Two Stellar Guitars Compared: Franklin OM and Sobell Model 1 (Recordings)

[alohachris]

Mahalo Brett,

Such lovely touch & emotion in your beautiful playing. Yes, it is the luthier, but equally yes, it's definitely also the player who gets the most out of precious timbers & cherished instruments.

One thing I was reminded of as I enjoyed your playing the two seemingly very different sounding guitars, was the recording & sharing mediums, & what may not be revealed in judging instruments through online recordings, no matter the type of file.

I know this is the medium we use today to compare sound, especially at this site. But I don't think I could get the full picture of the qualities of these fine guitars from any online file, even as I listened through a very nice recording studio signal chain & monitors.

Nothing beats holding a guitar, playing it, or sitting in a nice room across from a guitar being well-played to feel the qualities & potential of a guitar.

So I withhold any judgements I may have guessed at regarding these fine guitars.

What I'm left with, is a great impression of the musician's soul, through his music. Impressive!

Thanks again for sharing yourself here, Brett.

Mahalo a nui,
alohachris

PS: I've been lucky to have been in both Nick's & Stefan's shops long ago when we were all kids -alohachris-

[bdm0509]

Originally Posted by gitarro

So are you going to be keeping that Sobell, Brett? It would certainly make a fine contrasting sound to your Claxton.

I am... I couldn't resist. It's without a doubt the best guitar –for me– that I've ever laid my hands on. I'm just crazy in love with this instrument.

-Brett

[jonnymosco]

Originally Posted by bdm0509

I am... I couldn't resist. It's without a doubt the best guitar –for me– that I've ever laid my hands on. I'm just crazy in love with this instrument.

-Brett

Welcome to the club!

Jonny

[bdm0509]

Originally Posted by alohachris

Mahalo Brett,

Such lovely touch & emotion in your beautiful playing. Yes, it is the luthier, but equally yes, it's definitely also the player who gets the most of precious timbers & cherished instruments.

Wow, thanks so much. I really can't wait to get some better recordings where I can just "play." I was focusing as much as I could on playing the same, avoiding variation, etc. Now that I've got the Sobell claimed I plan to re-record those with video and many other tunes more how I'd play them given freedom.

Originally Posted by alohachris

One thing I was reminded of as I enjoyed your playing the two seemingly very different sounding guitars, was the recording & sharing mediums, & what may not be revealed in judging instruments through online recordings, no matter the type of file.

I know this is the medium we use today to compare sound, especially at this site. But I don't think I could get the full picture of the qualities of these fine guitars from any online file, even as I listened through a very nice recording studio signal chain & monitors.

Nothing beats holding a guitar, playing it, or sitting in a nice room across from a guitar being well-played to feel the qualities & potential of a guitar.

That's a very, very astute statement. I can't possibly pretend that if I'd heard those two recordings, I'd have known instantly (or even with study) that the Sobell was truly the perfect guitar for me. In fact, I don't think I would have known that at all.

But playing the guitar was something different, and by the time I'd logged an hour, I was sold. That was tactile as well as auditory, to throw a few nickel words around.

-Brett

[bdm0509]

Originally Posted by jonnymosco

Welcome to the club!

Jonny

Thanks! I appreciated your email a bit ago; it really did help me with the initial, "Yes, please send that Sobell!"

I also admit I'm looking at your Steinbeck videos with more than a little lust. I can hardly believe that Stefan and many others think the Steinbeck has "more" of everything that I love in this Model 1.

-Brett

[jonnymosco]

A pleasure Brett. I'd love to get my hands on the Model D Stefan's made for Martin Simpson. Stefan wrote this about it on his news page:

The Steinbeck D is a large guitar, built on my Model 2 body, with an extended (28.5″) scale. It has African Blackwood back and sides, a figured Sitka soundboard, and a Wengé neck, the same woods as the standard smaller bodied Steinbeck.

It’s designed to be tuned one tone below standard, so fitting a capo to the second fret gives standard pitch at standard tuning and standard tension. Played open without a capo it has a magnificent depth of tone; played with a capo higher up it blossoms as a different guitar, bright and ringing.

