NGD- Leviora fan-fret

[Kray Van Kirk]

It's the bone saddle for now - I've not made any mods to it other than having the saddle lowered slightly on the bass end.

Another detail I found out from Thomas in an email recently is that the fret board has a cone radius for improved string setting, meaning that every fret has a different radius. I'm generally pretty clueless about lutherie (aren't there supposed to be two types of player? One type who can identify the specific slope on a mountain near Sitka where the spruce for a given top came from based solely on grain pattern, and the other type who mutters "Umm... it has six strings and you press down here... I'm the second type), but that seems pretty impressive! I had assumed all fret boards, even though curved, had a standard radius.

J.R. - let me know where you are, and if I pass through town you are welcome to have at it! Actually, anybody is - I'm trying to make some drastic changes to my touring schedule, so id you see I'm coming through town and you want to play this, let me know and we'll see if we can work it out time-wise. Since MacNichol closed, nobody is carrying these, and the CF world is still pretty small (but growing)!.

On a completely separate note, FYI, I just emailed McPherson. I'd asked them some questions about their mold process earlier, and asked them about the potential for a 12-string Sable. they replied that the market was too small to invest in the molds.

[douglasfan1]

Since you've own your leviora guitar for a period of time, I wonder your leviora guitar has been opened up?

[Acousticado]

Originally Posted by douglasfan1

Since you've own your leviora guitar for a period of time, I wonder your leviora guitar has been opened up?

CF guitars don't "open up" in the manner that wood guitars do. The tone as new should be the same tone for years to come.

[Earl49]

I'm sure that CF guitars eventually open up some. You just have to play them for about 50,000 years to hear the tone improve.

Seriously, after owning my Rainsong WS-1000 for sixteen years now, I don't hear any difference, nor would I expect to. I have heard my wooden guitars change perceptibly over the years.

[Kray Van Kirk]

Well, in general, I'd completely agree with Earl - CF guitars are molded and as such aren't really going to be affected by the vibrations going through them and 'settle' into a groove (I am not using the correct terms here - my apologies).

BUT - the Leviora is built like a wooden guitar - sides, front and back are all individually constructed and then joined. There is no single-piece mold poured anywhere. That leaves open the possibility that the joints may indeed settle to some extent (depending on how they themselves are constructed). I have noticed that the guitar sounds better and better over time, but as a good scientific reductionist, I am attributing that to me knowing better how to play it and handle it to bring out the resonances. But we will see! I did talk with Fontaine Burnett in Germany who has owned a Leviora for a number of years and he swears it is opening up over time, even though he knows it's not supposed to happen with CF instruments.

On a nice side-note, Thomas (the Leviora luthier) has recently said he will begin work on a Leviora 12-string for me. Woot!!! It will take 6 - 8 months, I'm thinking, but I am REALLY looking forward to that one!!

I've always believed that cf guitars do alter in tone, with time. The basis of the belief is the fact that resins change with time. I see such change in the effects of heat on my plastic irrigation pipe--it becomes brittle with time and changes color. This is not to say that I've noticed tonal changes in my cf guitars. I suspect the change comes slowly and is not dramatic.

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

Kray, that is an amazingly gorgeous guitar, use it in good health my friend.

As to CF guitars opening up, as long as the builder uses high quality CF with minimal resin, and the entire guitar is CF, there should be no structural, or tonal changes, regardless of the build method.

[Kray Van Kirk]

Hi Ted - I was just in L.A. last week and tried very hard to make it over to say hello but was defeated by scheduling! Argh!

[perttime]

Originally Posted by Ted @ LA Guitar Sales

... as long as the builder uses high quality CF with minimal resin...

Having looked at CF construction information, I've gathered that high quality CF construction involves methods to minimize resin. Infusion with a high powered vacuum pump seems to be a preferred one now. You ensure that you have enough resin to bond the fibers - but no more.

[kramster]

Originally Posted by EvanB

I've always believed that cf guitars do alter in tone, with time.

4000 Years (cf years)

Just like I said--give them some time.