Sycamore/Sitka OM Pics

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 2:43 pm

G'day mates, here's a shot or two of one almost finished.
The back/sides/neck are American Sycamore.
Top is Sitka spruce.
Bindings and center lam in neck are Bubinga.
Fretboard, peghead and bridge are Texas ebony.

Thanks for looking!

Cheers, Steve

Localele · Post by **Localele** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 4:15 pm

That looks beautiful Stephen.The colors are great together and the little line around the headstock is very classy.What plan and scale length did you use?

DarwinStrings · Post by **DarwinStrings** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 4:47 pm

Tasty Stephen. Spectacular bit of sycamore.

Jim

PHANTOM · Post by **PHANTOM** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:59 pm

sweet

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 8:55 pm

Very kinniardish Steve.

Wiki = Kiniardish: An offering of impeccable craftsmanship displaying the perfect balance of tasteful style, selection of materials, execution and presentation.

I had always thought that parts of my own anatomy were rather kinniardish....then I turned 40.

Cheers

Kim

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:37 am

Thanks, guys!
Michael, the scale length is the normal Martin long scale, 25.4". As for the plan, I measured & traced a pre-war Martin that came through our shop, then devised my own bracing pattern based on the Martin "X" brace system.

Kim, I'm sure the older you get, the more you'll look like a Kinnaird.
In fact, your avatar is a dead ringer for my brother.

Thanks again mates,

Steve

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 6:46 am

Those bindings sure look good against the body. I'm assuming "Texas Ebony" is a local name for some overly hard wood like out Cooktown Ironwood, aka "Red Ebony". Is it easy to come by. Looks very good as well.

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 2:51 am

Hi Allen, thanks for the comment.
Pithecellobium flexicaule is the scientific name for Texas ebony.
Also, P. ebano. So no, it isn't an ebony, but like you said an "overly hard wood". Supposed to be murder on chainsaws.
The small yard that carries this species gets only little pieces now and then. Otherwise, it's not readily seen commercially, even in Texas.
The board from which these pieces came was black as coal.
A little sawing/planing revealed it's red interior.

Cheers, Steve

sebastiaan56 · Post by **sebastiaan56** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 5:40 am

Wow Steve,

Understated appointments with outrageous timber, well done! I assume the three piece back was a necessity?

Bob Connor · Post by **Bob Connor** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 7:56 am

Beautiful instrument and workmanship Steve.

ozziebluesman · Post by **ozziebluesman** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 11:33 am

The binding is such a beautiful contrast against the sycamore. The whole guitar is absolutely first class as usual.

Thanks for sharing Steve

Cheers

Alan

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 3:23 pm

Alan, Bob, Sebastiaan, thanks mates. Yes, that Sycamore board was only 5 1/2" wide. (Don't know what that reads in mm.) But it was too pretty to pass up. Plus, I happen to like 3 piece backs, so it was right up my alley.

Thanks again,

Steve

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 5:52 pm

Far too nice...youre banned!!

Larry Davis · Post by **Larry Davis** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 11:37 pm

Gotta love that sycamore. Did you do a three piece back by choice? I think 3 and 4 piece backs can look stunning.

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 11:52 pm

Larry Davis wrote:Gotta love that sycamore. Did you do a three piece back by choice? I think 3 and 4 piece backs can look stunning.

Bloody hell! It's long lost Larry!! Welcome back M8, long time no see

Cheers

Kim

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 2:33 pm

Martin, there you go banning me again.
Bob, does he have that power?

Larry, glad to bring you out of hiding. Yes, the 3-piece back was by choice...in that I chose this board that was too narrow for a 2-piece.
It was just too pretty to pass by, so also by necessity the 3-piece back came to be.

Cheers, Steve

Taffy Evans · Post by **Taffy Evans** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:01 am

Hi Steve, very nice guitar. I used to use Sycamore a lot years ago in the UK, not on guitars though, I remember it being white with very little feature, your stuff looks great.

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 3:22 pm

Thanks Taffy. I suppose you were working with London Plane?
Or was it the "Sycamore" that we Yanks would call "Maple"?
(This is confusing.)
Anyway, thanks for the compliment!

Steve

DarwinStrings · Post by **DarwinStrings** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:07 pm

I built a set of Sycamore doors and a "dinning drum" with Wenge inlay while working in a joinery shop in London Taffy. The wood was called sycamore but as Stephen suggests my foreman said it was Acer but it wasn't hard or soft maple and i can't remember the second part of its botanic name......20 years ago. It was plain and white as you described.

