Build Thread: Michaud OO-R

[dreamincolor]

My Michaud Made OO-R is essentially completed—Joel is just finishing up the setup work and waiting for the custom case to arrive. Here are the latest photos.

Finish has cured and hase been buffed out. Neck has been fit and angle properly set. Bottom of the bridge being sanded to match the contour of the soundboard to prevent stress on the wings.



Setting the bridge position



The top finish routed and scraped for the bridge installation



A little something Joel calls the "Han Solo" treatment...



Fitting the bridge pins in the Bois de Rose bridge



A comparison of Bois de Rose before it gets the UV treatment along with some oil/wax. A trick for woods that react to UV rays... bridge is shaped, finish sanded and let sit in the wind with good sunlight exposure for two weeks or so, allowing it turn from bright red into a deep red, almost black. Joel favors Bois de Rose for its aesthetics (little pores, dark colour), density, and tone.



Pins are fitted and bridge is ready for the saddle



A shot of the "creamy" Engelmann soundboard



Prepping the headstock after finish—needs a little reaming to fit the tuners



Tuners!



The back (African Mahogany) after finish—before the neck was fitted



Very excited to get this one in my hands!!

[iim7V7IM7]

Very nice!

Thanks for sharing the nuances of your build. You must be very excited to get it.

[dcn]

Beautiful work! You must be thrilled.

Is having an instrument shipped from Canada to the US an issue tax / customs wise?

[dreamincolor]

Originally Posted by dcn

Beautiful work! You must be thrilled.

Is having an instrument shipped from Canada to the US an issue tax / customs wise?

Not that I'm aware of...

[Marcus Wong]

That is flipping gorgeous!!! You must have been extremely pleased with how the back turned out. When I saw it on his IG I was amazed by the transformation, I did not expect it to turn out the way it did.

And of course, I have been conversing with Joel about Boise de Rose as a bridge, that is one fine material. He tells me that he has only a few pieces left and is not able to find anymore! I might be getting one for my build after seeing yours Really lovely touch.

This is so similar to the Engelamnn/Koa I have from Joel in terms of look and probably sound. If that is the case...you are going to be one elated fella! And the sound only keeps getting better as it starts to open up I think what gets me most is the subtle overtones that is present and pleasing without being over bearing...perfect I would say. I shall leave the review to you when you have it in your hands

When are you expecting this beauty?

[dreamincolor]

Originally Posted by Marcus Wong

That is flipping gorgeous!!! You must have been extremely pleased with how the back turned out. When I saw it on his IG I was amazed by the transformation, I did not expect it to turn out the way it did.

And of course, I have been conversing with Joel about Boise de Rose as a bridge, that is one fine material. He tells me that he has only a few pieces left and is not able to find anymore! I might be getting one for my build after seeing yours Really lovely touch.

This is so similar to the Engelamnn/Koa I have from Joel in terms of look and probably sound. If that is the case...you are going to be one elated fella! And the sound only keeps getting better as it starts to open up I think what gets me most is the subtle overtones that is present and pleasing without being over bearing...perfect I would say. I shall leave the review to you when you have it in your hands

When are you expecting this beauty?

When I decided to go the mahogany family route vs. the rosewood direction, the figured African mahogany set was the first one Joel presented to me. He said it would look wonderful under finish and he also liked the physical properties of this particular set. Aesthetically, I find it very unique and beautiful.

Joel is just waiting on the case to arrive. I'm thinking it should be in my hands in 2-3 weeks!

[Brendan688]

Congrats, it's beautiful! Looking forward to hearing your hands on review. Which case did you go with?

[Marcus Wong]

Originally Posted by dreamincolor

When I decided to go the mahogany family route vs. the rosewood direction, the figured African mahogany set was the first one Joel presented to me. He said it would look wonderful under finish and he also liked the physical properties of this particular set. Aesthetically, I find it very unique and beautiful.

Joel is just waiting on the case to arrive. I'm thinking it should be in my hands in 2-3 weeks!

Definitely a great choice! I especially love how unique it looks. Does Joel have any reviews for you on how this particular build turned out?

Must be a bummer that the case is what's holding the guitar back! D: real excited for you though! Joel makes incredible instruments.

[dreamincolor]

Originally Posted by Brendan688

Congrats, it's beautiful! Looking forward to hearing your hands on review. Which case did you go with?

Brendan, I chose the Ameritage case.

Originally Posted by Marcus Wong

Definitely a great choice! I especially love how unique it looks. Does Joel have any reviews for you on how this particular build turned out?

Must be a bummer that the case is what's holding the guitar back! D: real excited for you though! Joel makes incredible instruments.

Yep, still waiting for the case to arrive at Joel's. It's a tough wait… especially because of a case!

[Brendan688]

I went with the Ameritage as well...going to ask Joel to order it earlier!

[Marcus Wong]

We all know you have your guitar already! Time to put up an NGD thread

[Billy Boy]

Wow! Your guitar is just downright gorgeous...I love it! I hope it turns out all you hoped it to be...and more...and I think it will...congratulations!

[dreamincolor]

Originally Posted by Marcus Wong

We all know you have your guitar already! Time to put up an NGD thread

Originally Posted by Billy Boy

Wow! Your guitar is just downright gorgeous...I love it! I hope it turns out all you hoped it to be...and more...and I think it will...congratulations!

My Michaud Made 00R12 finally made its way to me—the delay was caused by the Ameritage case, which was "lost at sea" for a while. I believe this may have caused Joel more angst than me.

The aesthetics of the guitar are simply beautiful. Joel's attention to the finest details is evident throughout the entire build. My guitar—a 12-fret, slot head— is an elegant mixture of traditional and modern design. The build is expertly executed with many tasteful accents.

I've had only a couple of hours of playing time. My initial impressions are positive. Firstly, the 12-fret, OO body configuration really works for me. I play in the "classical position" (guitar over left leg), and the fretboard is just right there for me—excellent ergonomics thus allowing for relaxed hand position. I'll be using this guitar for finger style playing exclusively, and Joel really nailed the setup. The guitar plays effortlessly up and down the neck. I played a couple of jazz and classical pieces, and chording is a breeze even in the higher positions. I also opted for wider string spacing (2-3/8") than Joel's standard (2-1/4"), and the result is perfect. That little bit of extra space really helps me.

I won't go into detail about the tone yet, as I really need more time with the guitar. Initially, I'll describe the sound as very pure—definitely not overly warm and certainly not muddy. The trebles are big and fat, and so far this is my favorite aspect of the guitar. I dislike acoustic guitars with thin, harsh trebles. These are the complete opposite—again, Joel nailed the tone in the highs I was seeking.

More to come, but I'm very pleased with the guitar and equally so with the whole build experience. It's been a fun and very positive journey. Joel is an absolute delight to work with, and a highly talented/creative builder. I hope many others get a chance to play and own a "Michaud Made."

[GaultierRedon14]

Wow, that really is a beautiful instrument. Congratulations, and enjoy!

[Marcus Wong]

I am so glad that you've finally gotten it! But a couple of hours only?? D: haha it slipped my mind that it was a slot head 12 fretter, looks spectacular. With your description and style of playing, I am extremely looking forward to your recordings.

With the OO-R Engelmann Koa I have, if yours is similar, you're going to be blown away after it starts to open up. Mine has a deep and cavernous sound as if the sound were projected from behind the guitar yet having the same amount of clarity and fat trebles, it is quite astounding you should look forward to growing with the instrument, Joel makes one heck of a guitar....

EDIT: Oh and your build has resulted in me going for a Boise de Rose bridge as well!