#15 Righteous, Delighteous, Out-O-Sighteous

Two things are really great about being able to build guitars as a “hobby”: 1) I get to build what I want to build, and 2) getting customers who are willing to get “outside the box.” For #15 me good buddy Scotty B wanted something completely unique and all black. We sat down with my “cool stuff I would like to try” inspiration image folder and buckle up baby, here we go.

For most of my builds, I have a small scale plan laying around to look at and kind of “wing it.” This particular build posed so many unique challenges, I drew up a full scale paper plan and taped it to the wall. The basic body shape is based on my TM model which would be cut, pieces flipped, and rearranged to get all the “layers” right. Once the plan was in place, time to pick out woods. The top is sitka spruce and the back and sides are Peruvian Walnut (more on that in a second). Also made a template for the fretboard in order to make sure everything was lining up right as the build progressed.

The biggest challenge was the split level, “multi-layer” design for the body. Spent hours making mock ups and doing tests to figure out how to get this done. Once I had the basic architecture, a lot of time was spent just figuring out the order that things needed to be assembled.

Most of my builds are “anointed” with my sweat and blood. — Most of my builds are “anointed” with my sweat and *blood*.

Besides the multi-layer design, this one is the first time I have done a Florentine cutaway. I prefer the angle on this style over the rounded Venetian style. The following pics show lining up the top and trying to figure out how to connect everything up.

On my last build, the nylon string, I placed the main sound hole on the bottom side of the upper bout. For this one, Scotty liked a pic I had with the hole on top side of the upper bout. This would also mean that I would not need to put a sound port there. It looks cool and it sounds fantastic in the end - puts all the sound right in the players face.

Because there is no traditional sound hole in the center of top (at the worst place possible), I have more latitude in the bracing design. For the last several builds, I have been developing what I am calling a Y radial bracing scheme. It allows me to get a super responsive top with bass that is big and clear. All of the braces “lock” over the bridge patch and then taper down from 9-12mm to almost nothing on the edges.

A couple of “beauty” pics to offset some of the guitar nerd talk…

Closeup of the Florentine cutaway and split levels

I have been using an elevated fretboard design with action adjustment. Also been working to “lock” all of the upper bout architecture in this area to keep things from sagging over time. The upper transverse brace will support the “box” for the neck extension and is tied into the kerfing to keep things from moving over time.

I have also been sealing the inside and this one got a seal coat of the “ebonizer” to make sure everything is black. Scotty also wanted an electric option on this one so we installed a K&K Pure Mini transducer. I am a big fan of the L. R. Baggs Lyric system, but on this build I would have no way to get back inside the box once it was glued. Decided to go with the K&K because, hopefully, there is less chance of something going wrong with it over time.

On the TD model I built for Stephen J. at the end of last year, we did a flipped version of an open headstock design. Repeated that here. You can see the flamed maple veneer in the pic below. Used that as an accent throughout the guitar - on the arm bevel and also the upper bout split levels.

The tuners are Gotoh 510s - some of the finest tuners on the market today. Used the “cosmo black” version which are somewhere between black and silver.

So back to the woods for a minute… For the back and sides, I needed a wood that would receive the “ebonizer” without a lot of trouble. A while back I had bought a couple of sets of Peruvian Walnut (also called Nogal - the Spanish term for Walnut) at a great discount. When I got them in they were not that spectacular and I thought they would be good for any test guitar I wanted to make. For this one, since I would be blackening the wood, it did not have to be that fancy.

But then, when I did the final sanding and scraping and sealing, holy snap, crackle, and pop - the wood just came alive! The figure was translucent and stunning. Imagine getting attacked by a tiger while you’re eating Lucky-Charms - yeah it’s that good…. Take a look-see:

At this point, I was pretty bummed about “ebonizing” the wood and hiding all that. As it turns out, this wood was perfect for the ebonizing process and the figure is still visible all throughout the guitar.

About “ebonizing” - one of the things that I spend a lot of time researching was how to make this guitar black but keep it’s woodiness. Looked at dies and diluted paints, all sorts of things. Then I found several videos and forums where folks had used Super Black Speedball India Ink. Here is the cool thing: the pigment in the ink is carried by shellac, the same thing I use to seal and finish the guitar. We in bidness y’all — we in B-I-D-N-E-S-S….

At first, I applied the ink full strength, but then realized that I could do a wash by diluting it with alcohol and that really helped the figure pop. A couple more pics of the back… One thing I have had a difficult time with is getting good pics of the back - it has a semigloss finish that doesn’t play well with me photo lights -

A few more pics of finishing below. I let a bit of the grain show through on the top which gives this extra cool, checked effect. I saw a post a while back where Michihiro Matsuda had scorched the top of his guitars with gun powder. (You should check out Michi’s work if you don’t know him - he is on the cutting edge of design) Ebonizing the top has a similar effect.

Time to string it up and see what it sounds like. One of the last things I have been trying to figure out how to do better is make a metal connection point under the neck extension which come in contact with adjustment set screw. Why not use a nickel?

In the next pic you can also see the “box” in which the neck seats into in the upper bout.

Strung up, tuned up, and getting used to being a guitar….

Another thing that I have wanted to do for a while is have a “badge” to put on the case made from the woods of the guitar with me logo on it. Got that did on this one.

Routing the inlay and ebonizing the case plate

A few more final pics for your perusal.

Finally, a little sound sample of me piddlin’ around so you can hear what it sounds like (folks have been getting angry that I am not including them). The real experience of the guitar is actually holding it and playing it, to feel how easy it responds - that is something that can’t be caught…

This has been a super challenging build and I have learned a ton doing it. Very pleased with the way it turned out. I do hope it is a guitar that Scotty B. will thur’ly enjoy.