Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Queen of Hearts…
Prior to starting the build of this guitar, I had to give a lot of thought to changing the soundhole size and shape. As you can see it's heart-shaped. I finally settled on a design and the build began.

It was to be a special guitar in a couple of ways, 1- to be part of an exhibition and 2- to celebrate being married fifty years. I planned to have fifty hearts in and on the guitar. Soundhole, sound ports in the side, MOP, maple and ebony, inlays, and reinforcing cleats inside.

The back and sides are NGR, the top is Engelman spruce, a Qld maple and NGR neck, and a rosewood fingerboard. It has a 12-fret to the body 25” scale neck.

My plans about soundhole size and positioning worked out well as it turned out to be the best-sounding guitar I had built up to that time. The person that bought it thought so too, I had only played two chords as part of my demo, and they said I’ll have it. Thanks for looking.
Cheers Taff

Congratulations Taffy on your fifty years of marriage. This is a special guitar well thought out and inlay heart details are very appropriate reflecting the 50 years.

Wayne

"I had only played two chords as part of my demo, and they said I’ll have it. "

What chords were they??

That looks like great workmanship and that soundhole will certainly make it standout. I don't believe I've seen one like that before.

Good stuff.

Hi, thanks for the comments guys.
Dave, I got the inspiration from a guitar that was built for Eric Clapton by Zamaitis Guitars, years ago, and one played by Pete Seeger. Clapton's guitar was called Ivan The Terrible. In mid-1960 I asked Maton to build me a guitar with a heart-shaped soundhole, their reply was that they could not take the chance on such an expensive instrument.
Here are photos of more hearts. The guitar was exhibited for 3 months, and I often got a phone call from somebody asking where all the hearts were located and they would tell me how many they counted. Cheers Taff

I love the whole concept, and that you have engaged so many other people with it also. Your 50 years is a nice thing to reflect on also. The world is quite a different place now and it is amazing to think that you knew each other way back then, and endured all that lies in between.
A lovely instrument in so many ways.