Snow in Africa

Inspiration can come from many places. And for many who are commisioning their first handmade instrument it becomes challenging to restrict ones imagination and keep things cohesive. There are so many options and possibilities and more and more ideas are coming in the process. I have been there more than once that I had to say no to clients wishes or questions like "can we add this...". Maybe not this time. Take a step back and think about the guitar. Keeping it simple and following a few key concepts, if even... maybe just one theme. Or two. Yes, two is a good number. 

So for guitar no. 43 I am building a comission for a client who had so many ideas. But the main inspiration was twofold. It´s his favorite tale "Snowwhite" as it goes: "skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony". That has become a major theme for choosing the woods and colours. The second inspiration comes from the country he has lived in for more than 15 years which is South Africa. I  had to nickname it "Snow in Africa" of course.

The work on "Snow in Africa" started with a central piece which is the rosette. The wooden mosaic itself is created with Padauk, Ebony, Black Limba, Mahogany, Madagaskar Rosewood, all timbers native in Africa. This is contrasted with an outer ring of macassar pearl that almost looks like ice to get that "snow" effect. 

The wood choice for the back and sides is not been ebony, like in the tale but rather some African blackwood. Combined with a pale white swiss spruce top. The Ebony headstock, fretboard and bindings will be decorated with red lines made of Padauk veneer.