Guitar Pony

A couple months ago, I purchased a Pau Ferro (Bolivian Rosewood) acoustic guitar back and side set. The figuring of the wood grain was so dramatic that I envisioned it would become something different from anything I had previously created.  And it did. It became my pony guitar named 'Santo Oro' after a palamino stallion I rode during the summers of my early years, while living on the northern Montana ranch with my aunt and uncle.
                                                                       

What top would be the perfect choice for this guitar? Spruce, the go-to choice for most builders? Cedar, which is a complimentary color, but boring, because of the non-descript grain? No! My choice was mahogany.

Don't be distracted by the artwork just yet, look at the special grain in the wood. The 'waterfall' effect along with the coloration was what tipped the decision scale. It is so dramatic, much more so than a photo reveals. Combined with the back and sides, this guitar body screamed 'leather', which stimulated the drawing of the horse and soundhole surround, which was then burned into the wood. To compliment, but no to distract from the overall appearance, I chose to add walnut binding on the sides. The East Indian rosewood fingerboard rides on a mahogany neck, and the rosewood bridge adds a little contrast to the top.

Finally the rosewood headstock is overlayed with a piece of custom cut Chocolate Mango, which incorporates black Grover tuning machines.

Pau Ferro Custom Acoustic Guitar

Body               14-fret dreadnought

Mahogany top w/custom burned rosette and top art

                        Pau Ferro (Bolivian Rosewood) back and sides

                        Walnut binding

                        East Indian rosewood bridge w/ bison bone saddle and ebony pins

                        Hand-rubbed satin finish

                        Custom scalloped spruce ‘X’ top bracing

                        Custom scalloped spruce ‘ladder’-style back bracing

Neck                 One-piece mahogany, standard ‘C’ profile

                        Dual-action truss rod

                        Custom chocolate mango/Indian rosewood headstock overlay

Rosewood 14-inch radius fingerboard w/pearl position markers

                        25.4-inch scale

                        1-11/16 bison bone nut

                        Grover black enclosed-gear tuners recessed into headstock overlay

                        Hand-rubbed satin finish

Extras              Elixir extra light 010-.047 strings

                        Mahogany/Indian rosewood tailpiece w/ebony strap butto

                        Combo Wenge, zebrawood, chatke kak heel cap

                        Handcrafted in Mansfield, Ohio (USA)    TotalRojoGuitars.com

RC Tonewoods Builder of the Month

Neil Young -- 'Old Man'

Guitar String Action -- Direction or Dilemma

So, what is the ideal string action for an acoustic guitar?

There are as many opinions about this controversial subject as there are about the meaning of life.

The conventional recommendation is that string action (the distance from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string, when measured at the twelfth fret) fall within a range of 3/32" to 7/64" for the bass 'E' string, and 1/16" to 5/64" for the treble 'e' string.  And, that the neck have 'relief' (a slight arc) of .004-.010 at the 6th fret when a capo is applied at the 1st fret, and the bass E string is fretted at the 12th fret.

Sounds pretty simple, right?

However, there are numerous variables which can and will affect this wisdom.  For example,  Humidity and/or dryness; wear and/or grooves at the nut and saddle; depth of nut grooves in relation to fingerboard; saddle contour; tension placed on the top, which may cause it to warp; other structural problems such as loose bracing, nut or bridge; something as simple as changing string gauge; neck relief (whew, this is a controversial subject); and unlevel frets, to name a few things that can keep the debate alive.

Why is string action so important?  Because it affects playability.  If the action is too high, fretting the strings is uncomfortable, and if the action is too low, strings buzz.

Although many experts offer specific recommendations for adjusting string action, it is really left to understanding an individual player's technique that dictates how a guitar should be set up.

Well, Larry Cragg, a Northern California luthier, who has vast experience setting up guitars has a different view.  He adjusts the guitar neck so that it is perfectly straight after he makes a few preliminary changes (if necessary) like replacing plastic bridge pins and saddles with bone and/or ebony.  Some, who have studied guitar setup, may view this as wrong, but if asked, Cragg will smile and say, "You know, the book says that there's got to be neck relief.  That's all bullshit!"

