This guitar was designed to replicate a similar guitar that our customer previously owned and regrettably sold. How many of us have done that and wished we had a time machine to reverse a lapse in judgement? This “black burst” MiniMac body features a beautiful vintage set of ribbon striped 1950 Honduran Mahogany back and sides under a rare 1959 Sitka Spruce top which was shaded with a unique, one-of-a-kind, custom mixed blue paint. The rosette uses a “quad ring” of abalone shell to add just the right amount of bling to this amazing sounding guitar.
Occasionally we get some challenging requests from our customers but that is what makes our job fun. Recently a customer wrote and asked if we could make musical instruments from an item that was special to their parents and recently bequeathed from the estate. We agreed to make the trip and look at the “wood” in person. When we arrived, we discovered a beautiful old mahogany Milton Baby Grand Piano on which the girls in the family learned to play by taking lessons from their mom. Since none of them had the space in their homes for a huge piano the question was how do we “split” this piano between sisters and to perpetuate their mom’s musical legacy?
After looking the piano over carefully, Mary and I agreed to take on the project which was spearheaded by one of the girls who planned to surprise her sister when the project was completed. We began harvesting what wood that we could use from the piano. Most came from the piano’s lid and keyboard cover. The frame was unusable since it was curved and laminated. I had a hunch that the “mahogany” was not solid and likely veneered but she was OK with that since she had confidence that we could meet her expectations.
While we were inside the piano, we found the serial number, stamped into the wood and also cast into the heavy steel harp. The serial number later proved to be quite helpful to identify more information about the piano’s history. The internet can be a trove of useful information and it can also lead down dead-end roads. We found an antique dealer who was able to tell us, by using the piano’s serial number, that this particular piano was built by Milton in 1907 in New York City. In the end we were able to build two ukuleles, a MiniMac and a Skeeter guitar from the wood we salvaged.
A teenage young lady and her father approached us to build a very unique guitar. Brooklyn is a local to us singer and songwriter who wanted to design a guitar that would develop her brand which is uniquely “pink”. She wanted the guitar to tell a story, to encapsulate the first song that she had written, “2 Be Me”, to make this guitar instantly recognizable as uniquely hers as well as to inspire her to write more songs with and to be her main gigging guitar for on-stage performances. She chose a beautiful set of E. Indian Rosewood to build the MacNaught body for its full rich sound then we paired that with an Adirondack Spruce top to match her unique and evolving playing style. She also chose a Manzer Wedge body to better fit her ergonomically. Brooklyn chose each inlay element with specific ideas to represent her personality and blossoming music style. After several emails of deliberation this is what we came up with, which she drew inspiration from our Memphis Knights guitar.
Mary designed this guitar to commemorate our 300th guitar that we have built as of 2025. The back and sides of this LowLander model were salvaged from the rear door of a New York Central Railroad Caboose. Our research shows that the number, stenciled above the door, indicates that the caboose was built in Oswego, NY sometime between 1902 and 1923. The door is built from American Rainbow Poplar.
The old growth Redwood top was salvaged from the frame work of a railroad water tower, used to fill steam locomotives. The water tower was dismantled in 1950, somewhere in Oregon. Read full article here >
This guitar was designed by our customer Richard in memoriam of his wife and best friend that he affectionately nicknamed “Zoe”. He chose our SDG (Soli Deo Gloria) body of Tasmanian Black Acacia with a Florentine cutaway, double sides incorporating the Linda Manzer Wedge for added comfort and Tim’s unique “Hollow Back” design to increase volume and projection while the player is seated or standing with a strap. Richard is also a fan of 12 string guitars so we accommodated that request as well.
Tim also added another internal design feature that he calls the Re-Echo Disc which is another vibrating surface that increases volume, projection and response at all dynamic playing levels. The top is Colorado Blue Spruce with subtle bearclaw figuring. Inlayed into the top is a mosaic rosette design that reminds us of the Bible story of Joseph’s Coat of Many Colors. Tim also replicated that design element into the peghead and end wedge.
Purple framed New Zealand blue Abalone shell inlays abound in the top and back purflings, back center seam strip, rosette, fretboard purflings, fretboard inlays, bridge pins and peghead which frame and showcase the woods chosen for this one of a kind custom build. The fretboard and bridge are of Mesquite where Richard is originally from. The dual turtle shaped side sound ports are favorite creatures of Zoe and the family kinder. The yellow rose, inlayed in the back side of the peghead was Zoe’s favorite flower with a Lone Star state flag in the background.
Thank you for allowing us to build this wonderful guitar in remembrance of Zoe. It’s been a truly special project for us in which we have not only gained another member of the McKnight Guitar extended family but also a friend.
Mary designed this guitar around her friend’s son Spencer. The MacNaught body of figured Honduras Mahogany back and double sides is trimmed with red Bloodwood bindings. Tim used an Appalachian Adirondack Red Spruce top that is sure to please any discerning bluegrass flatpicker. Mary also designed a red bloodwood tree silhouette for Tim to inlay into the Wenge fretboard and a white Mother of Pearl dove flying high above.
Mary designed this HighLander guitar to be a very comfortable couch guitar but also “glitzy” to compliment the extremely figured “eye candy” African Ziricote back and double sides. The Italian Fiemme Spruce top is highlighted with blue Abalone shell inlays in the outer perimeter and rosette. She also chose to showcase additional abalone shells that Tim inlayed into the fretboard and fingerstyle peg head.
Mary designed this guitar to have a Southwest theme. She chose blue Arizona Turquoise and Green Banded Malachite for the fretboard and bridge pin inlays to compliment the New Zealand Abalone shell used in the rosette and top purflings. The Slope MacNaught body back and double sides are of African Makore wood with a Appalachian Adirondack Red Spruce top.
