One of our new models is making headway fast. This is the Russell slack key guitar, a custom version, requested by our customer and friend, Jeff Cook. Jeff wanted two non-round soundholes in an abalone type shape, and so he got them. He also wanted his pickup jack to be around the side a bit to accommodate his sitting position when playing. He holds his guitars in a fairly upright position when he plays. And does he play. We always enjoy hearing his music when he comes to the shop periodically to check in.

The model is almost certainly going to be named “Waimea” as suggested by Jeff.  The three of us have been talking about a good name for the slack key model for several weeks. We think Jeff has a winner here with “Waimea.”

This photo was taken last night. Jeff wanted to have photos printed for his trip to Hawaii where he will be participating in a slack key guitar music camp. He will no doubt return more excited than ever to have his new guitar. After I took some photos of the guitar body, I spent the evening in Photoshop-land, tweaking and resizing eight images for 4×6 and 5×7 prints for Jeff’s trip. I sent the files to him last night, and today I received a happy email saying he got them printed out before they had to leave and they look beautiful — all is good!

This guitar is made of flamed curly Koa back and sides and a German Spruce soundboard. It will have Madagascar Rosewood binding, end graft, bridge, and headplate. James recently cut the neck out from a Honduran Mahogany blank. He will be cutting the male extension of the dovetail joint on the neck and the pocket for the dovetail joint on the body within a couple days. Then he’ll start carving the neck.