I’ve just began a new set of triplets, and the first on the list is a transitional J-45-inspired slope-shouldered dreadnought for Devin. It will feature a beautifully figured Tasmanian blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) back and sides set and a primo red spruce top from Old Standard Wood. After letting the woods adapt to my shop environment (the back and sides came from an Australian tonewood company), I’ve joined the top and back plates and selected a Honduran Mahogany neck blank from my collection of seasoned neck wood. The next jobs will be bending the woods for the rosette, routing and installing the rosette, and then my favorite task: thicknessing the top and back plates and bracing them.
Joined and sanded to a uniform thickness, the Tasmanian blackwood guitar set is going to be a stunner.
Figured Acacia melanoxyon (Tasmanian blackwood) is structurally and visually similar to its close relative Koa.
The top from Old Standard wood is a lovely example of some of the best red spruce being cut today.
This top has some subtle figuring that will look great when dye is applied.
Inspired by the Tasmanian blackwood back and sides, I chose several wood species that would work well for the fingerboard and bridge material. From left to right: a stripey granadillo fingerboard, a purple and chocolate-colored East Indian rosewood fingerboard, and a Katalox fingerboard with almost a bee’s wing shimmer.
Top left to bottom right: granadillo, East Indian rosewood, and Katalox.
I glue top and back plates together in a simple jig that keeps the plate flat and applies closing pressure via wedges.
After gluing down the cross-grain seam reinforcer, it has to be planed down before sanding it to shape.
Fitting the back braces into the reinforcement strip.
Bending up the thin wood strips for use in the rosette.
Before gluing the rosette into place, the individual circles need to be cut to length.
Gluing on the top bracing using hot hide glue in a go-bar deck.
I use a small handplane to rough out the back braces.
All of the top and back plate bracing is glued in place and roughly shaped.
This J45 will sport a solid-wood multiline rosette.