Have you ever gone into a guitar store and taken a good look at the string action on the various models you've played?  I have, and I'm continually mystified by how the string action setup varies so greatly, even with high-end brands.  One can only assume that setup at the factory is un-precise so that the music store tech can adjust to the desire of the buyer.  But, if the setup is un-precise, wouldn't that discourage a player when trying out the guitar?  While working at a local music store, I was constantly checking nut groove depth and adjusting saddle contour and height to make guitars more playable, while keeping them within the recommended action range.

And, there is also the occasion when a player wants their acoustic guitar to play like an electric. Nice idea, but not very realistic.  They are two separate and different instruments.

'Boneyard Boogie'

This old guitar, which I found at a thrift shop, was collecting dust in my shop, and it was useless for anything other than a fly swatter until I saw something created by another goofy guitar maker.

My Granddaughter Ellie loves anything rtelated to skeletons, so my creative juices started to flow, and as a result we now have 'Ellie's Boneyard Boogie'.

Thanks to leftover Halloween supplies at the local drug store, I was able to put some boogie action into the boneyard, but not without an abundant amount of thought and difficulty.

The project required ripping the guitar apart.  It's shaped like a guitar, but that's about the extent of the original piece.

The top was carefully removed from the body so as not to damage it beyond further use. A Shire horse skeleton complete with a boney rider in armor astride the beast fills the soundhole.  A makebelieve bridge serves as handles to open the doors to the sound chamber (note the hinges on the side).

The body required reinforcement throughout to stabilize it after removing the top, but that worked out well, for the hinged doors.

Nothing is ever easy during a project like this, but I opened a can of worms with this idea.

The legs, at the hips, were the only moveable parts on the seven-inch-tall skeletons, and I discovered soon that I had no glue in the shop that would attach severed pieces.  I don't have a clue what in hell the Chinese used to mold these boney creatures, but the only way I could reattach the surgically altered arms and legs was to use my heat controlled woodburning tool.

I built a piano, upright bass, drum set, acoustic guitar, coffin, and the mic the singer is holding.  Then I had to posture each of the skeletons to fit the instrument they were destined to 'play'.  In short order, I got well skilled at rearranging heads, hands, arms, and legs and welding them together.  After each piece was complete, it was glued into position inside the guitar body.

To finish off the process, I attached computer downloaded illustrations and Ellie's favorite band names to the doors.

Here's the cast of characters.  The piano players hat is an old amp knob converted for effect.

Wrapping fingers around the necks and mic were a real fun experience, and uncomfortable as hell to boot, because of the heat from the iron.

This was a lot of fun to create, but once is enough.   Hee, hee.

Maggie's Bowlulele

My Granddaughter Maggie has been pestering me for a long time to make her a ukulele, and I have been avoiding the project, but she got the best of me about a month ago.

I don't have a body mold or any of the necessary jigs to accommodate building a traditional uke, but I did manage to wrap my head around the project and I came up with what I think is a reasonable facsimile.

A 9-inch diameter black walnut nut bowl was gathering dust in my shop, so it became the body for the new venture.  A through-body walnut neck with Indian rosewood headstock overlay and leopardwood fingerboard was adapted to the bowl.  With the neck in place, the curly maple top was added to finish off the design.

I cut specially designed soundholes in the top to allow sound to escape the sound chamber (the bowl). But, to add a little oomph, two piezo transducer pickups were glued under the bridge and connected to an output jack, so Mag can play he 'uke' through an amp.

Open-gear tuning machines draw the strings from the exposed tailpiece over a custom made Corian saddle and nut.

tracy chapman - give me one reason (lyrics)

Susan Tedeschi ~ Hurt So Bad

The Rolling Stones - Honky Tonk Women - Live On Copacabana Beach

After Hours: Jimi Vincent

Making Of Martin Guitar's 2 Millionth Mark

Spare Time Stuff

There's always small pieces of exotic wood floating around my shop getting in the way during the guitar building process, so I decided to turn them into something useful . . . guitar picks.

