No. 168 Travel Guitar

Top wood: Kauri. This wood was sourced from a floor joist of an old building that was demolished in Invercargill.

Bridge wood: Kowhai - from a wind-fall branch at my property in Purakaunui.

Back wood: Silver Beech - Tawhai. From some planks of 200 x 50mm obtained 20 years ago from a retired boat builder here in Careys Bay. The wood is from Western Southland, milled 100 years ago.

Side wood: NZ Mahogany - Kohekohe. I had a crib in Purakaunui which I renovated some years ago. I discovered that the kitchen shelving was mostly constructed from this lovely wood. Have only a few pieces left - wish I could get more.

Headstock wood: Rewarewa. 30 years ago I purchased the contents of a retired cabinet maker's workshop in St. Leonards. There was mostly New Zealand native woods including a good stock of this beautiful decorative old and dry wood.

Fret board wood: Matagouri. A customer (a Thar-hunter) brought down from the Southern Alps mountains a couple of small logs of this spiky bush wood that grows mostly in the dry regions of the Central South Island. Left alone, in time it grows into a small tree. The logs were around 150mm in diametre and I counted over 150 growth rings. The wood is extremely hard and ideal for a fret board.

I have crafted a number of these wee guitars in 100% New Zealand native woods, both nylon and steel string with much success.  This travel guitar is crafted in the same dimensions as a baritone ukulele to fit inside the standard baritone ukulele case.  The case will fit in an airline overhead locker.

Machine Heads:  Gotoh SD90.

Stainless steel medium frets.

Scale length:  510mm.  Guitar fitted with medium 13s phosphor bronze strings.

Neck reinforcement:  Solid steel bar.

Finished with gloss oil varnish.