Very little Martin plays is in standard EADGBE tuning, but each of his tunings becomes a tone lower than on a standard scale guitar. So the low C he uses in his nearly open C tuning becomes a low B#, immensely low and rich.

[blindboyjimi]

Originally Posted by bdm0509

I personally find the Sobell much easier to play, for my style and technique. I love the wide flat fretboard, the wide string spacing and nut width (which feels wider still than the Franklin, which is 1 25/32" and 2 3/8", exactly the same as my Claxton), and the overall "feel."........The neck would be a more major fix. I've actually heard of others having Nick re-shave his neck on other Franklins, so I think the large neck is his style. Michael Watts would love it :-)
-Brett

Thank you so much for those comparisons and indeed for keeping the recordings so similar and "dry". I have tried a number of Franklins and own a Brz/German OM from 1989. All of the necks I have played (early 80's - 02) have been quite thin. I have a email to Nick that I am waiting for a reply to make me a new neck. I made a wider nut for it and that works well, but the neck is quite thin to me. I play mostly vintage Gibsons and Martins though. Are the newer necks thicker or do you think this was a custom for someone like me? A 1 25/32" nut with a 30's Martin 000/OM neck would be perfect.....I only live 30 miles from Mike Joyce. If you sent the mahogany Franklin back I may be in trouble!

[bdm0509]

Originally Posted by blindboyjimi

Thank you so much for those comparisons and indeed for keeping the recordings so similar and "dry". I have tried a number of Franklins and own a Brz/German OM from 1989. All of the necks I have played (early 80's - 02) have been quite thin. I have a email to Nick that I am waiting for a reply to make me a new neck. I made a wider nut for it and that works well, but the neck is quite thin to me. I play mostly vintage Gibsons and Martins though. Are the newer necks thicker or do you think this was a custom for someone like me? A 1 25/32" nut with a 30's Martin 000/OM neck would be perfect.....I only live 30 miles from Mike Joyce. If you sent the mahogany Franklin back I may be in trouble!

Well you're in trouble.... it's already back in California with Mike. Go check it out?

As for the necks, it's my impression that he uses big necks like that as his standard profile now. Mike Joyce was very familiar with them and it seemed the standard comment.

I've played two, one a 2015 and one a 2016. The 2015 was more manageable but still on the hefty side. The 2016 was truly large. Maybe not QUITE "giant" but it wasn't far off.

-Brett

[gitarro]

Originally Posted by bdm0509

I am... I couldn't resist. It's without a doubt the best guitar –for me– that I've ever laid my hands on. I'm just crazy in love with this instrument.

-Brett

Glad that my comment and query led to you finding the guitar th that had the tone that is just right for you! Please go ahead to post more clips of your sobell when you have the chance.

[ukejon]

Loved the tonal balance and natural reverb of the Franklin....just beautiful for this type of playing.

[JoeCharter]

OK so I stay away from the Custom Shop for a few days and you've bought two guitars?

Congrats. I would love to own a Sobell one day so regardless of the recordings that's my favourite out of those that you've showcased.

[bdm0509]

Ha, it's been a weird few weeks

I'm about to start a thread specifically on the Sobell as I'm now recording on it.

-Brett

[JJI]

Can't wait to hear your reviews on the new acquisitions!

[ianLP59]

Originally Posted by jonnymosco

A pleasure Brett. I'd love to get my hands on the Model D Stefan's made for Martin Simpson. Stefan wrote this about it on his news page:

The Steinbeck D is a large guitar, built on my Model 2 body, with an extended (28.5″) scale. It has African Blackwood back and sides, a figured Sitka soundboard, and a Wengé neck, the same woods as the standard smaller bodied Steinbeck.

It’s designed to be tuned one tone below standard, so fitting a capo to the second fret gives standard pitch at standard tuning and standard tension. Played open without a capo it has a magnificent depth of tone; played with a capo higher up it blossoms as a different guitar, bright and ringing.

Very little Martin plays is in standard EADGBE tuning, but each of his tunings becomes a tone lower than on a standard scale guitar. So the low C he uses in his nearly open C tuning becomes a low B#, immensely low and rich.

Hi Jonny - I've played it. It's a total monster...

Cheers,

Ian

[jonnymosco]

Grrrrr. He's playing at Llyn... can I wait till then?

Jonny