klath Guitars

Marylhurst

I’m officially participating in not one, but TWO handmade instrument shows this summer.  In fact, they are back to back.  The third and the fourth weekends in April.  One, Newport, I’ve already mentioned.  The other has been a favorite of mine since the first time I went.  I don’t know if I’ve ever seen so many people who are so passionate about their craft all in one place.  In many ways, going to this show for the first time was probably the single biggest event in my development as a builder.  It is the Northwest Handmade Musical Instrument Exhibit.

Chromatic Marimba Frame, Dean Marimbas

I was there to help Carl Dean with his marimba table.  I figured we’d switch off table duty and wandering around, and since I’d just started building guitars I thought there might be a stringed instrument or two I could look at, or a luthier who might be able to offer a little advice.

I was very wrong–  There were dozens(if not hundreds) of amazing handcrafted instruments, and EVERY SINGLE person I approached to talk to was incredibly supportive of my beginning efforts at lutherie, and they were very open about their techniques, methods, materials, and everything else.  I met people that weekend who have become friends, teachers, and mentors.  It really was my doorway to contemporary lutherie.  I spent every minute I could talking to every person I could, and poor Carl got stuck manning the table all by himself all weekend.

The next year, I got my own table.

Newport and the Sonic Sitka

I don’t remember when I first met Denis Merrill.  He is certainly  someone you don’t forget once you do meet him.

If you have any connection to the lutherie community, there is a reasonable chance you have heard from him in the past year regarding the “Sonic Sitka” project.

Denis got a hold of six feet of spruce trunk, and has cut around 100 guitar tops from it.  Then he went around and convinced as many builders as he could to make a guitar out of it.  They’re going keep track of these instruments to test them sonically over time, and record the changes.  One thing I can say about this wood is that it is gorgeously figured, which you can see a little of in the pic.

Steiny's 1880's Washburn.

The Sonic Sitka is the softest top wood I’ve worked with, and one challenge of it is to compensate for what I expect to be a naturally strong bass and weaker treble.  This was a deciding factor in choosing the size and shape of the instrument as well as bracing.

I love parlor guitars, and this one is based roughly on a beautiful old 1880’s Washburn that Robert Steinegger restored and had me French polish.  (Last I heard it was ready to be sold).  I adjusted most measurements for mine, but used the original silhouette because it’s just too gorgeous.

The project cumulates with a display at the Newport Guitar Festival which will happen in about two weeks  starting April 16th.  I wasn’t sure I was ready for such a big show, but since my guitar has to be there anyway I thought “why not”?  Time to really start running with the big boys (and girls)!