Decorative hand painted duck decoys is another 35-year sidebar interest I've played with.  It doesn't take much to keep me amused.

When I get really bored, I resort to working on 'Piano Man' creations for my friend Ken Arthur's elaborate art ehibit, which he shows at galleries, museums, and universities around the State of Ohio.

This particular creation is a representation of my blues music playing friend James 'Super Chikan' Johnson.  All the pieces used in the construction of the figure are from the internal workings of a baby grand piano dismantled by Ken and given to various artists for their unique contribution to his exhibit.

These cool guys, Luigi and Gianni, who adorn the walls of our kitchen, are carved from chunks of poplar wood and hand painted with acrylic.  Another 'honey-do' project to keep the cook happy.





I like all types of artwork, but abstract pieces seem to gravitate toward the front of my skull when I grab a brush and a tube of acrylic paint.

I don't have a discription for this painting, but funky balloons come to mind when I look at it.

A fireball racing through the night sky over a city is what I see in this acrylic.

Others viewing this may see a helluva mess of mis-applied paint, but, it doesn't really matter, because it keeps me sane in the process.



And, when I really get bored and distracted, I turn to painting rocks for our flower gardens.

If you look carefully at the butterfly, you will see a message of peace and love in the wings, which is being surveyed closely by the psychedelic frog.

I think it's time to go find something to do.  More later.

Delivery Rig

I finally ran across an example of the perfect delivery rig for my guitar building gig.  It'll be a Harley 1200 cc two-banger that's street legal with lights and horn, and with a guitar nestled safely in a gig bag strapped on my back, I can fire up this scoot for a helluva good time making a delivery.  Yup, I'll wear a helmet, too, but it'll be a chrome military bonnet with flames painted on the sides.

'Bigfoot' on Journey to Hollywood

Hollywood calling...

'Bigfoot' is going to Hollywood to be a part of a Nickolodean promo shoot for a new Yeti episode. More later.

Geez, TotalRojo Guitars finally made show biz.

Get Acquainted With 'Raffaella'

'Raffaella', the latest creation to escape the workshop, is a six-string acoustic guitar.  I chose the Italian female name because it seemed appropriate at the time . . . and, it means 'God has healed'.

The only way I've managed to maintain my sanity the last couple weeks, while painters have taken over our home, is to spend as much time as possible in the shop working on the guitar.

It is pretty easy to craft an acoustic guitar now that I have experience under my belt, but I'm not into simply creating a guitar.  I want each creation to be different and unique, so I try to spice things up with a little unusual treatment.

The mahogany one-piece neck has a rosewood/mahogany combo headstock overlay; bison bone nut; and, cocobolo rosewood fingerboard with maple position markers on the edge.  You'll notice the tail curvature of the fretboard matches the shape of the headstock.

The Wenge (pronounced WHEN-gii or WHEN-ghay) body is a very dark, distinctive straight-grain Central African wood, which is heavy and hard.

Many guitars makers use wenge because of its natural beauty, which is often referred to as African rosewood or faux ebony, and because it is easy to shape and finish.

The bookmatched walnut pieces used to enhance the Sitka spruce top and to surround the multi-piece rosette inlay are highly patterned, and the color works well with the highly figured cocobolo rosewood fretboard and bridge.  My granddaughter Maggie thinks it looks like melted chocolate.

Black Grover tuning machines and ebony bridge pins finish off the overall appearance.

The headstock is a simple curve of mahogany to match the other elements. And, the head on the reverse side is rolled to add a different, but pleasant, effect.

The rosette inlay is created from 17 individually fitted pieces of mahogany, rosewood, zebrawood, walnut, yellow heart, and maple.

You will notice the absence of a logo on the headstock, which was replaced with a piece of cocobolo inserted into the internal vertical back brace, on which I painted the 'T' logo.

This photo shows the maple/ebony backbone stripe, which is inlaid into the vertical center of the back.

The heel cap is a combination of spruce, mahogany, and cocobolo rosewood, and the body binding is Indian rosewood.

Wenge is a medium brown wood, sometimes with a reddish or yellowish hue, with nearly black streaks.

