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A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:44 pm
by 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.

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:46 pm
by Mark Swanson
A few more shots...a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, and a segmented rosette.

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:49 pm
by Mark Swanson
Oh, and the neck is cherry.

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:55 pm
by Bob Gramann
Beautiful guitar! I've started using cherry on some necks, too. I like it.

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:58 pm
by Mark Swanson
Thanks Bob! I am having a little trouble with Picasa posting the wrong photos...I'll get it right.

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:59 pm
by 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.

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 1:00 pm
by Charlie Schultz
Gorgeous!

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 1:01 pm
by Mark Swanson
Last, the mahogany back. Thanks for looking!

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 6:10 pm
by 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... :lol:

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 7:53 pm
by 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.

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 10:01 pm
by 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.

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 3:14 pm
by 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. :D

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 9:29 pm
by Douglas Ingram
Dang.

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

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:29 am
by 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.

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 1:03 pm
by 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.

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 1:10 pm
by 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!

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 4:03 pm
by 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.

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 4:31 pm
by Pat Foster
Dayum! Just about dropped my cuppa Joe!

Pat

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 4:49 pm
by 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

Re: A Redwood and Mahogany guitar From Mark Swanson

Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 1:07 am
by 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.