NGD (6 months ago) Greven 0000 Maple/Sitka

[robj144]

Sweet guitar! Congrats.

I have no idea why Maple gets a bad rap. Every single maple guitar I've played has been very full sounding.

[colins]

Originally Posted by pgilmor

I really like doing fingerstyle on it and then doing the same piece on the Woolson. I keep thinking "I like this one better... No, I like THIS one better.... No...) Two very different and complementary guitars.

Ain't it a great feeling! Congrats on getting a fine guitar that also complements your other guitar. Hope it continues to give you a lot of enjoyment .

Col

[mcduffnw]

[QUOTE=pgilmor;5416424]Time to show this one off and talk about it a little.



Tight grain, fwiw.



The Greven (blonde) and my Woolson's backsides



My Woolson all-hog doubletop (khaya), fan fret



Bearclaw Sitka



Maple back/sides



Koa binding







Really nice guitar. Very much on the vintage Martin end of things sound wise. I wanted something very much different than the Woolson, which is an amazing modern sounding OM sized instrument (think Taylor, but not really). The larger Greven ups the ante on big sound and deep, rumbling bass, without being a one-trick pony at all. Actually very balanced from lows to highs, (nice, thick trebles) with good sustain but not too much. Didn't want this to be a lap piano.

Once you see that it's maple, you probably think you know what it sounds like. Unless you've played one by a maple master like John Greven, you're just wrong. This is a very full sounding instrument, not at all thin or bright. It's got overtones, but does lean toward the fundamentals, as that's what I wanted. Punchy, sonorous, and LOUD! Wasn't really expecting that, but nice to have. It's easy to back off, but for late night fingerstyle practice I definitely have to grab something else that won't keep people up. Also, not that I use them much, but the harmonics just jump out of this guitar. Very easy to hit, even at the fifth fret, and are very loud and present.

I haven't tried to record with it (and probably won't), so I don't know how it does there. It is very responsive and can handle whatever I throw at it. I really like doing fingerstyle on it and then doing the same piece on the Woolson. I keep thinking "I like this one better... No, I like THIS one better.... No...) Two very different and complementary guitars.

Specs:
0000-14 fret herringbone model in flamed maple
Bear claw Sitka top, 1935 style scalloped braces
No fingerboard inlays, side dots only
Grover 18:1 statites (tuning machines)
Nut 1-13/16" (slightly less, in his words)
Spacing at saddle, I don't know, but on the wider side for fingerstyle. At least 2-1/4", maybe 2-5/16".
K&K pickup, Hiscox Pro II case. Different case is pictured.

Love the neck on this. When I went to his house, John let me play his personal Braz/Lutz OM (or is it a 000?) and I loved how easy the neck was to play. Does not feel as wide as it is. Slight V-shape to it, but it fills the hand nicely and is easy to slide or do barre chords, as well as thumb-over if yer so inclined.

In case you're not familiar, this is John's take on a vintage Martin build. Very, very happy with this one. I feel very fortunate to have two great guitars so different from each other from which to choose. I would love to get this Greven alongside a vintage Martin to see how it compares, sonically. Won't be anytime soon, but when I get back to the states I may try to find an Authentic to A-B it with.

AGF member McDuff played it before it was sent out last January, so maybe he'll chime in as well.

Hi Pat...

Yep...happy to chime in on the lovely guitar!

Not only did I get the chance to play it first...sorry Pat, the perks of being "Besties" with John and living so close, and visiting his house pretty much every week...but I got to watch the whole thing being made.

As you can see from the really nice pictures, it is a very handsome guitar, and the striping of the maple is truly striking and almost 3D like in the right light and angle. What you can't really see though, is how gorgeous the bearclaw is in the top...very very prominent and really nice and symmetric across the whole top, really nicely balanced looking.

As to the tone...it is very Greven...which is firm, resonant, warm, lyrical. To me, John's guitars sound very very musical...more than just the notes of music, there is a warmth and lyrical quality to the notes, the tone, and the dynamic response of his guitars that is just very musical. To me, some guitars I have played, including some extremely expensive, extremely high end/elite guitars are by contrast, very sterile and clinical sounding. Yes...the notes are strong and clear and accurate and the intonation is superb, and the dynamic response if top notch...but...the overall tone, the voice of the guitar just does not exude musicality. And this sense of lyrical, and musical quality to the tone of their guitar, is a sense that pretty much every Greven owner I have ever talked to has remarked about to me.

John just builds a really nice sounding instrument. There IS a reason that for a guy who has made almost 2400 guitars, that you rarely see them up for sale used, or lasting very long on market when they do come up.

Here is an interesting tidbit about this particular guitar, and I'm not sure if even Pat new this...

