Guitar 37
Completed July, 2010
Body Size – 16″ lower bout
Scale – 25″
Top – German Spruce
Back and Sides – Camatillo Rosewood
Neck – Honduras Mahogany
Fingerboard – Gabon Ebony
Bridge – Brazilian Rosewood
Nut and saddle – Bone
Binding – Birdseye Maple
Purfling – Sterling Silver
Headstock Veneers – Brazilian Rosewood
Rosette – Brazilian Rosewood and Sterling Silver
Fingerboard Side Markers – Sterling Silver
Tuners – Schaller M6 Mini Chrome
Finish – Lacquer
This guitar was made for my friend David, who lives in London. The top is German spruce that I bought in the mid-1970’s. The back and sides are from some large rosewood planks that Bill Cumpiano and I bought in New York around that same time. I feel fortunate to have kept all this nice wood through many moves and many years.
The purfling is 1.5mm square Sterling silver wire. I used it for the sound hole ring, also. It gives the guitar an elegant look, without quite the flash of abalone or mother of pearl. My new, wider heel design gives a smooth transition from the neck into the cutaway.
I like to arch both the top and back of the guitar. A dome is an inherently strong shape, retaining strength with less mass. A pronounced arch to the back focuses the sound toward the sound hole, giving the guitar great projection.
I have been using the lotus flower as my headstock logo since 1976. Usually I inlay mother of pearl with an abalone center, but in this case I used Sterling silver. I changed my headstock design for this guitar. The new design is better proportioned and more elegant. It also echoes the lotus flower petal motif that is repeated on the bridge and the fingerboard end.
The side position markers are 1.5mm Sterling silver dots. Unlike plastic, they reflect any available light.