My name is Leila Sidi and I’m a woodworker and dad-joker in Edmonton, Canada. I’m also an occupational therapist who thinks about the state of the world a lot, and as a result I’m constantly considering bodies and how they function. So naturally with TunaTone I aim to make instruments that are lightweight, ergonomic, and comfortable because a guitar should enable playing rather than act as a barrier.
Since I’m not a musician and don’t play guitar, my mentor and friend Dion James has helped me throughout the learning process of my craft to demystify the instrument by dissecting it into its most functional elements. That process has drawn me to boldly simple design choices, including ones that require me to manufacture my own hardware. I’ve also relied on the expertise of friends who are professional musicians to guide me in choices around tone. In particular, Jenni Roberts and Aaron Parker have helped me—through conversation and listening to music together—discern that I love a warm, woody, and well-balanced tone that is sufficiently bright, which is what I’ve chosen for my instruments. (For more information about the relationships I build alongside my guitars, read my previous Curriculum article, “Luthiery and Reinvention: The Interdependence of TunaTone Instruments.”)
In May 2020, Fabi Reyna and I started talking about the She Shreds build. We oscillated between a standard six-string electric guitar and a baritone, eventually landing on the former for its versatility. While it’s not uncommon to inquire about certain specs or customizations when planning a guitar, Fabi had virtually none. She very much just wanted me to do what it is that I do and build her the guitar that I’ve spent three years prototyping and dialing in at every angle, measurement, and detail. The model I built for her is called the TeenyTuna. It is on the shorter side of a standard scale length at 24.75” and has a single-coil neck pickup which is handwound by Roadhouse Pickups, as well as handmade brass appointments with custom stainless steel hardware.
I’m going to walk you through some of the parts of the months-long process of the build, focussing on the most enjoyable parts, most arduous parts and my favourite collaborations.
Comments
Very nice work. Is the bridge adjustable in height from the back, or do you use shims underneath?
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