A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

[Mark Swanson]

I was responding in another discussion about a guitar with a redwood top, and since I just finished one I thought I'd post it.
This is a "Fatboy" style guitar, for those who may not remember those, it has a 24.25 scale and was patterned after a Regal guitar that was made in Chicago in the '40's. I loved that old guitar so I used it as a starting point to design this one.

[Mark Swanson]

A few more shots...a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, and a segmented rosette.

[Mark Swanson]

Oh, and the neck is cherry.

[Bob Gramann]

Beautiful guitar! I've started using cherry on some necks, too. I like it.

[Mark Swanson]

Thanks Bob! I am having a little trouble with Picasa posting the wrong photos...I'll get it right.

[Mark Swanson]

A peghead shot....That is a piece of walnut burl I used for the veneer and end cap on the back of the neck. the body has Koa binding.

[Charlie Schultz]

Gorgeous!

[Mark Swanson]

Last, the mahogany back. Thanks for looking!

[Chuck Tweedy]

A very brown guitar.
Like the burst on the neck heel.

And a zero-fret to boot.

Nice ...

But don't you think the extreme runout in that redwood top...

[Randy Roberts]

I'm with Chuck... if you would just learn to sticker your wood, you wouldn't get all that rippling in the top.<g>

That is just beautiful.

Have you stopped using your adjustable neck? If this one is adjustable, you sure did a good job of matching the heel and the inset for it into the heel block. I can't see any gap at all.

[Mark Swanson]

Thanks you guys! The top does look scary doesn't it? Randy, I still use the adjustable neck on some guitars, just not this one.
This is actually one of three guitars that I just finished up. I guess I'll post the others too.

[Rodger Knox]

That's really outstanding. I may have to borrow that bridge design, it's interesting. Not traditional, but not really radical either. I like it.

[Douglas Ingram]

Dang.

One more reason for me to try Redwood one of these days.

[Patrick DeGreve]

Hi Mark: Beautiful Guitar! I like all of your choices very much. The colors of the woods balanced by the Koa binding is great, not too strong, just defined by the Koa. I also like the burst on the neck, and the peghead design. All fo your choices work together. Outstanding Fatboy.

[Alain Bieber]

Splendid! I like that kind of top wood. Do you know if that kind of redwood is usable for a classical guitar. If yes, where could I find some?
Sincerely admirative.

[Mark Swanson]

Yes, I believe it would be suitable for a classic guitar. it can be tricky stuff to work with however. there is a discussion up right now about Bob Gramman's trouble with it.
I got the stuff from Bruce Harvie of Orcas Island Tonewoods. It's available from suppliers on the west coast.
And thank you!

[Bob Hammond]

Looks nice. Did I fail to notice this at Wheatland last Sunday? I had some persons jerking on my coatsleeves and you did too I guess, and so I was distracted. Anyway, it was nice to have a handshake.

[Pat Foster]

Dayum! Just about dropped my cuppa Joe!

Pat

[Beate Ritzert]

I must admit that my personal preference on acoustic guitars is a classic European combinantion of woods: spruce and maple.
Despite of that if find Your combination of woods and colors very tasteful - mhmm, perhaps "distinguished" in all its variants of meaning might be a good description.

Beate

[Michael Lewis]

Very nice job, Mark. I would expect no less from you. Your photography is also very good, as I can see the grain lines and coloration of the redwood clearly. It is such beautiful wood to look at but may surprise you some time down the road as it can separate along the curls from bridge torque. I would think it wise to use a thinner and larger bridge plate to spread the load. I have used laminated bridge plates occasionally for such applications. This way the plate can be thicker under the bridge yet still spread the load to a greater area. Another remedy would be a Bridge Doctor to relieve most of the torque from the top, but that may effect the acoustic response.

It's a knockout.