Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Hi all,

After some remedial work to solve some self-imposed intonation issues (see my other thread) this one is finished.

OOO cutaway
24.9" scale
Carpathian spruce soundboard
Black Limba back and sides
Honduran mahogany neck
Ebony fretboard and bridge
Inlays MOP
-Fretboard "Poh Poh" is the new owners middle/nick name
-Heel cap is the chinese character for "Jade" which is her daughters name

The brief was for "no frilly bits". The new owner is a bit of a tomboy and not into girly, pretty things . The MOP rosette is the little piece of bling that we agreed to. She also wanted "no binding" so it has been bound in black limba with a simple purfling detail. The inlays were her husband's idea and will be a it of a surprise. I hope she likes them. They give it a personal touch.
Cheers,

Shane

Nice job Shane I like the cutaway shape. The Chinese (forgive me if it's Japanese ) symbol on the heel?


Interested to see what Black Limba looks like under finish, I've got some sitting in my stash.

Very nice. I like it a lot. The Black Limba's great!!

Hi Shane
Realy nice looking guitar great workmanship.
I hope she apprecates the time and skill it takes to build a guitar of that standard.
Regards Steve

Great looking guitar Shane, that black limba looks really nice. makes me want to get some. Wayne

Nice looker. Do you cut your pearl by hand?

Thanks guys,

Yes Nick, all the MOP is cut by hand. It's amazing how detailed you can go if you have the patience, some magnifying glasses and a head lamp. It's also a lot easier inlaying it into ebony. I'd struggle to cut the mortise neat enough in any lighter coloured timber. Inaccuracies are easy to hide in ebony.

Cheers,

Shane

Awesome build Shane, much to be proud of !!
really fantastic craftsmanship, love that black limba.
I wonder if our native Taraire is related it looks so similar. after looking at this I'll have to try build with it.

Cheers,

Christian.

What a beautiful guitar!
May I ask what the underlined F. on the heel cap stands for?

Very nice work Shane, high end all the way. I really like black limba, it's like hondo hog but with a makeover.

Cheers

Kim

Thanks guys.

Markus, the symbol on the heel is the Chinese symbol for Jade, which is the customer's daughter's name. Apparently the "underlined F" represents "the emperor" and the small dot is "the stone in the pocket of the emperor" - Jade

Kim, I agree. It is quite like a honduran in drag , nice and light and works well, although I find it a little less accommodating when it comes to bending time.

Cheers,

Shane

Shane Woonton wrote:Markus, the symbol on the heel is the Chinese symbol for Jade, which is the customer's daughter's name. Apparently the "underlined F" represents "the emperor" and the small dot is "the stone in the pocket of the emperor" - Jade

What a nice story behind this symbol!
Thanks a lot (although "a bit" late ) for the explanation.

Cheers,

Shane Woonton wrote:Thanks guys.

Markus, the symbol on the heel is the Chinese symbol for Jade, which is the customer's daughter's name. Apparently the "underlined F" represents "the emperor" and the small dot is "the stone in the pocket of the emperor" - Jade

Kim, I agree. It is quite like a honduran in drag , nice and light and works well, although I find it a little less accommodating when it comes to bending time.

Cheers,

Shane

Well, maybe not in the pocket. Jade was a treasury only owned by the emperor in ancient Chinese time. Whoever found a jade should return(report) it backto and donate it. They made a raw jade into a necklace or central part of his crown.