Datlen OM-C Swiss/ABW Build Thread
 

If you’ve seen in the classifieds the nearly new Datlen I have up for sale then you may of seen this thread coming. The only reason it is being sold is because I am a VERY gentle player and this is a HOG/Adi guitar. I know I won't be able to open it up...but somebody who plays harder will and it is going to be a truly special instrument. After a few chats and John watching me play he saw that while the guitar sounds great in my hands, one with softer woods would really be wonderful for me.
Johns work is continually impressive (his work sounds so freakin good) and I’m really fired up about this.

We managed to get one of the nicest African Blackwood sets either of us has ever seen (!!!), Koa for the purfling, ebony binding, and John hand selected a gorgeous Swiss top for this guitar. It’s going to be his OM shape and it should begin any day now.


https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...779d6fd94d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7fc929aac0.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a77d143698.jpg

Excuse my ignorance here please, but is an ABW with a Swiss spruce top "softer" woods than the Hog/adirondack? ABW is very hard and a close substitute for BRW I thought and I was expecting you to say you were going to have a Cedar or Redwood top? Isn't Swiss Spruce still pretty close to Sitka or Adirondack or am I just an idiot???

Hi Tom,

Most Swiss spruce coming out of Austria/Switzerland/Fiemne is relatively low density compared to Sitka. Every piece of wood is different, so there is overlap, but the samples I've tested ranged from .32 to .41 sg, whereas I find most Sitka is more in the .37 to .48 range. People may have different numbers but that's mostly to say that the Swiss stuff is lighter by 15% or more. Adirondak is very similar to some of the European spruces in structure although I get the sense that it's all over the place in its density right now due to availability issues. I typically think of Adi as heavier than Swiss spruce as well.

The thing I like about Swiss spruce is that it's pretty low damping for a spruce. I tend to get a more "crystalline" sound from it, as opposed to woody.

Chris

I'm excited to get started on this build for Josh. He's been interested in an African Blackwood guitar for some time now. He does have a very gentle playing style so he wants a guitar that responds well to a light touch and has nice overtones.

Since he already has a Cedar topped Ryan with Brazilian back and sides, we decided to go for a spruce top. I selected an "Alpine/Italian" top from a big stack of AAA tops up at LMII. I am approaching this guitar with a more intimate knowledge of Josh's style of play and will build the guitar accordingly.

John is off to Hawaii for a little relaxin but before he left he sent me these pics. Looks like he will be getting after my guitar when he gets home! https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2967aa2721.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2f8048f03f.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...70ef525192.jpg

Congrats Josh! What a beautiful set of wood! The ABW is amazing......looking forward to following this build.
Fred

Cool! Looking forward to following along.

Great wood choice. Look forward to seeing this guitar built!

Stuart

Thank you Fred!

Ya buddy

Thank you, Stuart! ABW is my absolute favorite and this set is crazy straight/quartered.

JJ,

Funny... I think at one point I had that set in my cart at Hibdon. Or maybe a sister cut.

Chris

Well then thank you for not buying it ;)

Such amazing materials in the hands of an equally skilled builder. Can't wait to see this one progress! :up:

Getting to the good stuff...https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...89c6260dd6.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...36104f9164.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6a98e16550.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...794476b762.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...30e5bb0029.jpg

So you are finally getting your African Blackwood Guitar. "What a long strange trip it's been." This looks fantastic.

The headstock is ABW bound with ebony and the continued koa perfling from the body.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6bf43986c8.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...75f50423c8.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6f3f949378.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ed68e0722b.jpg