A Very Interesting Guitar

[D. Churchland]

I usually post pictures of guitars that are either very poorly built or just poorly done repairs. This is neither of those things.

I do not know anything about the maker of this instrument but it appears that he clearly had some skill with woodworking.

At the outset it looks like a classical with a trapeze bridge and a sort of ugly pickguard.



However the top is built akin to an old Martin or bowlback mandolin. He probably did this in order to get the proper string break angle on the archtop inspired bridge.



And the back is sort of "staved" in the same fashion as a bowlback mandolin.



The neck block is rather interesting as well.





The builder I assume



The bracing was the most interesting part to me. Again he obviously had some skill with woodworking I'm just not sure if he was trying to make something new or if he was copying a previous design as I have never seen bracing like this before in my experience (someone may have, I just haven't)





And the taper was fairly steep as well at the tailblock.



It was a fairly unique experience to hear it, I have a soundclip I took with my phone so I'll have to figure out how to post it. It had a tone VERY similar to an archtop, very cutting and midrangey but it had a sort of boxy sound to it that was not unpleasant, just odd.

Any thoughts on the design? It was pretty cool to me. It had steel strings on it which the owner insisted was what he intended. The builder is passed away now so we can't ask him what he intended but I thought it was worth sharing.

[Hot Vibrato]

I love it! I've never seen anything like it. Is it oak? What's the neck wood? could you post a pic of the headstock?

[redir]

Wow yeah that is very cool thanks for sharing. It does indeed look like oak. I think you figured out the design pretty well. It looks like he had the old Venetian style mandolins in mind when he built it.

[D. Churchland]

Originally Posted by Hot Vibrato

I love it! I've never seen anything like it. Is it oak? What's the neck wood? could you post a pic of the headstock?

I can indeed.



And here's a better pic of the binding and neck block.

[srick]

That's really an interesting instrument! I am looking forward to hearing it play.

Did a quick Google search and sadly found this obit from 9.4.1993:

Mr. Borton was born Sept. 15, 1953, in Keokuk, Iowa, the son of Marion and Blanche Dailey Borton.

He attended University of Iowa, and graduated from the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla., where he was honored as the outstanding graduate in fine arts and film making.

He was employed as a supervisor for American College Testing in Iowa City for 12 years.

He was an accomplished luthier, or craftsman, of string instruments.

Survivors include his mother, Bettendorf; sisters and brothers-in-law, Jon Ann and Daniel Ladwig, Baring, Mo., Rickie Beth, and Scott Hodges, Logan, Ohio, and Sameta and Michael McCowan, Birmingham, Ala.; a brother, Charles Bruce Borton, Iowa City, Iowa; numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles; and special friends, Mr. and Mrs. Roger Watson, Kahoka, Mo.

[Ned Milburn]

Very, very interesting. Thanks for the share.

The back constructions looks lute inspired.

[Truckjohn]

It looks externally like one of those big Mexican guitars.

[Mary]

I love the oak back. The back binding is different and different can be good.


Is the pick guard original? It is definitely ... unique.

[D. Churchland]

Originally Posted by Mary

Is the pick guard original? It is definitely ... unique.

I really think it was, looked like it had been there a while.

Here's a little pickin on it before the owner took it home. I REALLY wanted to spend more time with it but sadly they wanted it back in a hurry.

https://youtu.be/Td_Nl8xk0RY

[Mary]

It sounds pretty.

Although I am the one who typically decides many aspects of the aesthetics of McKnight guitars I am well aware the fact is that the looks of a guitar won't matter when you are recording in a studio.

Thanks for sharing that, Will.

[LouieAtienza]

Kind of cool, it's like every style rolled into one. The Selmer style bent top, Harmony style top bracing, trapeze tailpiece ala archtop guitar, flamenco style pickguard, staved back, classical rosette... this guy was THINKING when he built this...