EyeCandy! Custom Model C Quilted Maple and Spruce! Sold!

Well this was just an amazing instrument that was actually commissioned by my brother.  The tone was raw and powerful, this guitar would make a fantastic finger style blues instrument.

This guitar, as you can see, has the offset sound hole that I experimented with for so many years. This placement of the sound hole really does make more sense in all honesty. Why? Because when the sound hole is placed under the strings, you are removing a major piece of structure that supports the tension of the strings.  Consider the soundboard as a brace, or as a necessary structural component the wood that is under the strings (where a traditional sound hole is) greatly adds to the integrity of the top. This means that the bracing of the guitar can be changed in way that does not have to account for the lost wood in the sound hole.

Here you can see the beautiful Quilted Maple sides and the side port.

Just an amazing set of wood and perfectly book matched as well.

My brother actually was so proud of this guitar that he built his entertainment center in his living room around the guitar displayed in the center. What an honor.

Here you can see the asymmetrical bridge design that we use in our Production Series guitars as well. This particular guitar has the sound hole and bracing that really take most advantage of the bridge design.

 

This bridge is African Blackwood which is really my preferred wood for a bridge. The wood is incredibly hard, quite resonant, and has a beautiful complex aesthetic.

The cut out in the fretboard is also significant in the construction of the guitar using the bracing method, Here you can see that the bass side of the fretboard has been removed where the notes would rarely be played.  This gives us a bit more sound board with the ability to resonate for us.

Another shot of the quilted Maple sides.  Not easy to bend!!!

This is not a sunburst we typically do, but I like the strong contrast in the black and red and the tear drop shape of the burst.

Something a little different on the end graft of the guitar. Two lines of curly maple.

Ebony Headstock with the AW logo in Mother of Pearl.