Same small body shape, very different guitars

[Trevor Gore]

One of my mantras for a long time has been "most guitars are too big for their own good", so I've been building more and more guitars based on a 340mm lower bout body shape that I use for both classicals and steel strings. Here's one of each.

First the classical. I built this to take to the USA when I did the courses with Robbie O'Brien, because I didn't want he hassle of having to deal with the paperwork for a rosewood guitar. So the back and sides are Otway blackwood, the top is European spruce, the (tilt) neck is mahogany. The bindings are figured Jarrah, with bloodwood and boxwood purfling. The tuners are Gotoh premiums and the rosette has an indigenous theme to it. The finish is hard shellac on the body (no grain fill) with nitro on the neck.

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The steel string is a wedge body, 14 fret neck joint, 15 fretter in tiger myrtle and black Lutz. The trim is bloodwood and figured maple. The finish is high gloss nitro all over.

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And before anyone asks, they're both sold!

[GregL]

Hi Trevor,

Both are very beautiful!!
What is the fretboard timber (both)? It looks like ebony - did you have any customs questions about ebony? I thought ebony was on CITES?

Thanks,
GregL.

[Fisherman]

Two wonderful looking guitars, certainly head-turners.

Having not yet perfected a good, non toxic pore fill technique I love the idea of not pore filling! The finish looks great on this guitar and I note that it is sold so the customer must agree

[Jeremy D]

Both guitars are absolutely stunning.

[Trevor Gore]

Thanks for the kind words!

What is the fretboard timber (both)? It looks like ebony - did you have any customs questions about ebony? I thought ebony was on CITES?

The fretboards are Macassar ebony. Only ebonies from Madagascar are on CITES II, so all others are OK.

Having not yet perfected a good, non toxic pore fill technique I love the idea of not pore filling!

Neither of these is pore filled. The tiger myrtle just doesn't need it and is full gloss. For the photos I try to avoid reflections and seem to have been unusually successful this time, but you can see a bit of deck reflected in the back in this pic:

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Some woods look fine (to me) without a pore fill, whilst others don't. Blackwood is one of the ones that looks fine. It still has a fair amount of gloss and retains that attractive "real wood" look:

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Not everyone agrees with me though!

[yakka]

how do guitars come any better than these, exceptional work

[J.F. Custom]

Classic guitars Trevor, even the Steel String

That Bloodwood trim is certainly flashy against a black setting as you've done, looks great - is there any vivid hue those forests have not produced?! The combo reminds me of an old guitar Hesh had done. Just got to love the materials we work with. I really appreciate that Indigenous themed rosette too; understated, yet very eye catching. Can I ask what timber you used there? Assuming you have not inlayed those dots individually ( ), it looks like end grain of red or black palm perhaps. I've done two with a similar overall effect - one was with Black palm tiles, the other was tiles of striped black/brown Bocote.

It is only a matter of time before Macassar Ebony joins the likes of its African cousins. Diospyros and Dalbergia's are inevitably headed that way in my opinion. I'm not personally concerned - as you are well aware, there are many exceptional alternatives and I would prefer the longevity of a species over historical bias.

Anyway, flawless work as usual and in your case, one can assume they sound every bit as good as they look. Well done.

Cheers,

Jeremy

[Trevor Gore]

Thanks for more kind word!

That Bloodwood trim is certainly flashy against a black setting as you've done, looks great - is there any vivid hue those forests have not produced?! The combo reminds me of an old guitar Hesh had done.

I have a feeling that is where my customer got the inspiration for this commission!

I really appreciate that Indigenous themed rosette too; understated, yet very eye catching. Can I ask what timber you used there? Assuming you have not inlayed those dots individually ( ), it looks like end grain of red or black palm perhaps.

The rosette has all sorts of bits of wood in it (like most rosettes!). The red and yellow are bloodwood and boxwood, the black is ebony (bits of fretboard off-cut), the white is satin box. The dots are palm from some trees the guy next door took down. Not sure what type of palm, but they produced some nice colours and interesting rosettes. Here's another palm one on yet another small body tilt-neck:

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Just got to love the materials we work with.

For sure!

[lamanoditrento]

Love the indigenous design! Beautiful work

[joel]

Inspirational stuff.

[Robbie O'Brien]

WOW!!

[Trevor Gore]

WOW!!

Thanks Robbie!

Succinct, as ever!