The "Norman Kinkead"
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 1:21 am
Okay, here goes:
Elsewhere here I have explained that I am building a guitar using plans and directions from Jonathan Kinkead's book. It made sense to move the discussion here. I was given some wood and tools and a form made from plans in the book, so a good head start. But I did not really want another 14-fret guitar. So with encouragement and advice on this forum I modified the plan to be a 12-fret short-scale, something like a Martin Norman Blake model (hence, "Norman" and "Kinkead.") Bracing and soundhole have been shifted further into the lower bout; I have yet to address the necks! I was given a Sitka top but it was a little thinner than Kinkead specifies, so I started a new top to his specs. With encouragement from John H. I decided to work up the thinner top too, so two "first" guitars. I have done the tops now (except for the bridge plates) so here they are. The older thinner top is sun-darkened; I have left the bracing a little taller on that one, but I wonder if they are both over-braced. And I have a question: In my limited experience with tap-tones, the tone is deeper on the thinner top than the newer thicker one, so I am reluctant to reduce the braces on the thin one. But could I slim the braces on the thicker top to approach the tap-tone of the thinner top, or is that too simplistic?
Elsewhere here I have explained that I am building a guitar using plans and directions from Jonathan Kinkead's book. It made sense to move the discussion here. I was given some wood and tools and a form made from plans in the book, so a good head start. But I did not really want another 14-fret guitar. So with encouragement and advice on this forum I modified the plan to be a 12-fret short-scale, something like a Martin Norman Blake model (hence, "Norman" and "Kinkead.") Bracing and soundhole have been shifted further into the lower bout; I have yet to address the necks! I was given a Sitka top but it was a little thinner than Kinkead specifies, so I started a new top to his specs. With encouragement from John H. I decided to work up the thinner top too, so two "first" guitars. I have done the tops now (except for the bridge plates) so here they are. The older thinner top is sun-darkened; I have left the bracing a little taller on that one, but I wonder if they are both over-braced. And I have a question: In my limited experience with tap-tones, the tone is deeper on the thinner top than the newer thicker one, so I am reluctant to reduce the braces on the thin one. But could I slim the braces on the thicker top to approach the tap-tone of the thinner top, or is that too simplistic?