Koa Top S Series

This guitar was the first guitar I built after graduating Roberto-Venn.  It is the first of 5 variations of the “S” series guitars.  It was the first guitar that I tried gluing multi laminate veneers on the back of the headstock; one purple heart, the other flame maple.  It was also the first guitar that I used the the “finger” inlays on the fretboard and a combination brass/koa pickgaurd.  Now that I think about it, there were a lot of firsts with this guitar.  I used magnets to attach the electronics cavity cover plate which is koa with a tin backing.  This guitar was also the first one where I glued together a multi laminate neck of Birds eye maple and purple heart.  The truss rod cover is made of koa and has a concept idea for a logo.  I like the way it came out,though it does need some refinements.

All in all, this was a really fun guitar to build and fun one to play.  The neck is, to put it lightly, beefy.  A definite throwback to 50’s baseball bat necks.  If I were to make another neck like this one, I would make it not quite as much of a hand full.

I think the biggest lesson I learned is how much the neck wood has an effect of the overall tone of an instrument.  In the planning process I figured the guitar would be warm and mellow being that the body is chambered mahogany and the pickups are a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover set.  But boy oh boy does this guitar pop out at you!  The tone is thick, but very bright; much more than I expected.

The fingerboard is cocobolo.  The more I use that wood the more I love it.  I really like the way the gold mother of pearl inlays pair up with the rich colors of the cocobolo.  I’m not a huge fan of gold hardware but on this guitar, with the koa top and the cocobolo fingerboard, gold did the trick quite nicely.

Top everything off with a nice nitro finish and ya got yourself a pretty nice guitar.

Gallery

Specs

The Nitty Grittty

Scale length: 25”
Nut width: 1 11/16”
No. of frets: 22
Fret size: Medium jumbo
Fingerboard Radius: Compound, 12” to 16”                                                                                                                              Neck joint type: Set                                                                                                                                                                            Finish: Lacquer                                                                                                                                                                                Nut: Water buffalo horn

Wood

Neck wood: Birds eye maple/purple heart 5 piece
Body wood: Chambered mahogany                                                                                                                                               Top wood: koa                                                                                                                                                                     Fingerboard wood: cocobolo                                                                                                                                                 Pickgaurd: Koa on top of brass

 Hardware

Bridge: Schaller Tune-a-matic
String attachment: String Thru Ferules
Strap attachment: Schaller strap locks
Tuners: Schaller

Electronics

Pickups: Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers
Controls: 3 way blade switch, master volume, neck tone, bridge tone