Acoustic guitar

[Shawn Pixley]

Here is a guitar I built for my son. I have been playing, tuning and modifying guitars for years, but this is the first one I have built. I am not too crazy about the appearance. I should have done better. No one will compare this to a high end Martin, Lowden, or Collings, but it plays quite well. It still needs to be buffed out.

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[Duane Meadows]

Shawn, it looks fine to me in the pictures! Have you seen the newer Martins? They(at least some of them) have a satin finish! Think I'll keep my 1976 D-35! I do want to build one myself, one of these days. Hope it isn't too addictive!

[Greg Peterson]

I looks great. Very nice job. What woods did you use for the back, sides and top?

[Shawn Pixley]

It is strangely addictive. When I was working on the finish, I swore never again. But now... I'd like to go back and re-do some of the elements. I spent a lot of time fussing with the neck shape, relief and intonation. I wish then I had stopped and dressed it up some. Because it is for my son, it has a D-shaped neck.

[Shawn Pixley]

I looks great. Very nice job. What woods did you use for the back, sides and top?

Back and sides are curly maple. I did an amber dye and then sanded back. Purfling and inlays are holly and mahogany. The top is cedar. The neck is mahogany with a rosewood fretboard. Dots are 4 mm green abalone. The rosette is green abalone. The binding is StewMac plastic binding. The finish is Behlen Nitro instrument lacquer. Tuners are grover. Bone nut and compensated saddle. Strings are Martin Marquis (I use John Pearce strings).

It has a mellower sound than my spruce top Martin or my Gianinni.

[Steve Milito]

Back and sides are curly maple. I did an amber dye and then sanded back. Purfling and inlays are holly and mahogany. The top is cedar. The neck is mahogany with a rosewood fretboard. Dots are 4 mm green abalone. The rosette is green abalone. The binding is StewMac plastic binding. The finish is Behlen Nitro instrument lacquer. Tuners are grover. Bone nut and compensated saddle. Strings are Martin Marquis (I use John Pearce strings).

It has a mellower sound than my spruce top Martin or my Gianinni.
Looks nice to me!
The Cedar top with steel strings is an interesting choice.
Well done.

[andy photenas]

you have taken a step i will hope to also take one day! Any first time project has a lot of room for learning and the next one will be even better ! great job it looks like a real instrument!!

[Julie Moriarty]

Nice work Shawn! Could have fooled me this was your first build. It looks great from here. I like the detail in the headstock, the little "eye" around the tuner that matches the wood on the truss rod cover. Nice touch!

I fully understand "It is strangely addictive." :)

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Beautiful work, and likewise you could have fooled me that it's your first scratch-built. Interesting choice of wood- maple (snappy, bright tones) and cedar (warm, mellow tones). I would guess it projects well and has great mid-range? Is there a way to post an MP3? I have a quilted maple back and sides to make a guitar for a friend. I am going to stain it black and call it the "Black Pearl." He's a pirate, and so I am making him a pirate guitar. It will have a skull and crossbones inlaid in the headstock. I have been trying to decide what top to mate with the maple back. I'd like to hear yours.