Figured Myrtle and Quilt Sitka Falstaff

I broke a few rules with this one. It was rather an unusual combination of materials, and for a change I actually made almost exactly what the customer asked for. I don't encourage "clients" to specify every detail, as the main purpose in going to a specific maker is to make use of their experience, and to follow the "ethos" that has built their reputation, but this guitar has gone to a special contact, a valued friend with whom I have a lot in common, particularly music and engineering. He writes for Acoustic Magazine, so altogether should know what he’s talking about.

Yes - quilted Sitka, not heard of that before have you? I was looking for some strong Bearclaw and found a supplier offering this. In effect, its a bearclaw mark in a much more regular pattern and far more concentration than the usual Bearclaw. I often say that one or two marks is a "fault", and lots of marks is a "figure", which would make this one Jayne Mansfield.

The bindings are Curly Koa, that's what the customer wanted. The neck is maple and walnut, again, by request. It's always difficult to decide what effect a neck has on tone - it seems to be more a question of its realtionship to the other timbers rather than any one parameter such as stiffness or resonance.

The top is probably the stiffest piece of wood I have ever handled, so it has plenty of "headroom", and a very even response. My brief time with it suggested flat picking to me, but the customer says it works great with fingers as well.