Australian Blackwood Dreadnought

[Stray Feathers]

This guitar owes a lot to a luthier friend whose wife is Australian, so he makes somewhat regular trips there. He brought back some Blackwood and traded a set to me for some Haida Gwaii Sitka Spruce. The top also came from him as a thank-you for some sanding I did for him. The top is Sitka, thirty or forty years old, and has 45 to 50 grain lines to the inch. I know tight grain does not necessarily result in good sound, but this top taps beautifully with great sustain, so I have high hopes for it. I described the rosewood-bound soundhole in another thread. The rosette and top purflings are mosaic, which is a departure from "classic" dreadnoughts. The bracing is tapered and parabolic. The neck is Khaya, and bindings, headplate, bridge and fretboard will be East Indian Rosewood. In the photo of the back, the binding was not yet done, and one side was wiped with naphtha. I'm just finishing the logo inlay so will have more to say shortly. Bruce W.

[MaineGeezer]

Oh, my! That wood is gorgeous!

[Stray Feathers]

The Khaya neck is almost finished, but needs a little fiddling yet. I find Khaya harder to work than Mahogany, but it is apparently not harder, though some sources say the grain can be interlocked which makes it more challenging. It's definitely more available. Bruce W.

[Diane Kauffmds]

Beautiful work!

[phavriluk]

Agreed on the beautiful work. There's reasons I don't post pictures!

[krrtlr1]

Wow! That is fantastic.

[Skarsaune]

Nice crisp volute on the neck - good job.

[Stray Feathers]

I was hard pressed to finish this guitar in time for the "Guitars by Hand" show (which I mentioned in the "Events" section) but got it done. I'm pretty happy with it; the Aussie Blackwood is gorgeous. I put Gotoh open-back tuners on this for a more vintage look, but I must say I find them tight, certainly tighter than the closed Gotoh tuners with the same ratio I mostly use. It may have something to do with the smaller buttons, which I was sort of forced into; I may replace them with the same tuners but with butterbean knobs, which are slightly larger. And I may try Schallers, but I like the fact that the Gotohs are available with threaded bushings. My first dreadnought is more Martin-like, Sitka Spruce and East Indian Rosewood, with scalloped bracing. This one has tapered parabolic bracing. There is a definite difference: the rosewood is bassier, and from what I have read the scalloped bracing also contributes to that. This guitar is more balanced, still some dreadnought oomph in the bass, but not dominating. And the Blackwood, which is a Koa cousin, is more mellow. It's hard though to separate whether it is bracing or the wood that is making the difference. Bruce W.

[TEETERFAN]

What a wonderful looking instrument. Stunning grain. Very tasteful appointments with exceptional craftsmanship.
I am often amazed at the journey all the individual materials make before being combined in a guitar. Woods from different countries, metals from here, pearl from there, ect. Congratulations on a quality build.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Bruce you turned out a winner there. Understated beauty.

The blackwood is really nice, love the flame.
Isn't this a great hobby!!!

Congrats.

Kevin