Serial Number 052

Orchestra Model Modern – Pistachio

Started on May 08, 2026, completed on June 24,, 2026

This one has been long awaited – using Ebony back and sides. I have always held off on certain woods because of the price point but I feel this is a good time to start getting into those woods.

It didn’t take long on deciding on a 4A Caucasian Spruce soundboard set knowing that I will be using Macassar Ebony for the back and sides. This would be a premium build for sure.

Building an Orchestra Model size was the best option in terms of using up the most of the Ebony boards. I feel this way when I have woods with really great pattern or figure. I feel it would be a waste to use it up on a Parlour build unless it was a customer build.

I had to add wings to the lower bout on the back as the boards are slightly small for OM size. I did consider to make a bevel on one or both of the lower bouts because of this but when I tried to visualize it, it just didn’t seem right.

Black Walnut for a neck was chosen after some colour comparison with a couple of other tonewoods I had in mind for the build. It doesn’t quite match the Macassar Ebony colours but it does keep the colour theme on the darker side.

After checking the inventory list and seeing how the Ebony fingerboards looked, I decided on a piece of Macassar Ebony. Didn’t even know I had some. Kind of my usual on keeping the same tonewoods for the build. Even though the fingerboard colour isn’t quite the same as the body wood, I felt it was a better match compared to anything else I had in stock. And staying with the Ebony theme, I just went with a piece of 3A Ebony for the bridge as well.

I initially was hoping to get some cat themed shapes CNC’d but there was another project going on at the same time. Eventually I ended up using the dremel to cut out cat paw prints and a cat along the side panels. I also cut a partial cat head shaped sound hole but it is little on the small side as it is hard to get my hand in. I am hoping not to need to do any work in there in the future.

A new thing I tried on this guitar is a carbon fibre bridge plate. I did see it on a modern Martin guitar and thought that it would be worth trying. I imagine it should help with the tone as carbon fibre has a faster velocity of sound than any wood and it would add strength to the bridge area.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from an Ebony guitar but this build has good volume considering how small the sound hole is, a clear tone and lots of sustain to go with it.

SPECS

Body Orchestra Model

Scale 25.34″

Top Caucasian Spruce 4A

Back Macassar Ebony

Sides Macassar Ebony

Neck  Turkish Walnut with Bloodwood strip

Fingerboard Macassar Ebony

Bridge Ebony 3A

Tuning Machines Gotoh 510s

Strings D’Addario EJ26 Phosphor Bronze