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.
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)!