stardust. a newfangled handmade archtop.

[Murray Kuun]

This is my newest hollow body, thinline archtop ... ... ...

[Jason Rodgers]

Say WHAT?!

[John Sonksen]

BEAUTIFUL

[Jason Rodgers]

Hey... HEY, you can't just post just one little teaser! We likes the gratuitous construction shots.

[Murray Kuun]

I'm still taking photos but please look for me on Facebook, I have a lot there (plus construction) and my pinterest page also has a lot http://www.pinterest.com/murraykuun/mur ... -lutherie/

[John Sonksen]

Interesting Murray, I've been tempted on my latest to leave a rough carve with gouge marks in it, really like the difference in texture there. I really like the design work on this.

[Mark Swanson]

Everyone please remember that the MIMForum does have a Facebook page too!https://www.facebook.com/MIMForum?ref=hl
So everyone is encouraged to go there and share photos and whatever else you want!

[Jason Rodgers]

That bridge is the coolest thing I've ever seen.

[Paul Rhoney]

That's stunning, I love it.

[Beate Ritzert]

Stunning.

[Michael Lewis]

Murray, you should get an award for design excellence for this one. Very nice.

[Patrick Hanna]

Murray,
I always get excited when I see a new thread from you, because I admire your sense of design so much. Each time you post a new guitar, I wonder how you will possibly top it with the next one. But you always do. I think this is an incredibly exciting body design. It really appeals to me. I'm not quite as excited about the notch in the head stock, but that's just a personal preference. I'm sure most people will find that equally cool. Very well done...as usual!
Patrick

[Michael Lewis]

Murray, I have been looking at the pic of your guitar and may be imagining things, but at first it looks to have a crest or ridge along the bass side from the upper bout and back just past the bridge. Or is that just a reflection? Either way it looks wonderful, but it does give me a couple ways to 'see' it. One with the crest, and one with smooth transition of the top from the edge across the top. And the dark areas along the edges, are they sculptured, added insets, or?

This pic is a real art piece, as it creates questions to explain what the eye sees, and offers different ways to see it. It's beautiful and at the same time not completely forthcoming with information, an enigma, a puzzle, and captivating at the same time. Great pic!

[Murray Kuun]

Thanks for kind remarks, MUCH appreciated.
It is carved in a (dis)continuous arch as per normal but I have a "crease" on both sides, maybe this pic is better?

Still cannot upload biggish pics here on MIMF.

[Murray Kuun]

The back.

[Steve Senseney]

Incredible design aesthetic.

Your work always always impresses me.

[Jason Rodgers]

When I saw the first pic, I thought the body was some sort of sandwich of woods, with contours revealing different layers. It would never have occurred to me that the darker woods around the perimeter are separate segments perfectly mated to the edges.

I also like the texture of the rough gouged section on the back. I've been following Rick Toone's blog and have been inspired by his juxtaposition of raw/rough hewn areas and super-precision machining.

[Jason Rodgers]

Question: The through-hole in the upper bout opens to the body cavity to function as a soundhole. I noticed on your pinterest page the concept sketches for a similarly-shaped instrument (carbon fiber) with the big cutout in the lower bout left open to the body cavity. There isn't a picture of the Stardust from the end pin angle. Is the scoop on this guitar open?

[Michael Lewis]

Murray, I'm curious about your construction. It looks like the top and back are set into the rim, which is solid one piece of wood. I'm guessing the rim was band sawed and or routed to shape and the top and back plates are set into / onto that. Yes, construction progress pics would be welcome.

I'm still dazzled. Your shapes and colors remind me of some of Michi Matsuda's work, another artistic genius.

[Murray Kuun]

There is a similar, but not the same, instrument on Pinterest (and partly built). There I have used a CF and spruce sandwiched dome for the top with a separate flat back. Still have to make a neck. I have held back on finishing it, Im concerned about the dome sandwich tap tone which is "blunt".
There are also concept graphics of the Stardust on Pinterest.
The costruction of the Stardust is a solid (10mm) frame sawn and sanded to the correct shape, the front and back are carved as one would for a normal acoustic archtop (inside and out)
The acoustic sound is not bad at all.
The "segments" are handcut to fit outside the perimeter and are not functional at all (just add some weight).
There are some construction pics on my Facebook pages.
This pic shows a bit of the rear "hatch" through which one has access to the pots. There will be a door on the opening.