Double Ought Double

[Stray Feathers]

I wrote earlier about a Rosewood and Engelmann 12 fret 00 that won a prize for me, and then sold. That buyer was at a little jam with friends of friends, and one of them liked the guitar so much that she emailed me to ask if I would make one for her. I have not been looking for commissions, because I am a little leery of having to try to perfect an instrument to suit a customer. But I was so pleased with the guitar that I wanted to make another one anyway, so I told her she could have first refusal on it, and she agreed. But I still wanted to have one like it (or similar) for a fall guitar show, so I started two. One is like the original, rosewood and Engelmann, but with some nice bearclaw figure. The second is Black Walnut, which I bought as a "parlour" set, but was big enough for a 00. (Pays to check measurements!) The top is very old Yellow Cedar, given to me by a friend who salvaged the log years ago on a beach on Quadra Island north of here. It has a wonderful tap, and of course smells terrific. This is two guitars more than I intended to finish this summer, so I am pressed but I'll see how it goes! Photos are of the top and back of the rosewood guitar. The top is braced mostly with some torrefied Engelmann Spruce I was given as a sample by a supplier, and I decided to try it here. I found it peculiar to work with (first time) and am interested to see how it performs. Bruce W.

[Stray Feathers]

Here are the two completed bodies. The Black Walnut and Yellow Cedar guitar on the right is braced entirely with Yellow Cedar. It's lovely stuff to work with - I can see why carvers like it. Top bracing in both is a hybrid of scalloped and tapered parabolic. Both bridge plates are Black Locust. The binding channels are now cut, and the end wedges are in. Time to start the bindings. Bruce W.

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[mike243]

Both are beautiful, but that Yellow Cedar looks amazing.

[MaineGeezer]

My one attempt at a 00 size has a sound that seems all out of proportion to its size. I don't know if it was dumb luck or if the 00 body is particularly suited to producing a great sound. Add in the fact that I made the body much deeper than a normal 00, and the top bracing is my own demented version of falcate bracing, and it's clear than there is no point in comparing it to anything. :-)
I'll be very interested to hear how your two turn out.