The Little Ones

A very small guitar with a classic look, that was the request I got from a former client of mine. But it should be a 13 fret guitar....

So I started drawing and came up with a template that was basically a size 1 in Martin sizes, it has 330mm across the lower bout. It is a slim and long shape that is reminiscent of guitars from the early 19th century when spanish guitars especially from the Cadiz school became very popular. This style was a departure from the "Wiener Modell" with it´s distinctive figure 8 shape and influenced American guitar makers, like C.F. Martin Sr., as well as guitars made in Europe, think of Panormo in London.

For me it is especially interesting because in todays standards this is tiny. I have been building dreadnoughts and baritones in the last two years and this project will be something entirely different.

And because it is such an unknown terrain I am heading towards I decided to make it two. One is a 13 fret guitar in a Style 18 with Mahogany back and sides and a spruce top for 1963. The other a 12 fret Bubinga and "just a regular" spruce. The Bubinga guitar also comes with a carbon bar in the neck instead of a truss rod, something I have been interested for years. 

   

And to make things even more fun I started this as a first project in my new workshop without my bandsaws so it´s all cut by hand with a japanese saw. Happy handskills.