Finally starting the Walnut/Redwood and Koa OM.

[darren]

Nice!

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Yes Tony I thunk it all up by myself. :>)
Thanks!
The guitar is walnut with Koa bindings, end wedge, and headstock.
The owner wanted Koa rosette, but it just wasn't going to show up enough for my taste in the redwood, so I figured I should do it in walnut, but still wanted the Koa in there too. Simple but it came out nice.
By the way, for those who might want to cut out there own wood rosettes and wonder how I did this.
The walnut and koa I thicknessed down to about .100". I take a square of 3/4" plywood, nice and flat. I 3M spray adhesive a sheet of yellow notebook paper to the plywood, and then spray adhesive the square of koa and walnut to that. This holds it secure to do the cutting. Then I make the cuts with the router. A small putty knife lifts the wood away from the plywood easily, either with or without the paper and you have a rosette. Only your imagination limits you on what you can come up with.

Kevin

[hummingbird]

That looks great

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I think you guys who have not cut out your first rosette and installed yet, this is done pretty easily using a dremel and the circle cutting guide you can get for it. Not an expensive set, but can do a professional job.
A couple of nights ago I cut out the soundhole. Little by little I might get this guitar done some day.

Kevin

[Ken Hundley]

Gorgeous, Kev. Keep up the good work!

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I listened to Liona Boyd while I braced the top today. Sure was enjoyable.
Here are a couple pics of the process and result; all rough bracing done,
now on to the carving!

Kevin

[johnnparchem]

That is a really nice looking top. I like the rosette, its eloquent simplicity is to may taste as well. It was good to see how you made it. I think I would have made three rings and struggled fitting them and missed the obvious method of inlaying the center ring into the Koa and cutting out a complete rosette.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Thanks John, as I thought about making the rosette, it just made sense to do it this way. As I considered putting BWB purfling around the inside and outside, I was even contimplating routing channels and gluing those in, then cutting that whole thing out....but I wasn't sure I wanted the purfling so I left it off to be inlaid along with the rosette. As I laid it on the top to see what it would look like, I really liked that look....not so many rings!!!
I sent a picture of the top to the eventual owner of the guitar, and he said "I love it"! I guess I made the right choice. :>)

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I got the braces carved and sanded. The top is ready to be fit to the rims.
It has a nice tap tone!

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

That top is at .120" right now. I figure I'll take off another 5 thousands when I finish sand it. It is a bit more flexible side to side then spruce, but seemed very stiff along the grain. It had a dull thud tap by itself, but with the braces on it rings and sings like a stoolie!
So far I like it. We shall see after I rout it for bindings....scary.

Jim, you are very observant to notice my new technique. This is how you build them when the stings go on the inside.
The foam I understand helps to deaden the overtones.

Kevin