The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 11-26-2018, 08:38 AM
David Wren's Avatar
David Wren David Wren is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 1,960
Default Wren Build Thread ... last of 2018 ... Sitka/Koa

Hi folks! Again, in the interest of spending more time in the shop than on-line, I'll just be posting one or two build threads for my 2018-2019 season ... thanks for taking the time to watch!

This one is a Concert model for a really nice pro player who has recorded and toured with the likes of Tim Hardin, Andre Gagnon and Jesse Winchester. He was after a very (very) understated look and didn't want anything at all fancy looking, but I think we'll come up with a nice looking guitar that meets his sonic needs.

We chose a really nice Hawaiian koa set that I've been wanting to use for ages, so I'm excited about that!

We also chose an extremely lively Sitka top that I resawed from a (soaking wet) billet back in the late seventies. I only had, and still have, my trusty old Rockwell 14" bandsaw with the height extension ... and really didn't have too much of a clue about resawing wet wood. I ended up painstakingly grinding every third gullet on the biggest blade I could find (to help take the waste wood away and minimize blade heat and distortion). I ended up with some of the liveliest top wood I've ever had, but didn't use some of it because at the time I rejected anything that wasn't completely even in colour! These days, I welcome some interesting colour variations, so I'm getting to use this wood again!

My customer chose my non-cut Concert shape which has a 16" lower bout with ebony binding, fingerboard and bridge ... and as a matter of fact he specified ebony rosette as well!

So here we go ... hope you enjoy the ride!


__________________
David Wren
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-26-2018, 09:31 AM
Steve Kinnaird's Avatar
Steve Kinnaird Steve Kinnaird is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Nacogdoches, TX
Posts: 3,601
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by David Wren View Post
So here we go ... hope you enjoy the ride!
We always do, David! Thanks for posting--this will be fun!

Steve
__________________
www.stephenkinnaird.com

Crafted in the Piney Woods
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-26-2018, 09:39 AM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 2,124
Default

Looking forward to watching this one, David. It will be interesting to see your take on understated: my bet is it still comes out as elegant as ever.
__________________
Hatcher Woodsman, Collings 0002H, Stella Grand Concert
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-26-2018, 10:53 AM
runamuck runamuck is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,274
Default

I always love seeing your photos, David.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-26-2018, 02:06 PM
Carey Carey is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Los Osos, CA
Posts: 840
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by runamuck View Post
I always love seeing your photos, David.

Ditto. Looking forward to this thread.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-26-2018, 06:15 PM
David Wren's Avatar
David Wren David Wren is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 1,960
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Kinnaird View Post
We always do, David! Thanks for posting--this will be fun!

Steve
Hey Steve ... thanks for the welcome ... and for popping in to this thread!
__________________
David Wren
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-26-2018, 06:18 PM
David Wren's Avatar
David Wren David Wren is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 1,960
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by SJ VanSandt View Post
Looking forward to watching this one, David. It will be interesting to see your take on understated: my bet is it still comes out as elegant as ever.

Hey Stan ... thanks ... much appreciated!
__________________
David Wren
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11-26-2018, 06:19 PM
David Wren's Avatar
David Wren David Wren is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 1,960
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by runamuck View Post
I always love seeing your photos, David.
Hey Jim ... thanks! I love taking the photos too!
__________________
David Wren
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-26-2018, 06:21 PM
David Wren's Avatar
David Wren David Wren is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 1,960
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Carey View Post
Ditto. Looking forward to this thread.
Hey Carey ... thanks for watching the tread ... much appreciated!
__________________
David Wren
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11-26-2018, 06:22 PM
David Wren's Avatar
David Wren David Wren is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 1,960
Default

__________________
David Wren
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 11-26-2018, 06:30 PM
Nemoman Nemoman is online now
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: N. California
Posts: 3,140
Default

Beautiful koa--love the way it bulges out to match the lower bout.

Love following your build threads, David!
__________________
2013 Stehr Auditorium (Carpathian/Myrtle)
2015 Stehr Auditorium (Adi/BRW)
2020 Baranik Meridian (Blue Spruce/Manchinga)
2020 Wilborn Arum (Tunnel 14/Coco)
2021 Kinnaird Graybeard (BC Cedar/Bog Oak)
2022 Kinnaird CS Student Build (Adi/Padauk)
2023 Kinnaird FS (Italian/Koa)
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 11-26-2018, 06:31 PM
iim7V7IM7's Avatar
iim7V7IM7 iim7V7IM7 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: An Exit Off the Turnpike in New Jersey
Posts: 5,152
Default

David, I always enjoy your build journals. It is nice to see you back in the AGF custom shop...
__________________
A bunch of nice archtops, flattops, a gypsy & nylon strings…
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 11-26-2018, 07:14 PM
Tim McKnight's Avatar
Tim McKnight Tim McKnight is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Morral, Ohio
Posts: 5,929
Default

Glad to see you back in the shop here on the AGF David. I learn something every time I watch one of your threads and I look forward to following along. Thanks for sharing this build with us.

PS, I can’t wait to see the figure in the lower bout of that back. It looks REALLY interesting what little bit you’ve shown.
__________________
tim...
www.mcknightguitars.com
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 11-26-2018, 07:50 PM
Mark Hatcher's Avatar
Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is online now
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Green Mountains
Posts: 4,859
Default

Great to see another of your build threads! Good luck keeping that a Koa unfancy!
__________________
Mark Hatcher
www.hatcherguitars.com


“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 11-26-2018, 07:56 PM
TomB'sox's Avatar
TomB'sox TomB'sox is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: The Lone Star State
Posts: 13,446
Default

David you already know I am a big fan, that back is crazy!!!
__________________
PS. I love guitars!
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:45 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=