Kauri/Adi 12 fret SJ

[Stephen Kinnaird]

I'm still working on that King Billy pine OOO, promise.
In the mean time, I thought you guys might like to see this most recent guitar.
The customer had a good contract in New Zealand and wanted a guitar to commemorate the pleasant experience. He chose Ancient Kauri (quartersawn) and put an Adi top on it. Border it with gobs of Paua shell, and put a tribal warrior on the fretboard and Bob's your uncle.

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Inlay done by Larry Robinson, tuners by Alessi.

Thanks for looking,

Steve

[Lillian]

Wow!

[Allen]

That's really a class act Steve. My favourite of all that you've posted. I like the signature on the back of the head stock too. I might have to steal that idea. Is it inlayed? Laser?

[DarwinStrings]

I love what Larry did with the head dress on the Maori dude, great colour.

Jim

Edit.....I changed the word "you" to Larry, I had not noticed that you didn't do the inlay Steve.

[ozziebluesman]

Steve,

I love all your guitars that you have posted here on the forum but this one is outstanding.

Cheers

Alan

[Dave Olds]

Superb ....

Love that slotted headstock, an the tuners are beautiful. That is a very classy instrument.

[Kim]

Great work Steve

Is the headstock overlay splattered maple??? tis vaaary, vaaaary sexy with lots of wiggly bitth no?

Cheers

Kim

[Stephen Kinnaird]

Thanks, guys and girls!
Answers, and then a question of my own--

Allen, that signature on the headstock is not lasered (though it does look that way) it is sawn from single pieces of pearl, and then hand inlaid.
Larry Robinson did that, and I think it's the most incredible thing on the instrument. I'd stare at that and wonder how in the world........

Kim, that overlay is indeed splattered maple . In fact, so is the rosette, cut from the same piece:

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Ok, now my question-- and it has to deal with the authenticity of the inlay. I've been told that the facial tattoo is partly inaccurate. Any Maori experts out there? Larry Robinson came up with this design, which I believe is a composite of several images gleaned from several sources.
Of course, the last thing I want to do is needlessly offend!
(And so far, no one has said anything about the "pale skin" of the ivory body! Larry tried to stain the ivory, only it wouldn't hold the color. Ah well... we both agreed that the art we like best is "representative", and not necessarily slavish in its efforts to copy exactly.)
The question--will this offend?

Thanks again,

Steve

[Taffy Evans]

Great work, I like everything about this guitar.

[Puff]

http://history-nz.org/maori3.html
Only an outcast would hide his Wairua with a spade beard.
Offend - probably not but te Maori can be funny. My suggestion to Stephen and Jim was to simply drop the word Maori which would remove any chance of offence.

[J.F. Custom]

Now there's something you don't see every day

Impressive and sharp work all round Stephen. I love the overall look of the instrument - shape, timber choices, detail... very flash. Perhaps a little too flash if it were to be my own guitar; but it isn't - so who cares??!

The inlay work by Larry is, as to be expected, impeccable.

Question though - if that is indeed an "Ivory" body, are you going to have trouble with the whole Cites/Lacey act issues of late? Perhaps the customer is within your area, but what if they travel with it either within USA or internationally? Curious as to how the potential problem could be overcome. Perhaps it needs to be sold with a travel warning!

Cheers,

Jeremy.

[Allen]

Nobody has mentioned the tuners yet, but I had a bit of a Google on them. Very impressive indeed. That's a considerable upgrade from Gotoh's.

[DarwinStrings]

That prompted me to look up the tuners Allen, jeez they are swish, hand engraved and some stunning designs, I hope someone asks me to put a set of them on a guitar one day.

Jim

[kiwigeo]

http://history-nz.org/maori3.html
Only an outcast would hide his Wairua with a spade beard.
Offend - probably not but te Maori can be funny. My suggestion to Stephen and Jim was to simply drop the word Maori which would remove any chance of offence.

I must say the beard was something I noticed straight away. The face tatoos I didn't notice straight away. The wahaika (short club) appears to hang below the guys piupiu.....I'm used to seeing these weapons tucked into the top of the piupiu.

A tricky one....but maybe as Puff suggests if there is a risk of someone making an issue out of the inlay then maybe drop the reference to it being of a Maori warrior.

A really nice guitar all the same as are all Steve's builds.

[Bob Connor]

Beautiful work as always Steve.

[PHANTOM]

That is something special. I aliways look forward to seeing what you are up to and once again you have not disappointed. Well done mate.

[Paul B]

Allen, that signature on the headstock is not lasered (though it does look that way) it is sawn from single pieces of pearl, and then hand inlaid.
Larry Robinson did that, and I think it's the most incredible thing on the instrument. I'd stare at that and wonder how in the world........

You've got to be shitting me........

Tasty looking axe as usual Steve.

[Stephen Kinnaird]

Ok, ok, I edited the warrior to be a tribal warrior.
And don't ask me "what tribe", or we'll get stuck in one of those loops.

As always, your kindness is much appreciated.

Jeremy, that guitar is staying States-side, so no problem trying to get it across borders. Why, it even got out of Texas successfully!

Allen, Jim, I could have bought 6 sets of Gotohs for what the Alessi's cost.
Were these worth it? Yup.

Paul, that's the truth as it was told to me, mate. But Larry is that good, so I believe him.

Again, many thanks--

Steve

[Bill Hodge]

WOW Steve, I'm a victim of soycumstance!

Awesome work sir, as usual.

[Kamusur]

Breathtaking I'll take 3 ty

Steve

[DarwinStrings]

Allen, that signature on the headstock is not lasered (though it does look that way) it is sawn from single pieces of pearl, and then hand inlaid.
Larry Robinson did that, and I think it's the most incredible thing on the instrument. I'd stare at that and wonder how in the world........

You've got to be shitting me........

Tasty looking axe as usual Steve.

Paul, if you do not know Larry's work check out this Martin he inlaid http://robinsoninlays.com/Martin/1000000/index.html. It was Martins 1,000,000 commemorative or something like that. Buying a copy of his book is also good value even if you just wana look at the pictures.

Jim

[Lillian]

Allen, that signature on the headstock is not lasered (though it does look that way) it is sawn from single pieces of pearl, and then hand inlaid.
Larry Robinson did that, and I think it's the most incredible thing on the instrument. I'd stare at that and wonder how in the world........

You've got to be shitting me........

Tasty looking axe as usual Steve.

Paul, if you do not know Larry's work check out this Martin he inlaid http://robinsoninlays.com/Martin/1000000/index.html. It was Martins 1,000,000 commemorative or something like that. Buying a copy of his book is also good value even if you just wana look at the pictures.

Jim

Good, I'm glad I wasn't the only one who bought it just for the pictures.

[Nick]

Beautiful Geetar Steve, what can I say that hasn't already. I'm not one for a lot of 'adornment' but I can see quality when I see it & this guitar reeks of the stuff . Loving the rosette, simple but beatifully executed & it's highlighted by the fingerboard shape. You are setting the bar high & I for one would love to reach this level someday.

[Stephen Kinnaird]

Oh c'mon Nick... we've seen your work--it's fabulous.
I only hope to be as clever with my work someday as you.

And Steve--I'm laboring with the phrase "I'll take 3 ty"
Translation?

Steve

[Lillian]

I think he said that he would take 3 guitars, thank you .