Guitar Number 3

[Eric Knapp]

Hello, Folks.

Here is my third guitar. It's definitely better than 1 and 2 so I think I might be making progress. This was the first guitar I've played with a side port and I like it. All of my future guitars will have one. Here are the specs:

- Sitka Spruce top
- Black Walnut back and sides
- Black Walnut neck
- Ebony fretboard, headstock veneer, and bridge
- Katalox binding
- Tagua Nut inlays

Thanks for all the help and support, I'm on to number 4 (and 5, and 6...).

-Eric

(More pics in comments.)

[Eric Knapp]

[Eric Knapp]

As always, I love any and all feedback. The learning process is a long one, eh?

-Eric

[Barry Daniels]

Looks great, Eric. I like the nice large radius on the binding. Should be comfortable to hold.

[Darrel Friesen]

That's a great looking guitar Eric. A couple more and you'll be carrying the torch!

[Eric Knapp]

Looks great, Eric. I like the nice large radius on the binding. Should be comfortable to hold.

Thank you, Barry. It is very comfortable. To achieve that radius I ended up using two layers of the Katalox binding. One thick layer wouldn't bend without cracking. That made gluing it on a bit of a challenge but it worked.

-Eric

[Eric Knapp]

That's a great looking guitar Eric. A couple more and you'll be carrying the torch!

Thank you, Darrel. That is a very nice thing to say. I'm going to keep building until I can't. I wish I had started when I was a lot younger but life had other plans.

-Eric

[Jarno Verhoeven]

That looks great! Traditional looking yet with a few interesting features, like the sideport, the bigger binding, the headstock, really nice.
Beautiful top also.

[Karl Wicklund]

I also like that significant round-over on the binding. Beautiful work.

[Eric Knapp]

That looks great! Traditional looking yet with a few interesting features, like the sideport, the bigger binding, the headstock, really nice.
Beautiful top also.

Thank you, Jarno. I've had that top wood for about 40 years. The board is big enough to make 8 or 9 guitars. It sounds good to my ears too. I'm happy it's like that after hanging on to it and hoping for so long.

-Eric

[Eric Knapp]

I also like that significant round-over on the binding. Beautiful work.

Thank you, Karl. That thick binding was more work but I really like the results. I will probably do that again on future builds.

-Eric

[Jim McConkey]

Lovely! Congratulations!

[Eric Knapp]

Lovely! Congratulations!

Thank you, Jim!

-Eric

[Mike Conner]

Great job! I really like Black Walnut for the back and sides for the dreadnoughts I have built. Affordable, locally sourced and attractive.

I like the way you "celebrated" the sap wood on the back. What did you use for a pore filler? I've been using an ebony powder mixed with thinned Titebond glue as a homemade paste filler.

[Eric Knapp]

Great job! I really like Black Walnut for the back and sides for the dreadnoughts I have built. Affordable, locally sourced and attractive.

Thanks, Mike!

The walnut in this guitar was indeed locally sourced. It came from a Wisconsin Black Walnut tree. I intend to use as much reclaimed and found wood as I can when making future guitars. I have enough walnut alone to make more guitars than I'm probably capable of.

I like the way you "celebrated" the sap wood on the back. What did you use for a pore filler? I've been using an ebony powder mixed with thinned Titebond glue as a homemade paste filler.

I used WEST System epoxy as a filler. I didn't completely fill all the pores, I like to see and feel the wood grain. That epoxy also has the right index of refraction and makes the wood glow beautifully.

-Eric

[Carl Dickinson]

Looking real good, Eric. Such nice detailing. I like the local wood idea too and have made a couple from wood off my property here, White Oak, Ponderosa Pine and Manzanita.

[Eric Knapp]

Looking real good, Eric. Such nice detailing. I like the local wood idea too and have made a couple from wood off my property here, White Oak, Ponderosa Pine and Manzanita.

Thank you, Carl. What have you made with the Manzanita?

-Eric

[Carl Dickinson]

I us it for fretboards, bridges, binding and other trim parts. It's hard to find logs long and straight enough to come up with 32" pieces.