John was actually hesitant to use the top that is on this guitar, which I believe was supplied by Pat. Though it was very striking visually, John was not all together sure that the tap response of this top in the rough, was such that he could easily and accurately build it to get the tone and response that Pat wanted from the guitar. John had to ponder and ruminate a bit on this top to get a sense of how he could voice it, to get to where they wanted to go. It was touch and go for a while, as to whether this top was going to end up on the guitar, but, in the end, John figured out a sense of direction on the bracing/voicing to get home using this top, and it certainly seems that his intuition and knack for voicing won the day in the end. John is a VERY intuitive luthier...a lot of what he does, he does by feel, and by innate sense, and by 56 years and 2400 guitars...plus all the repairs, and conversions...worth of experience. Just a knack he has. You have to watch him work to understand. He makes it look soooooo easy and simple, especially with how little tooling, machine work he uses.

Congrats to Pat...on a wonderful guitar...but seriously...how bout some sound clips to go with the terrific pictures...please?!

duff

[pgilmor]

Thanks Duff! Actually, that top was one that John had ordered for a customer who changed his mind on the bearclaw idea, and it had been kicking around his shop for years. When we talked about it, I told him he was free to choose a different one if he thought it was warranted, but I must say I am very happy he was able to make this one work. I did know it took some work to get the voicing right, but that's why we hire these guys, right?

[mcduffnw]

Originally Posted by pgilmor

Thanks Duff! Actually, that top was one that John had ordered for a customer who changed his mind on the bearclaw idea, and it had been kicking around his shop for years. When we talked about it, I told him he was free to choose a different one if he thought it was warranted, but I must say I am very happy he was able to make this one work. I did know it took some work to get the voicing right, but that's why we hire these guys, right?

Hi Pat...

Now...I guess I should clarify...

When I say John had to think about it for a while...that means like for about a day or two, which is a long time in John's building style. The man is very fast at the building process, and those who understand the build process, and have watched him work, come away pretty amazed at how quick and effortless he makes it look, and that includes repair work as well, and especially with how little tooling, power and hand tooling, he uses to do the work. As John says, his shop is tooled up at about the level of Martin/Gibson in the 30's. But out of that shop, I have seen him completely build a guitar...a demo guitar for the 2011 GAL conference where he gave a talk and listen seminar...in as little as 18 hours, including finish.

duff

[tippy5]

Congratulations and many happy years playing your beauty. Great design.

[Tony Burns]

John is one the worlds top luthiers , and he makes fantastic instruments .
mine still enthralls me.

[Bill R]

Hi Pat,

Thanks for sharing the description and pics of your new Greven. The maple is gorgeous. I'm in the final stages of ordering a curly maple 00 from John, and if your guitar is any indication of the quality of maple John has, I'm also in for a real treat. Enjoy your new masterpiece.

Bill

[Brucebubs]

Beautiful guitar.
I have a maple Huss & Dalton MJ Custom that shares many of those characteristics.

[Blind Dog]

Grevens are exceptional guitars. Grail.

A bunch of members are going to need forgiveness.

I plead justifiable envy.

[bobster7]

Wonderful guitar, would really love to hear a brief sound clip if possible as I’m intrigued by maple guitars. Greven guitars are on my ‘must try’ list. I think TAMCO used to stock them here in in the UK but not anymore.

[Rockysdad]

Ahhh, ..…...Zombie thread, yet again.

[blindboyjimi]

Wow, I’m a big fan of that Greven. I was under the impression John retired. Was this one of his last guitars or is he still building away? And was this a spec guitar or custom for you? Either way I love the choice of an 0000 size Maple and a Sitka top to keep it warm and not strident. Maple in the right hands is one of my favorite tone woods. Congrats!

[mcduffnw]

Originally Posted by blindboyjimi

Wow, I’m a big fan of that Greven. I was under the impression John retired. Was this one of his last guitars or is he still building away? And was this a spec guitar or custom for you? Either way I love the choice of an 0000 size Maple and a Sitka top to keep it warm and not strident. Maple in the right hands is one of my favorite tone woods. Congrats!

Hi blindboyjimi

For all interested...no...John Greven has not retired, and is still building away at the same pace as always, and has no plans to retire anytime in the near future. He may slow down from his current "normal" pace of about 35 to 40 guitars a year, at some future point in time, but for the time being, it is business as usual for John.

He had stopped taking orders for about a year, or so, as he had built up quite a backlog of orders, and wanted to get that under control, which he has now for the most part accomplished. He is still working away finishing off the backlog orders, but, he has taken a very few new ones...very few. He is being selective on new orders for the time being, just to make sure that he gets the back orders all finished up.

If you are still interested in having John make you a guitar, by all means, contact him, and see what the options are.

You can email me here as well, and I can help give you some idea of where things are at.

duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher