doing more music than birding. I had already arranged to visit Steve's shop and, since he and his wife are members of the local Audubon group, I saw them a good bit at the TOS meeting too. I played a number of his guitars while at his shop (including the one he recently sold to John Sebastian), and had a blast there as well as at the jam at the Old Time String Shop. I even wrote a song one morning, inspired by the weather, and drove up to my family's hometown and sang it for my cousins.

Rather than attach a bunch of huge photos, here's a link to my Facebook album on Nacogdoches: https://www.facebook.com/stan.vansan...8766824&type=3

I won't narrate the entire saga of my several visits over there since then, but get right to the guitar in progress. There are more pics of it in another FB album here:
https://www.facebook.com/stan.vansan...8766824&type=3

We chose to do his FS (finger style) body with a cutaway and a Manzer wedge. A nice (but no-name) redwood top with Guatemalan Rosewood back and sides, bound with a darker Amazon Rosewood. The fretboard and bridge will be Texas Ebony and the faceplate more Guatemalan. We were going to go with a traditional three ring rosette, but Ryan came up with this amazing curly Bubinga - and the results are stunning, to my eye.

Sonically, our target is a rich, complex (but still clean) tone with a deep bass and singing trebles. Some of the things I write and sing are more classical than cowboy, and this is the guitar for that Dr. Jekyll side of me. My current dreadnaught works fine for my Hank Williams/Mr. Hyde side.
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Last edited by SJ VanSandt; 07-14-2018 at 07:03 AM.
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Old 07-14-2018, 07:04 AM
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Stan, I got to see your top in person and that rosette and top are stunning. A really cool look. You of course know I am a huge fan of Kinnaird guitars, but I know you will love this baby when done. So cool you could go to the shop in person and plan this FS. I have played a redwood FS of theirs and it was great. Owned by a fellow AGFer now who loves it.
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Old 07-14-2018, 07:53 AM
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Stan- this is gorgeous! I'm so excited for you!

And I have a Kinnaird FS with a Redwood Top and Indonesian Rosewood back and sides. I love it! The tone is very similar to what you describe- rich and warm, with a deep bass and wonderful trebles. It's wonderfully easy to play and that FS design with the redwood top- perfect! I find that it's a great instrument for accompanying singing and it's very versatile- you could play Hank Williams (maybe a bit more mellow Hank Williams).

i think this will fit that sweet spot for you perfectly!

beth

p.s. I think this guitar is going to be your Mr. Hyde guitar and your dread can be Jekyll. Your Kinnaird is too sophisticated and built with too much kindness and love to be a Dr. Jekyll guitar!
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Old 07-14-2018, 08:02 AM
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Well there you have it Stan, from a fellow redwood-topped, rosewood FS owner.
Thank you Beth for the kind word, and I'm glad your guitar is meeting some sonic requirements for you!

Steve
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Old 07-14-2018, 08:25 AM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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Thanks Tom and Beth! I'm happy to hear that this wood combination works well for "sophisticated" - that's exactly what I want. (I thought Dr. Jekyll was the good guy, but it's been forever since I read that book.) I plan to avoid using a flatpick on it much: partially because of the reputation redwood has for fragility, but mostly because I want to practice and play fingerstyle much more than I currently do, and explore alternate tunings more than I have in the past.
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Old 07-14-2018, 08:58 AM
mountainguitar mountainguitar is offline
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Steve- This FS is working so well for me. I'm very grateful each time I pick it up! There really isn't anything I need to do that this Redwood/Indonesian FS doesn't do so well.

And Stan.... when I was talking to Ryan before I got this guitar, one of the things I needed was this warmer sound, responsive for finger style, and then able to shift and also handle a pick/strumming without my having to worry about the sound breaking up. And this FS can easily do that. I often use this guitar for a contemplative worship service I play, and in that service I am switching back and forth between finger style and strumming. I don't have a heavy hand, but the sound doesn't break up at all and I can stay with the guy with the Martin Dread with medium strings who is thumping behind me! The instruments actually blend quite well. This FS is my most versatile guitar. It's just a really great instrument!

I'm looking forward to hearing what your experience is when this beauty is in your hands!

beth
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Old 07-14-2018, 09:05 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bmh1 View Post
Steve- This FS is working so well for me. I'm very grateful each time I pick it up! There really isn't anything I need to do that this Redwood/Indonesian FS doesn't do so well.

And Stan.... when I was talking to Ryan before I got this guitar, one of the things I needed was this warmer sound, responsive for finger style, and then able to shift and also handle a pick/strumming without my having to worry about the sound breaking up. And this FS can easily do that. I often use this guitar for a contemplative worship service I play, and in that service I am switching back and forth between finger style and strumming. I don't have a heavy hand, but the sound doesn't break up at all and I can stay with the guy with the Martin Dread with medium strings who is thumping behind me! The instruments actually blend quite well. This FS is my most versatile guitar. It's just a really great instrument!

I'm looking forward to hearing what your experience is when this beauty is in your hands!

beth
Beth, your review here made me feel great as well. I remember playing this at FS and giving you an endorsement. That is always a little scary as what if she does not like it and told her it was great???? SOOOOO I am very happy you have bonded with this guitar.

Tom
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Old 07-16-2018, 08:23 PM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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I like Florence better than Venice but I like Venetian cutaways better than Florentine ones.



I wonder if the lightbulb comes inside the finished guitar?

So what's the lightbulb about, Ryan? I assume it's some sort of heating element, but it seems . . . underpowered?
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Old 07-16-2018, 08:49 PM
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Yeah, usually you wouldn’t see the lightbulb because it’s covered by the form for the entire side. Since I have just the cutaway section on, it’s exposed. It is a heating element. We bend our sides over a hot pipe, but once we get it to shape on the form, we usually “cook” it a little more on the form to get the sides to take a set.

It is a 200W bulb that heats the sheet metal form extremely hot. In fact much more than 5 minutes on, the form will start to smoke before catching on fire. So, a little caution and just a little time is used on that step.
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Old 07-16-2018, 09:33 PM
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Stan, Ryan is too thoughtful to tell this story on me.
That or he just forgot it....
But I once left some fine Koa binding strips cooking on this heated form (well, one just like it) heated by those 200W bulbs. Went out of the shop for just a minute to check on something else. Which made me remember yet something else, which made me forget about the cooking Koa.
The following morning I happened to step back into the shop, just to be greeted by smoke and the smell of fire. The sides of the form, 3/4" plywood, were burned through, and I had the finest set of curly charcoal strips you've ever seen. All the electrical connections were melted, and we'd have been in real trouble had not the bulbs burned themselves out. So yes, there is heat to spare in this rig!

Steve
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Old 07-16-2018, 09:42 PM
Zandit75 Zandit75 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Kinnaird View Post
Stan, Ryan is too thoughtful to tell this story on me.
That or he just forgot it....
But I once left some fine Koa binding strips cooking on this heated form (well, one just like it) heated by those 200W bulbs. Went out of the shop for just a minute to check on something else. Which made me remember yet something else, which made me forget about the cooking Koa.
The following morning I happened to step back into the shop, just to be greeted by smoke and the smell of fire. The sides of the form, 3/4" plywood, were burned through, and I had the finest set of curly charcoal strips you've ever seen. All the electrical connections were melted, and we'd have been in real trouble had not the bulbs burned themselves out. So yes, there is heat to spare in this rig!

Steve
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Old 07-17-2018, 06:56 AM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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Curly charcoal! The thought is tragic!
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