Number 20 is my first 7-string guitar, and also my first guitar where the goal was to build as much as I could from a single board. The sound is lively and balanced across all strings, and hearing that low B string is quite a rush. The 7th string can be tuned down to A as well. It’s rare to hear notes like that on a classical guitar.
I purchased a small slab of Tasmanian Black Acacia from a local wood peddler. This wood is a very close relative to Koa, essentially being Acacia from Tasmania rather than Koa which is Acacia from Hawaii. I used that slab to make the back, sides, headplate, fingerboard, bridge, and the arm rest on this instrument. I even incorporated the sapwood edge of this beautiful wood into the rosette in the shape of a compass rose.
This guitar has the following characteristics:
- Engleman Spruce top. Perfectly quartersawn with no runout, and gentle silking throughout.
- Tasmanian Black Acacia back and sides. Sides are laminated with Sapele as the inner lining layer. This adds stiffness to the sides to increase top projection and provides much stronger side impact split resistance.
- Honduran Mahogany neck
- Black Acacia fingerboard and head plate
- Black Acacia bridge
- Black Acacia arm rest. Low profile provides a softer pressure on your right forearm.
- Curly Maple bindings
- Rosette created in compass rose pattern using the sapwood/hardwood edge of this board of Black Acacia.
- 650 mm scale length
- 60 mm nut width. This is the standard string spacing with another 7th string added.\
- Partial 20th fret for upper 2 strings
- Rubner Roll 7-string tuners – affordable price with premium performance.
- Hauser inspired Symmetrical 7-fan bracing pattern with closure bars.
Available: $3000
