Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Interestingly enough my friend is bringing his guitar and Ken over to meet me tomorrow! So if there is something particular that you want to know flick
me through some questions.

Christian.

looks like a cracker to me! beautifully executed.I bet it sounds great too.
Someone is clearly jealous Martin, you don't need to explain anything to anyone.
It's your personal aesthetic and design! And if you love it and it works, keep doing it.

Cheers,
Christian.

I have done many comparisons with my very best WRC, Alaskan doug fir, Kauri and Kahikatea and tonally it stacks up well, probably closer to kauri than anything else. In my opinion the big thing that would hold it back from being a big commercial wood in terms of instruments, is how it looks. It kind...

Yip Nick,miguel it's rimu peak flag!! I thought well every other tom dick and harry is designing one so why not! haha , now I just have to come up with some BS symbolism to attach to it, get 50,000 people behind it and you never know! @ nick,It's a surfboards smaller cousin a handplane, used in body...

I just can't seem to get this bloody guitar finished!!! to many distractions!!

Christian.

Cheers Nick, happy to be on the dark side, what do they say... a change is as good as a holiday! I gotta say I'm a massive convert to upperbout soundholes finding so much more scope in aesthetic, bracing and tone.

Cheers,
Christian.

Fast forward a couple of weeks, and its really taking shape now. I've kinda gone off shell inlays particularly Paua, so opted for a wood inlay
instead.
Christian.

Hi all, I'm in NZ for a couple weeks and I'm wondering if I can bring timbers back to Australia. Anyone know the rules? Also, and most importantly, where can I get some? :) Cheers, Wayde. Hi Wade, You shouldn't have any problems bringing in the timbers, make sure they are machined, waxed ends etc p...

And a good guess too Aaron! Sorry to disappoint chaps, no smoke and mirrors this time. I add the linings afterwards because it's just much easier that way. The top weighed in at 184g with all the WRC bracing, I must say it feels very much alive. Hopefully it doesn't implode upon stringing up! Cheers...

Finally got this Paulownia guitar under way.
After final thickness sanding the top came in at 3mm it's as light as a feather at 108grams.
I've glued up the back and sides, just have to brace up the top and add some lining.

Cheers,

Christian.

Hey Nick, I forgot all about the NZ section! I must get around to updating it. Tim The closest wood I have come across to Adirondack in NZ is a wood called Kahikatea although not botanically a spruce it shares the same look and properties. The density is between 400-450 kg/m3 and has a modulus of el...

Hi Ben, All the best with the move back home, it will be good to have another kiwi guitarmaker on here. It's all pretty much been covered by the good chaps above. Importing wood or anything for that matter is just getting ridiculously expensive. But if you can't buy thing thing you need here, (which...

Man! that board is awesome , especially love seeing the guts of it. I may have to venture down that path and make a longboard for Summer. I made, of all things a table tennis blade this week, I thought since I had some Paulownia lying around..... Typically you want a light strong and stable wood, we...

Great to see you have built with paulownia Jeffery! I'm sure it is well suited for a classical. I pretty much use only natives which are unique on their own but this wood is just to intriguing not to try it out. It's just so much lighter than anything I've tried before! Granted it isn't the most bea...

I machined up a couple of sets and stuck them in my dry room over night. at 4mm thick this set is 185grams. I compared it against some WRC and it definetely isn't as stiff. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing, it taps like a gong! The spring wood lines are really stiff it's almost like a built in...

Hi, I've been lurking around for last little while, just haven't had much to say lately! I do have a query though which I think was topical a few years back. Has anyone out there used Paulownia for a guitar soundboard? I ask as I was given a nice quartered piece that will yield a few tops and I'm ke...

Thanks guys!! The cyclone was a complete fizzer!! I think the weather forecasters talked it up to much, but I guess they have to play it safe these days especially if poor old Chch is in the firing line. I didn't see any real damage in Kerikeri just the odd fallen branch, we didn't get much rain at ...

haha so many mistakes so few guitars in which to make them.....

I definitely make my share of mistakes thankfully I seemed to have eliminated the big ones with jigs designed to avoid them. But when I do make a mistake it's usually router related. I don't know about anyone else, but try to forget the past by making the mistake into a pile of kindling, I believe t...

I don't know what there is to be shy about! this is an exceptional piece of luthiery.
Just classy all the way,would love to hear how it sounds!
Do you mind telling me what and where you got those tuners from? I've been looking for a decent gold set for my own parlor project.

cheers,

Christian.

Well you have the holy grail wood combo, so combined with your talents, it looks and I'm sure it sounds wonderful too.
thanks for sharing.

Christian.

Awesome guitar Jeremy hard to believe its only your second!
really clean and elegant. You gotta put up a dark sheet or something and capture this beauty properly!!
look forward to the next!

Cheers,

Christian

Hey Paul,

What a fit and finish!! magnificient work mate!!! that Ziricote is something else!!!
I bet the new owner can't put it down!!!
thanks for posting,

Christian.

That's a great looking guitar Eric, Sad to hear you are leaving us...you just have to pay the fine and we will let you go hahaha
I bet the guitar has epic sustain!! great to see the NZ natives and I like your first sunrise and southern cross theme.

All the best!

Christian.

Thanks for the kind words Bruce!!

Cheers for the heads up on the Aquila reds Allen.
That is a huge move in intonation!! I just built a tenor and used them but didn't notice anything like that!!! I must check in with the owner.
They certainly sound great and have amazing feel!!

Cheers,

Christian