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Here is my first (and maybe my last ) armrest guitar.

Also first attempt at sunburst.   The color is not very true for some reason so just take that into consideration.

The BACK is Bob C, the zootman's special cocobolo. It sure is a fine looking wood. Thanks Bob.





The neck is a combination of Texas walnut and cuban and African Mahogany



One of the worrisome things about dark guitars is that the smudges show so badly.

Thanks for looking

John

Good job for a first! Those armrests can be a challenge! peterm38742.718125

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

B-U-T-FUL So the arme rest was a task I gather

John

It really looks good!

I spent most of today carving and binding my first ribrest. I did the armrest on this guitar last week. These things sure are a lot of work and I know I have a lot to learn about doing them. I think it is worth it, or I should say I will gladly do one for $300-$400 or whatever I decide on for a price. I found binding them to be the biggest challenge, especially the ribrest. My joints didn't come out quite as clean as I would have liked. Anyway I will try and get some pictures up tomorrow.

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

Very nice.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Congratulations on a job well done! I'm not that brave... yet.

Your bridge sure looks interesting. Could you comment on the whys and wherefores with respect to its "streamlining"?

There's a discussion about fretboard radius. Yours looks to have little or no radius. How does she play?

Thanks for sharing.

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Strikingly gorgeous John!

John that is beautiful. I like the arm rest a lot. Sure looks good from here. I forgot all about that cocobolo. That's actually the first guitar I have seen built with it. Sure is pretty. Love the burst too. Bobc38742.7427083333

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Steve...it looks great! Tell us of the trials of the sunburst and armrest. Both look like they turned out quite well.

The bridge is striking and classy!

Any problems with gluing that coco?

What about allergic reactions to the coco dust?

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Looks great John! Man, I don't think I would have had the nerve to try abalone around the armrest, specially on a first try. Very nicely done!

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

An ambitious guitar. Excellent execution. Love the burst, love the armrest, love the bridge nice nice, and love the abalone, very special guitar. Anyone who could build this guitar would have no problem making bagpipes!   

Thanks for the kind words everyone. Bruce is right, this was an ambitious project and I am glad its over.

JJ
The armrest was just a lot of hand work mostly. I have pictures of that process here http://www.kinnairdguitars.com/John%20Fary.htm Feel free to have a look. What was hard was laminating the rosewood veneer over the bevel. It has to be bent in two directions and I can only handle one, so I made a cardboard template from the guitar, flattened it out and cut out a piece of Brazilian veneer(which turned out to be crescent shaped) then bent that cresent over a hot pipe, filed and sanded till it fit and glued it down. Whew, makes me tired just telling about it. I am going to charge big bucks for the next one!
   The burst was a huge round of trial and error with emphasis on the latter.
    I used Allwood epoxy from LMI which is designed especially for gluing oily woods like cocobolo and teak. No problems. I can vouch for that glue, though I hate working with it since cleanup is such a chore.

JohnJohn Kinnaird38742.8358101852

Thanks Hersh
   It is loud and sweet.

John,

I'm in the middle of building a guitar with Bob C.'s Cocobolo & also used the Allwood epoxy from LMI. I have to heartily agree with your reference to the messy cleanup. I tried to be neat, but that stuff just wouldn't allow it. Lotsa scraping & sanding the excess drips, etc. but at least it's holding the back onto the rims quite well.

Gorgeous job on the armrest & the sunburst - but then your guitars are always super.

Skip

Thanks Skip
I resorted to using denatured alcohol on a rag to help with cleanup. That at least smears things out to a very thin sandable thickness. Or, you could just smear that epoxie alcohol solution all over the inside of the guitar and have in effect a finised interior that I doubt would do any harm whatsoever to the sound and might just look good and slow down moisture movement.

John, you are amazing. That is one nice looking guitar. Slope shoulder D?

I've always loved looking at your guitars John. Great job.

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Hey bro, that's pretty! Is this the 'burst we talked about over Christmas? It turned out just fine. And I like the way it looks against that dark rosette.

And you were worried....sheesh!

KBW

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

I like the new K as well. More modern.

That guitar's got some color to it too! You don't see that in guitars as much anymore with everyone trying to get the wood of the month club award....

We'll work together again soon I hope.
Craig L.

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www.handcraftinlay.com

What a beauty as usual John.Your burst is gorgeous and the bevel looks great . Lovely guitar!

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

John, up to your usual exceptional standard of craftsmanship. That bridge looks gorgeous I like the lack of corners, corners have no place on a guitar.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Thanks Again Guys
   I must give credit to: Craig Lavin for the modern "K" inlayed on the peghead. My bro and I want you in on the collaboration project Craig if you're interested.
   One other thing I forgot to mention are the purfling lines which also came from Bob C. He sells veneer layups which really helps make custom purfling lines a breeze. This one sports maple/bloodwood/maple.

Here is a butt shot with Bob's lines.



and lines on the side
John Kinnaird38743.2979282407

John

Thats Lovely work.

Russell

John; that's wonderfully inspiring! I'm almost looking forward to the day I try my hand at one (a few guitars from now, on a personal instrument).

Many Thanks Russell and Mattia. Cudoes from that side of the Atlantic are always valued.

Burbank, and others who asked about the bridge. I like to sculpt bridges and I try to keep the weight down. That said, if I am in a smooth mood then the bridge is smooth and if I am feeling edgy, then there may be edges on the bridge. I was pretty mellowed out when I built this bridge