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Koa 16” Archtop
http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=55272
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Author:  Brad Goodman [ Mon Sep 19, 2022 5:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Koa 16” Archtop

Curley Koa back, sides and one piece neck.
Ziricote Fretboard, bridge, pick guard, head veneers , tailpiece and binding.
Sitka spruce top
25 1/4 inch scale
1-3/4” nut width
3” deep
Kent Armstrong pick up encased in ziricote With stealth controls
Custom tuner knobs made by Bill Wise of Charis acoustic.
Nitro finish

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Author:  James Orr [ Mon Sep 19, 2022 5:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

Ridiculously cool.

Author:  Jim Watts [ Mon Sep 19, 2022 5:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

That's tasty!

Author:  bcombs510 [ Mon Sep 19, 2022 6:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

Got dizzy trying to quickly scroll down to the pics of the back. :D I scrolled back up to eye guzzle the rest. So good.


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Author:  dofthesea [ Mon Sep 19, 2022 6:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

Ya gotta love the Ziricote with the Koa

Author:  Chris Pile [ Mon Sep 19, 2022 6:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

Buttery golden beauty.

Author:  Colleen_M [ Mon Sep 19, 2022 6:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

OMG, spectacular!!

Author:  SteveSmith [ Mon Sep 19, 2022 7:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

Suhweeeet

Author:  Barry Daniels [ Mon Sep 19, 2022 9:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

Very nice. Did you make the tuner buttons too?

Author:  Clay S. [ Tue Sep 20, 2022 7:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

Lovely - Dream Guitars material!
I like the grain matchup between the pickup cover and pickguard. What kind of finish did you use on those items?

Author:  Brad Goodman [ Tue Sep 20, 2022 1:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

Barry Daniels wrote:
Very nice. Did you make the tuner buttons too?

No, they were made by Bill Wise of Charis acoustic he has a website he makes them on a CNC machine they’re absolutely incredible


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Author:  Brad Goodman [ Tue Sep 20, 2022 1:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

Clay S. wrote:
Lovely - Dream Guitars material!
I like the grain matchup between the pickup cover and pickguard. What kind of finish did you use on those items?

Nitro.


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Author:  Durero [ Tue Sep 20, 2022 4:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

Absolutely beautiful!

Author:  rlrhett [ Wed Sep 21, 2022 6:11 am ]
Post subject:  Koa 16” Archtop

Is that a flat or carved back?

More importantly, how is being used? Is it being played principally as an electric in a group? Solo? Acoustically? Finger style or plectrum?

Are you pleased with the sound (acoustic or electric)? Any serious feedback issues?

What do you have it strung with?

Absolutely gorgeous, btw.

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Author:  Victor Seal [ Wed Sep 21, 2022 6:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

Wowzer!! I drool over well executed archtops. Beautiful.

Author:  RusRob [ Wed Sep 21, 2022 9:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

Beautiful Archtop Brad, I would be interested in hearing how it sounds.

Very nice!

Cheers,
Bob

Author:  Darrel Friesen [ Wed Sep 21, 2022 11:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

Another gorgeous guitar Brad!

Author:  Brad Goodman [ Wed Sep 21, 2022 2:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

rlrhett wrote:
Is that a flat or carved back?

More importantly, how is being used? Is it being played principally as an electric in a group? Solo? Acoustically? Finger style or plectrum?

Are you pleased with the sound (acoustic or electric)? Any serious feedback issues?

What do you have it strung with?

Absolutely gorgeous, btw.

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It is an arched back carved from a full 1 inch bookmatched piece of Quartersawn curly koa.

All the archtops I build are first and foremost acoustic instruments amplified by a floating pick up as not to hamper the acoustic sound.

It can be played in any of the ways you described but at this point it doesn’t really get played because it’s not sold yet- it is for sale.

I’m very happy with the way it sounds it’s got what I call that great Archtop “quack”
No real feedback issues I used Kent Armstrong handmade pickups.

It’s strong with the Addario nickel medium strings 13 to 56


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Author:  Brad Goodman [ Wed Sep 21, 2022 2:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

RusRob wrote:
Beautiful Archtop Brad, I would be interested in hearing how it sounds.

Very nice!

Cheers,
Bob

I’m definitely trying to figure out someway to get a sound sample I need to find a real jazz player and they’re pretty rare around these parts…
Frank Zappa said “Jazz isn’t dead, it just smells funny”


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Author:  Ken Nagy [ Wed Sep 21, 2022 4:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

I love the guitar Brad.

The tailpiece is cool, but how is it attached. It seems like some are hinged? All I know is the adjustable tailgut. If I ever got out, and looked at guitars, maybe I would know more about what I am doing!

Do archtops have more power with the bronze strings than the nickels? Are the bronze more trouble to use with a pickup? I've never tried a pickup; don't have a speaker! Never put on a pick guard. The stings are so high; is it mainly for something to lean against? Looks? Mount and adjust the pickup?

Yeah, I don't know much.

I do know that they sound cool acoustically.

Author:  Brad Goodman [ Thu Sep 22, 2022 1:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Koa 16” Archtop

Ken Nagy wrote:
I love the guitar Brad.

The tailpiece is cool, but how is it attached. It seems like some are hinged? All I know is the adjustable tailgut. If I ever got out, and looked at guitars, maybe I would know more about what I am doing!

Do archtops have more power with the bronze strings than the nickels? Are the bronze more trouble to use with a pickup? I've never tried a pickup; don't have a speaker! Never put on a pick guard. The stings are so high; is it mainly for something to lean against? Looks? Mount and adjust the pickup?

Yeah, I don't know much.

I do know that they sound cool acoustically.

Ken,
The tail piece is attached by a piece of brass that I simply bend and then I drill some holes and inlay it into the bottom of the Tailpiece and use machine screws and tap the Ebony. It actually works great.
Most of the factory guitars and some anime guitars use a hinge with an all metal tail piece sometimes with a wood overlay just for aesthetics but they tend to be much heavier.

You definitely get more power with the bronze strings but the problem is the pick up won’t work as well with them.

The pickguard does serve several functions. It Allows you to mount the pick up without touching the face of course also some people do like to rest their hand or their pinky on it while playing.
Actually some people do colder finger rest not a big guard because there’s no way you got it at the top of a guitar with a strange being an inch off like you said

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Author:  Brad Goodman [ Sun Sep 25, 2022 3:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

Ken Nagy wrote:
I love the guitar Brad.

The tailpiece is cool, but how is it attached. It seems like some are hinged? All I know is the adjustable tailgut. If I ever got out, and looked at guitars, maybe I would know more about what I am doing!

Do archtops have more power with the bronze strings than the nickels? Are the bronze more trouble to use with a pickup? I've never tried a pickup; don't have a speaker! Never put on a pick guard. The stings are so high; is it mainly for something to lean against? Looks? Mount and adjust the pickup?

Yeah, I don't know much.

I do know that they sound cool acoustically.

Image
Here’s a picture in process of how I attach the metal bracket to the tail piece


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Author:  Ken Nagy [ Mon Sep 26, 2022 7:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

Thanks for that Brad. I hadn't given any thought to the tailpiece on the little archtop. Now I can sketch out some ideas.

Author:  Ken Nagy [ Sat Mar 18, 2023 8:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

A couple of questions Brad:

I have 1/32 brass. I that what you used, or thinner?

Wood screws to attach the brass to the end block?

Author:  Chris Pile [ Sat Mar 18, 2023 9:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Koa 16” Archtop

Have you got a buyer yet?

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