However, the photo above of the interior of the guitar gives a better idea of how dark this wood can be. Photo flash brightened this shot.

This photo really demonstrates the beautiful grain of the cocobolo rosewood bridge, and the ebony bridge pins with abalone inlay.  And, the fretboard is exactly the same.  Both pieces were cut from the same stick.  Notice the maple position markers on the edge.

Internal bracing for the top and back is hand shaped and scalloped from mahogany stock

The 'X'  and 'ladder' brace patterns follow the Martin guitar layout from the pre-war (WWII) manufacturers design.

Some experts judge this style to be the 'best'.

Wenge Custom Acoustic Guitar

Body             14-fret dreadnought

Sitka spruce top w/custom inlay rosette – w/book-matched walnut overlay

                        Wenge back and sides

                        East Indian rosewood binding

                        Cocobolo rosewood bridge w/ bison bone saddle and ebony pins

                        Hand-rubbed satin finish

                        Custom scalloped mahogany ‘X’ top bracing

                        Custom scalloped mahogany ‘ladder’-style back bracing

Neck                One-piece mahogany, standard ‘C’ profile

                        Dual-action truss rod

                        Custom mahogany/Indian rosewood headstock overlay

Cocobolo rosewood 14-inch radius fingerboard w/custom maple position markers

                        25.4-inch scale

                        1-11/16 bison bone nut

                        Grover black enclosed-gear tuners recessed into headstock overlay

                        Hand-rubbed satin finish

Extras              Elixir extra light 010-.047 strings

                        Inlay hand-cut and assembled from exotic wood

                        Mahogany/Indian rosewood tailpiece w/ebony strap button

                        Maple/ebony centerline backbone insert

                        Cocobolo heel cap

                        Handcrafted in Mansfield, Ohio (USA)    TotalRojoGuitars.com

'Kalea'

The Chocolate Mango acoustic dreadnought guitar, which I've named 'Kalea', is fresh off the bench.

I chose the name 'Kalea', because in Hawaiian it translates to 'Filled With Joy', and that is exactly what best describes this creation.

Mango (Mangifera Indica) is a beautiful Hawaiian hardwood, which also grows in tropical Asia.  A medium to large tree that frequently grows to around 50-65 feet in height and 2-3 feet in diameter. Dark brown, but with streaks of lighter wood sometimes, even orangish in color.  It is often spalted, making a beautiful and exotic figure.  Mango is moderately heavy, works easily and sands beautifully making wonderful musical instruments.  The wood has a good bright tone similar to Koa. Chocolate Mango exhibits a lot of dark chocolate brown heartwood.  If you're looking to build a guitar that is both different and beautiful, give Chocolate Mango a try.

I first became acquainted with Mango a couple years ago while vacationing on Maui, and when I recently saw this particular guitar back and side set offered for sale I couldn't resist the temptation to use it to craft a guitar.

The following spec sheet below will point out the various characteristics of the creation.

Chocolate Mango Custom Acoustic Guitar

Body               14-fret dreadnought

                        Sitka spruce top w/custom inlay rosette

                        Chocolate Mango back and sides

                        East Indian rosewood binding

                        East Indian rosewood bridge w/ bison bone saddle and ebony pins

                        Hand-rubbed satin finish

                        Custom scalloped ‘X’ top bracing

                        Custom ‘ladder’-style back bracing

Neck               One-piece mahogany, standard ‘C’ profile

                        Dual-action truss rod

                        Custom inlay headstock overlay

                        East Indian Rosewood 14-inch radius fingerboard w/pearl position markers

                        25.4-inch scale

                        1-11/16 bison bone nut

                        Grover black enclosed-gear tuners recessed into headstock overlay

                        Hand-rubbed satin finish

Extras             D’Addario EJ15 phosphor bronze .extra light 010-.047 strings

                        Inlay hand-cut and assembled from exotic wood

                        Zebrawood tailpiece w/ebony strap button

                        Maple/ebony/walnut centerline insert on back

                        Wenge heel cap

                        Made in Mansfield, Ohio (USA)    TotalRojoGuitars.com