Custom Polynesian Inlays on Koa Lap Steel

[Matthew Nigro]

More Pictures: http://www.isemanguitars.com/wc-0154.html
Iseman 'Custom' Koa Weissenborn - Polynesian Inlays

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This is an Iseman Koa Weissenborn Style Guitar inspired by the original Hermann Weissenborn's Style Lap Steel invented in the early 1900s. ~ Aesthetically this guitar is inspired by local Hawaiian Lap Steel Player Tavana. It incorporates some of the polynesian artwork used on his original custom Weissenborn. ~ Iseman's Lap Steel's are 100% Handcrafted in their shop in the Kaka'ako District of Honolulu, Hawai'i. This guitar is made from strictly 'Fallen' Big Island Koa. This Hawaiian Koa is only taken when the tree is dead, it is never cut, and it can only be locally sourced and used. The Koa is from the Slopes of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa at an elevation about 5000 ft, known locally as the best. This is handpicked and milled into large cants, which we then mill and air dry for instrument grade use. We source Koa that is very consistent, dense and not too mention highly figured. Typically we source aged trees that have lived their life out and have developed a great density and figure, which produces a better sound. The guitar is finished with a shellac and oil combination, which is an older method that was used by Hermann from 1916 to 1926. At the time Hermann also had a great source of dense Hawaiian Koa that was air dried, rather than kiln dried, which he used for nearly all his weissenborn builds. This era was known as the best sounding Lap Steels that he has produced, and it also gives credit to this finish process, before he switched to Lacquer. This is a similar method used by Stradivarius on his violins, which today sell for upwards of a million dollars, and many credit the sound to the Shellac and Oil combination he used. The thin layer of shellac/oil enhance the soundboard and brings out the natural tone and complexities of the Koa. This Guitar sounds beautiful and rich with deep complex tones with an almost infinite Resonance. This Koa is a very superior tonewood with a beautifully crisp even range and large volume output.


Aesthetics:
Binding: Rosewood - back, top and around the headstock
Side Purfling: Maple
Top Purfling: Maple, Rosewood & Bloodwood
Rosette: Custom Polynesian Style Rosette by Mark Iseman - Maple/Rosewood
Tailstrip: Custom Matching Polynesian Style Tailstrip
Fretboard: Rosewood with Maple Fretmarkers & Paua Abalone Shell Inlay Position Markers. Bound with matching Maple, Rosewood & Bloodwood.
Bridge: Handcarved Rosewood with handcarved cow bone nut and saddle.
Bridge Pins: Rosewood
Tuners: Grover 18:1 Sta-tite Tuners. Open Gear.
Bracing: is an X- pattern bracing made of Sitka Spruce. Bracing pattern has thicker braces, larger bridge plate, and is very structually sound creating a larger volume soundboard.
Headstock: Handcarved made from Koa or Mahogany.

Specifications:
​25" Scale
Height: 37.5''
Upper Bout: 10.3''
​Lower Bout: 15.5''
Depth 3.25''
Nut Width: 2"

Hardcase & Express Shipping Included.
Lifetime Warranty Included
Serial #: WC-0158
​Retail: $6000
More Pictures: http://www.isemanguitars.com/wc-0154.html

[Chris Allen]

Serious beauty. Love the inlay.