About the Blackwood Guitar Company
Hi, I am Ted Brown, designer and builder of fine acoustic guitars at Blackwood Guitar Company in Mallorytown, Ontario, Canada. I have over 40-years of experience as a trained cabinetmaker and woodworking teacher. In 2010 after taking guitar lessons, my interest turned to making guitars. After making several guitars, I went to study under world master guitar maker Sergei de Jonge in Chelsea Quebec. Guitar making is a burning passion for me.
We have now built Blackwood Guitar Making Workshop in Mallorytown, Ontario. It is an interpretive center, where tourists may drop in and receive a guided tour. We are making guitars by hand, in the traditional way. Visitors will see guitars in progress and will be able to ask questions of the resident Luthier, Ted Brown. 5-week guitar courses are given 4 times per year. Visitors may visit during courses and get a tour. They will be able see guitars being made and ask students about their journey in craftsmanship. We literally start with a pile of lumber, and in 5-weeks we craft fine acoustic guitars. No appointment required.
Why buy your guitar from an independent craftsman?
The answer here is simple, an instrument is the sum of its details. As an independent maker I make many decisions all along the way that ultimately affect the look, feel, and most importantly the sound of your custom guitar.
I hand select every sound board, and test it for tap tone to ensure it will be sensitive, musical, and lively. A hand-picked set of sides and backs is then matched to this great sound board. The combination of woods selected will develop the tonal character of your guitar.
As bracing is added to the soundboard during construction, each brace is carefully carved while the sound board is tap tested until it responds with good separation of notes, and a good display of musicality. The same is true for the bracing on the back of the guitar; a secondary diaphragm that adds to the overall sound that you experience.
Unique Features
At Blackwood, we make all our guitars double sided. This adds strength to the structure and increases sustain.
We also use a custom neck block that we make in house. It attaches to the front of the guitar and also attaches to the top and bottom panels, making the block extremely stable. The neck is double-bolted to this bullish block. The block is a big part of the reason you won’t need a neck reset on a Blackwood guitar.
All our guitars also sport 2 carbon rods in the neck on either side of the truss rod. This stabilizes the neck so it won’t warp or twist — and again, adds to sustain.
Our 5-piece necks not only look good; they add significant strength to the neck, especially in the volute area on the back side just below the headstock. This strong neck is very unlikely to break if your guitar should be dropped, while the added rigidity further enhances sustain.
The use of Asymmetrical bracing on our sound boards adds “colour” to the sound. The resultant increase in overtones is notable in Blackwood Guitars, part of the many little details that make a difference.
Finish
Finish is critical to good tone. The ultimate goal is to keep whatever finish you use thin, and somewhat flexible so that it does not dampen sound. Spray-on film finishes such as Nitrocellulose Lacquer and Polyurethane offer good durability, but lose just a wee bit of sound in the high end. Alternatively, we offer hand applied French polishing (shellac) for your instrument. Factory guitars do not offer polish because it is a difficult, time consuming method for obtaining a beautiful, thin finish. Polish takes time (about 20 hours), but pays off in great sound. The down side is that French polish is not as durable as the film finishes. Your choice.
Blackwood Guitar Company | (613) 292-1985 | info@blackwoodguitar.ca