Curly Mango Inauguration

[Herman]

In every way an eyecatcher. You outdid yourself again Ken. Congrats.

You're right. Don't let the work sit around. Squirrels will come and take it.
One time I did two guitars simultanously. The work went ok, but it stressed me too much that it spoiled the fun. For me it's one at the time.

Lets hear some sound!

Herman

[Ken Hundley]

Thanks guys! I absolutely love the look and style of Martins, Taylors, Gibsons, the tried and true designs, but at the same time, If I want one, then I should buy it. I decided to depart from tradition with this and several others I am working on, and explore some of the concepts presented by Batson Guitars and McPhereson Guitars, two (I consider, anyway) major innovators amongst todays builders. I decided to laminate the braces because, well, they looked really cool. I also did a test three years ago with the idea....I weighted a laminated brace and a standard brace of the same shape. The standard spruce bracebroke at a lower weight than the laminated one. The laminated one bent further before finally breaking. The conlusion was the laminated braces were a little more flexible, yet stronger. To me, this translated to higher response in a braced top. It was a crap shoot, but I think it worked. McPhereson Guitars does the same thing, though laminating the braces with a thin peice of carbon fiber. I didn't have it, and it was too expensive, but I had a ton of wenge that fit the bill. I couldn't come up with the artistry Mcphereson Guitars has inside the box, but he gave me some ideas.

The soundhole moved off to the side is something that Batson has explored. If the sound board is what emits the sound from a guitar, then why remove valuable real estate, especially in such a live area as where the traditional sound hole is? I agreed with the logic, and decided to try it myself. I played with the bracing scheme and came up with something I felt was strong enough to prevent bridge rotation, yet something that was flexible enough to yeild good response. I htink it worked, we'll see the long term impact ina few years.

The idea was a heck of a lot of fun. This was the prototype for the Padauk OM I sold at my kids auction a couple of years ago, but circumstances forced me to do that one first. Overall, this one turned out better, depsite all the damage it incurred. I have to agree with you, Herman.....only one at a time for me.....there were times this wasn't fun, which is why I have been very reluctant to work on the Macacuba, and the other Padauk OM I started. All have been damaged at one point in the same accident (A squirrel got into the garage and knocked several bodies I had made up off my work bench, for those who haven't heard the story) and I have been reluctant to go back to them, dis-assembling to repair cracks and popped braces just causes more problems for me later than I care to deal with.

I have been working on a small electric with my 8 year old son, who is doing a great job learning to use tools, and toying with the idea of starting my 12 string next.

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[Kevin Sjostrand]

Whoooo Hooooooo!
Very sweet Ken, I love how you have carried out the half moon theme around the guitar, to go with your moniker.....Nocturnal.
You are very brave to put so much work into an unproven design. I commend you for that. It looks super cool, or as my Indian grandsons say.......Cooolo.
NOW....no excuses.....finish that Maca git!

Kevin

[Dan Bombliss]

Let's hear this one! I've wanted to hear this since I saw the body at your place when I got that Cajon. Get a clip up hah

[David L]

Wow, that guitar body looks as big as your son, I like the striped body that he is running through the thickness sander.

David L

Ken, Your mango guitar is an outstanding one-of-a-kind.
Interesting use of wenge for bracing. I know a guy who used wenge for some of his GoBar.

tb

[Herman]

Maybe Wengé is underrated as a tonewood. My OOO with a Wengé fingerboard is the most ringing guitar I've built. Over here Wengé does not cost a nickel. It's used for flooring. The piece I use for my latest rosette (Will post in a month or so) did cost 50 ct. I consider to use Wengé more often.

[Ken Hundley]

I really like the stuff. It is very hard and splintery, but when sanded, is beautiful stuff. If it is off-quarter, I find thin peices very unstable in every direction, which made some of the laminated braces difficult until I understood it, but I love the stuff. When I get through the next few guitars I have wood for, I will make a wenge guitar, and have been thinking of doing a wenge neck too....

I woriginally got it as a cheaper alternative to ebony for binding, but really like it.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Caw Caw -
Maca Maca

[Darryl Young]

Very cool!