When we set about designing my signature model guitar, one of the first questions Kirk Sand asked was "What kind of wood?" I have always liked flamenco guitars, so I replied "What about cypress?"
"I love cypress!" Kirk enthused, and we were off. He found some beautiful Mediterranean cypress, and I chose a set for the back and sides. (Kirk says it smells as good as it looks.)
Back in the 1980's, I owned a Martin D-35, which had a three-piece rosewood back. Borrowing the idea, I suggested a three-piece cypress back to Kirk. "Why don't we do a Brazilian rosewood wedge?" he asked. I agreed, and he selected a gorgeous wedge of Brazilian from his private stock. Here is the cypress/rosewood/cypress back, glued up and template traced.
We decided on a Sitka spruce top, and Kirk drew a template to my specs. I wanted a cutaway somewhere between Django Reinhardt's Selmer-Maccaferri and Jerry Reed's customized Baldwin electric classical.
Here's a closer view of the top template. The deep cutaway will allow plenty of access to "the dusty end of the fretboard" as Chet Atkins used to call it.
The design also gives me an extra fret on the first string. Guess I'll have to work up a lick using that note.
-Craig
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