This is my second effort at a Grand Auditorium, or 0000, style guitar. This guitar has a nice stiff, close grain, sitka spruce top. The back and sides are walnut. The binding is curly maple with walnut/maple purfling stripes. The neck is a walnut/curly maple lamination. I have used laminated necks for my electrics and decided to use it for this guitar, even though it is somewhat

 

I have added a number of design features that are different (I think improvements) compared to my first acoustic:

non-traditional for an acoustic. I like laminated necks for several reasons: it adds visual interest (the opposing view is that it makes it visually “busy”), and it makes the neck more stable, and in this case, with the use of maple, stiffer. The fingerboard, peghead laminiation, bridge, and pickguard are East Indian Rosewood.

 

 

for most guitars, which is quite painful for the traditional Martin style neck joint. Of course, with the adjustable neck, a neck reset consists of a simple set screw adjustment.

 

I am pleased with the design modifications. In particular, I will feature an adjustable neck in future guitars. However, I think the design can be simplified some. In comparing the sound to my first guitars, keeping in mind that I am very satisfied with the first models, I would say that the volume and treble/bass balance are similar, but the new guitar has a pleasing crispness to it, particularly in the bass. It is a bit hard to attribute the different sound to one particular change, but I believe improved bracing, in particular the flying buttress, are a factor; I also think the use of walnut back and sides as opposed to sapale is a factor. The guitar is also very light and well balanced.