Now you can have one too!

I took delivery of my new guitar in July at the CAAS (Chet Atkins Appreciation Society) convention in Nashville. It's incredible!

Here's a video of the first time I played it, in the Sand Guitars display room at CAAS.

And here's a poster from the convention.

The text reads:

• Sitka spruce top

• Mediterranean cypress back and sides

• Brazilian rosewood back wedge and lining

• Brazilian rosewood trim

• Prismatone pickup and preamp

• Schaller tuners with ebony buttons

Here's another photo of the guitar, taken by Kirk himself.

. . . and from the back. Did I mention the Brazilian rosewood wedge?

I recorded a couple of audio clips so you can hear both the acoustic and amplified tone of the guitar. First, amplified with the Prismatone pickup/preamp system. 

Note: These clips were recorded when the guitar was only a couple of weeks old. It's really opened up in the last two months!

http://www.craigdobbins.com/sand-cdm-test.mp3

And a "quick and dirty"version of Nine Pound Hammer, using both mic (left) and pickup (right).

http://www.craigdobbins.com/nine-pound-hammer-clip.mp3

*     *     *     *

I confess. Sometimes I find myself just peering through the soundhole at my name on the label. (Smells good, too.)

Kirk's workmanship is incredible, and Sam Kennedy's Prismatone pickup and preamp are the icing on the cake. I'll post more clips and photos soon. In the meantime, I'll be playing my guitar . . .

Craig

For more info or to order your own Sand CDM, email Kirk Sand or give him a call at 949-497-5570. 

Nut and tuning machines

Kirk sent me this fun photo of the stages of making the nut, from the large chunk of wooly mammoth ivory to the finished nut (sitting just in front of the sound hole).

Here's the finished nut, #642.

The nut installed, but not yet notched. Kirk does beautiful work- a real artist and craftsman, down to the finest detail.

And a side view . . .

We decided on gold Hauser-style tuners with ebony knobs, from Schaller.

Here's a test fit. Looks great!

And a closer view . . .

The headstock design, Brazilian rosewood head plate, Schaller tuners, and ivory nut- gorgeous!

Next time- gluing the bridge!

-Craig

Making the bridge

While the first coat of lacquer is drying, Kirk turns his attention to the bridge . . .

"Any ideas on the shape?" he asked me. My ideas were something along the lines of John Knowles' bridge, but with swept wings to echo the angled fingerboard and heel, and the Brazilian rosewood wedge on the back. "I'll think on it," said Kirk. "The ends of the wings can be traditional square flat on the ends. I curved John's in a little. I'll play with curving the ends the opposite way."

Here's John's bridge:

And here's the rough drawing I sent to Kirk:

A couple of days later, I heard from Kirk. "It came to me in one second today. What do you think?"

"It is similar to John's, but not the same. It has the straight ends like your drawing. It mimics the other lines on the guitar too!" (That's the Prismatone pickup next to the Brazilian rosewood bridge blank.)

I gave Kirk the go ahead, and he went to work. First, he created an inlay for the tie block, using the same scheme as the soundhole ring and binding.

The finished inlay, ready to install . . .

. . . and a closer view.

Done! The tray will receive the Prismatone pickup.

Now, Kirk lacquers the bridge . . .

. . . and sets it aside to dry.

Next time- buffing and sanding the finish!

-Craig

Making the fingerboard

One day I received this cryptic email from Kirk Sand:

"I am having a creative moment on the end of your fingerboard. I want you to see this and tell me what you think."

Kirk had the idea of an angle at the end of the fingerboard, to echo the Brazilian rosewood wedge on the back. Here's the original fingerboard template:

Long story short, I thought it was great. Kirk made a mock-up to give me a better idea.

And a full size mock-up, cut from a length of blackboard.

Then, he had another creative moment, this time at my heel . . .

Why not cut the heel at an angle, to match the end of the fingerboard (which echos the Brazilian rosewood wedge on the back)?

I agreed, and here is the result. First, the heel . . .

. . . and now, the fingerboard.

The 12th fret inlay (my initials) came from an idea we tossed back and forth. I like the symmetry of the letters in this font- it looks more like a design than initials.

Here's the mock-up I sent Kirk. (It looked so good, I left it on for a couple of weeks. The further away you got, the better it looked- kind of like me.)

Here's another photo of the actual inlay.

Next time- frets and finish!

-Craig

Preamp rout and neck block

With the neck made, Kirk turns his attention to routing. Remember the access panel for the Prismatone preamp? Well, the top needs access too.

Kirk makes a template of the preamp and routs channels in the top for the controls.

The sliders will be accessible on the top of the guitar for quick adjustments.

Next, routing the neck block. Again, Kirk begins by carefully drawing a template.

"Measure twice, rout once!"

Now the neck block is ready to receive the neck . . . when it's finished.

Next time- the fingerboard!

-Craig

Making the neck

Now, to make the neck. Kirk has the raw materials laid out on his workbench. From left to right, ebony center strips, mahogany neck strips, and in front of Kirk's ledger book, solid mahogany for the headstock.

After the mahogany sides are joined with a center strip of ebony, the solid headstock piece is grafted on. The result- a very strong (and resonant) neck.

Brazilian rosewood face plate #642- that's me!

Now, the face plate is joined to the neck blank.

After everything is glued up, it's clamped and put aside to dry.

Uh-oh, it's routing time again . . .

Perfect!

Well, we have a body and a neck. It's starting to look like a guitar!

Next time- more routing . . .

-Craig

Routing for binding

With the box completed, Kirk turns his attention to the binding. "I love binding when I am in the mood or groove for it," he says. "I am really into this one- it will be fun!"

First, routing for the back and side binding.

A careful pass around the entire body creates a channel for the binding.

I told Kirk I wanted red in the binding. My first Kirk Sand guitar has green trim in the Indian rosewood binding, so I wanted something a little different. (I also thought it would look nice against the lighter colored cypress.)  Kirk suggested a black/white/red scheme, bound with Brazilian rosewood to match the soundhole ring. Below are the binding strips, ready for gluing.

You can see how the binding matches the wedge on the back of the guitar.

Another view.

And another.

Both guitars bound.

A view of the access panel.

And a closeup. Says Kirk: "This was fun! I like this cypress/rosewood combo. It's new to me, so it's fresh and exciting."

Next time- binding the top!

-Craig