Is the sycamore you have Stephen, Plantanus?. London or European plane is pretty, much like your sycamore but darker more brownish from memory again it was 20 years ago I worked in joinery in the UK.

I have noticed Bob C has sycamore but it seems darker than yours Stephen, is it the same?. Is yours a particularly light piece?

Jim

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 3:16 pm

Howdy Jim, this stuff is Platanus occidentalis, American Sycamore.
Here's a pic of their winter glory:

The plank used for this guitar was fairly standard, I believe.

Steve

Larry Davis · Post by **Larry Davis** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:00 am

Thanks Steve!! Guess the answer was in the post above my question

I must learn to process what I read!! Are you coming to ASIA symposium this June?

Hi Kim....I've been pretty laid back adjusting to retirement..whatever that means.....and very little forum postings. I have not forgot the ziricote and the timbers are still waiting in the shop to be sawn into sets...will be in touch

. Been struggling with a form of arthritis that weakens and pains tendons...very frustrating at best.

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:36 am

Howdy Larry, no--can't make it to ASIA. Can't even make it to EUROPE this year. We're going to Healdsburg in August, and all spare change (and then some) is being saved for that.
If you go, I hope you have a good show!

Steve

Taffy Evans · Post by **Taffy Evans** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:18 pm

Steve and Jim.

You know for a guy thatâ€™s worked with timber all his life I have never paid a lot of attention to much of it, I think I've worked in a bubble. However I went on the Web to get some info on the Sycamore I mentioned I was using. And thereâ€™s a story attached so sorry about that.

I did my apprenticeship in a little known trade, hereâ€™s a card Iâ€™ve kept since those days. It was a job I really enjoyed and was proud to be in the trade. It had a union, the smallest in UK at the time 60 members.

[

The reason for the use of Sycamore was that my job entailed making jewelry cases for the rich and famous and for jewelers like Cartier, Liberties and among many others Fabergeâ€™. This was very interesting work and a lot of the jewelry and regalia was from royalty. My boss came out one day and showed me a letter from the Queen [secretary actually, but the queen sounds better] saying how pleased she was with a case I had made for an item of jewelry of hers. He kept the letter, but it gave me a buzz at the time, and still does.

You may have heard of the famous and expensive Fabergeâ€™ eggs, they sell for millions of dollars [Iâ€™m talking $2.4m to $8m]. Well Fabergeâ€™ was jeweler to the imperial court of Russia; he also made a whole range of other expensive gem encrusted items. Iâ€™m getting thereâ€¦â€¦.Fabergeâ€™ items were often displayed and stored in cases made of Sycamore. They were not covered in velvet or leather as were others, but French polished.

I was allotted the task as being the only person [at that time] allowed to repair or reproduce replicas of the original cases; these were copied down to the last detail, even using silver hinges and catches. All the cases no matter what the size had the same features. One of which was a flute around the top edge of the case. This picture of an early guitar I built may have been influenced by this and shows what I mean. Also shown is a picture of the gouges I used to make the flute in the cases, the one in the guitar was routed.

img]phpBB2/userpix/101_IMGP4060_Small_1.jpg[/img]

When I think back to those days and picture the wood stash on the floor below, Iâ€™m blown away. Racks and racks of thinly sliced timber [other than the Sycamore] going though 1/8â€

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:20 pm

Fascinating story, Taffy! I'd love to get a note from the Queen, especially one praising my work.
I can report back about the sound of Sycamore -- it does not disappoint.
This guitar is loud, clear and in the words of a visitor today, "colorful".
(To him, some guitars sound black 'n white, some are in color. Make what you can of his comment.) There is plenty of bass and lots of sustain, and this from a rather thin-bodied OM.

Ok, I'm one of those who believe that the sound is really in the top, but the sides/back do contribute, so-- don't be afraid to try Sycamore.
It ain't rosewood... maybe more like Koa than anything else to my ear.

Steve

DarwinStrings · Post by **DarwinStrings** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 5:21 pm

Now that knife does not look like what I was using as sycamore in the U.K ....common names can be so confusing.

Sounds like you had a great job there Taffy. My metal lathe is designed to run off that sort of single motor, many belt type workshops but it also had a modern addition to support its own motor (a H frame type setup).

Steve you have put P Occidentalis on my list of future builds thanks for posting.

Jim

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