Zootman's Black Limba

[Stephen Kinnaird]

This is over on the OLF, but thought yous guys might like to see what Uncle Bob sent me.





Bob, once again, my thanks for this beautiful material!

Steve

[Ron Wisdom]

Steve, I commented on the OLF on this beauty. You do such superb work and have a great eye for what works together. Excellent, my friend!

Ron

[Kim]

U'r not gett'in off that easy Mr Kinnaird,

We want a close-up posted here of that superb 'stopped' back strip or else

Cheers

Kim

[Taffy Evans]

Thats superb Steve, I agree more pics please.

[Stephen Kinnaird]

Oh dear, oh dear, and here I don't know what "or else" means when uttered by an Aussie. Well, lest we find out the hard way, let me oblige:




This little element was suggested by the converging brown lines in the Black Limba. I'm not sure it would look so appropriate if the grain were perfectly straight. I've done another one of these center seam darts in a walnut guitar--where the grain was doing a similar upward-inward bend.
In the right piece I think it works.

Thanks for the kudos, guys,

Steve

[Stephen Kinnaird]

A couple more, this time of the front, and a close-up of the rosette.

This shot shows the bearclaw Sitka top:





Close-up of the Black Limba rosette, trimmed out in green ab.:





Thanks for looking,

Steve

[Allen]

Really fine work there Steve. I like that idea for a back strip. Looks really good on that style of book-match.

I'm just thinking that Bob's little rectangle end graft with that style of back strip, but with a point at each end....now that will be a challenge and could really look great on the appropriate guitar.

[Dave White]

Steve,

It looks just as great here as on the OLF. Kudos to you and Uncle Bob. Lovely guitar - you have a great eye for wood combos and details. Where do you reckon Black Limba sits tonally? I still haven't made up my mind - somedays I think it's like mahogany and other days it reminds me of walnut. The look of the wood is gorgeous under finish though - my wife described it best, she said it looks like a bear's fur coat. You always want to give it a stroke or two.

If I do another one in Black limba I think I would try using a Black Limba neck too - maybe with other laminates.

[sebastiaan56]

Oh dear, oh dear, and here I don't know what "or else" means when uttered by an Aussie. Well, lest we find out the hard way, let me oblige:

Hi Steve,

It means we all lay on our backs in our pajamas alternately screaming and holding our breath till someone obliges, thanks for posting that! I can now have a peaceful Sunday.

Seriously, as I said, tasteful, understated and really well executed. Scrummo.....

[snidermike]

Steve, I think it might even look better on this forum.

That is absolutely gorgeous.

[Stephen Kinnaird]

Thanks, M8's! You're a kind lot.
Dave, to my ear BL sounds a lot like mahogany. This guitar didn't have the reverb of rosewood. The mids were crisp, though, and I really liked the trebles. The bass was coming along, in fact it dramatically improved over the week we were at the convention. (I hate taking brand-spanking-new guitars to be critiqued by the best ears on the planet, but that's all we had to take.)
I think Black Limba would make a superb neck, and of course you'd have a perfect match for the body. If you want a real challenge matching neck wood to body wood, I've found Oregon Myrtle to be a bear!

Allen, why don't you try all those ideas you mention and tell us how much fun it was?

Sebastiaan, thanks for the description. And the mental picture. I think...

Mike, you are very kind, and now have enforced the rationale for double posting. My wife might have a word to say about that, though!

Thanks guys,

Steve