STEPHEN KINNAIRD GUITARS: 000, 12 Fret [Adirondack Spruce | Macassar Ebony]

[iim7V7IM7]

Thanks John...

I did not realize that a paddlehead was even a choice on a 12-fret guitar

Originally Posted by j. Kinnaird

Great choice of woods. Looking forward to the build. I applaud the decision to go with a slot head

[j. Kinnaird]

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

Thanks John...

I did not realize that a paddlehead was even a choice on a 12-fret guitar

Well it shouldn’t be. iMHO

[Steve Kinnaird]

Originally Posted by j. Kinnaird

Well it shouldn’t be. iMHO

You know you’re not going to get an amen from everyone in this congregation, but I’ll say, “Amen, brother!”

[iim7V7IM7]

Shaping the Italian Spruce center reinforcement strip to an ellipsoid profile.



The tape either side protects the Macassar Ebony back from tools, of course, but also from the sealing process. Steve likes to polish this reinforcement strip with some shellac. (Rubbing lacquer, actually, which is more shellac than anything else).



A couple of views of the finished marriage strip. This finish yellows up the appearance, which should match the Port Orford Cedar (POC) ladder braces nicely.

[iim7V7IM7]

Here is that Macassar Ebony back on the Steve’s go-bar deck with four rough shaped Port Orford Cedar ladder braces being installed.



Steve “squared” up the two channel ends for the carbon fiber reinforcement bars using a router. As it comes off the table saw, the terminus of these two channels form a 10” arc where they end.



The two carbon fiber reinforcement bars are glued in to the channels. Stops are installed that “trap” the bars. They also installed the plug in where the double action truss rod will stop. All those plugs are made from some left over Port Orford Cedar (shop must smell great today!).



We also choose a bold Macassar Ebony peghead veneer for the slot head headstock.

[jt1]

Lovely. I look forward to following the build.

[iim7V7IM7]

Here’s a bit of “behind the scenes” when commissioning a custom instrument. These where the eight options for peghead veneers that Steve & Ryan shared with me. These decisions by their very nature do not happen prospectively but collaboratively and contemporaneously. Together you need to visualize the slot head slots with their ramps (this is not a paddlehead). Think about other elements and how it might tie in.

Number 7 spoke to me…

[Steve Kinnaird]

It spoke (and still speaks) to me as well. One of the decisions Bob took is no peghead inlay, no logo on the front. (There will be something on the rear of the head.) So, something with some visual interest was called for, and this overlay picks up the sapwood theme in the back. Also, to my delight, it contributes just a note of whimsy. I believe this will make Bob a happier musician.

[jt1]

Originally Posted by j. Kinnaird

Well it shouldn’t be. iMHO

Amen!

[iim7V7IM7]

Originally Posted by jt1

Amen!

What will I do with my two 12-fret paddleheads (aside from sending them to the both of you! )

Originally Posted by Steve Kinnaird

It spoke (and still speaks) to me as well. One of the decisions Bob took is no peghead inlay, no logo on the front. (There will be something on the rear of the head.) So, something with some visual interest was called for, and this overlay picks up the sapwood theme in the back. Also, to my delight, it contributes just a note of whimsy. I believe this will make Bob a happier musician.

Honestly, the serendipitous joint decisions made along the way on custom commissions are more memorable once a guitar arrives when playing it than the deeply thought prospective decisions underpinning a project .

[Guitars44me]

Funny, John K never spoke so forcefully to me about slot headstocks?

Is it time for a change, after the FIVE boss paddle snakeheads?

Back to the regular program….

Looking FINE

Paul

[boombox]

Originally Posted by j. Kinnaird

Well it shouldn’t be. iMHO

My Taylor 712e 12-fret is a slothead, but as the proud owner of Steve's first FS-12, there is always an exception.

As for the choice of Macassan Ebony, it looks great in Steve's hands:

[nootis]

Originally Posted by Steve Kinnaird

Also, to my delight, it contributes just a note of whimsy. I believe this will make Bob a happier musician.

I love it, "a note of whimsy"! Each slot will be symmetrical but will have asymmetrical wood pallets all from the same piece of wood. An excellent choice indeed.

I'm really happy you chose Steve and Ryan to build a guitar for you (I'm sure they agree). Your build threads are always so informative, and your results always end up with stunning instruments. I'm sure this won't be any different. I'm looking forward to seeing it all come together.

[iim7V7IM7]

Paul, I am in the middle ground camp on the great paddlehead/slothead debate on 12 fretters (see my four below). I like both. For this guitar with Steve and Ryan, when I was visualizing it, somehow I just pictured a slothead.

Originally Posted by Guitars44me

Funny, John K never spoke so forcefully to me about slot headstocks?

Is it time for a change, after the FIVE boss paddle snakeheads?

Back to the regular program….

Looking FINE

Paul

[mhw48]

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

Paul, I am in the middle ground camp on the great paddlehead/slothead debate on 12 fretters (see my four below). I like both. For this guitar with Steve and Ryan, when I was visualizing it, somehow I just pictured a slothead.

From my perspective the slothead/paddlehead decision rests on whether the build is more Martin or Gibson inspired. A 12 fret Martin 00 would look wrong to me with a paddle head, but a 12 fret Gibson L-0 would look as odd with a slot head... or maybe I need more imagination! (As an aside, I hate restringing slot heads...)
By the way, really nice inlay on the first paddle head, what is that guitar?