Bedell "blowout" at zZounds - all solid starting at $329

[GangstaPat]

Originally Posted by JeremiahB.

And I want to be first on the list if you decide to part with that TB-24-G Though I have a strange feeling that's not going to happen since you were just comparing it to your D42. I guess I should've taken the poster who claimed to be one of the original Bedell luthier designers in the Slickdeals thread at his word when he said the TB-24-G was by far the best guitar they ever produced. Looks like my next guitar build is going to be a red cedar/rosewood combo.

$350 for that caliber of tone is crazy! Talk about money well spent. The 24 managed to exceed even my imagination of what I would get. It is safe to say that this one won't be going anywhere.

[Wildgift]

Guys, I'm posting a NGD thread with some pics about my MB-18-G

[JeremiahB.]

Originally Posted by GangstaPat

$350 for that caliber of tone is crazy! Talk about money well spent. The 24 managed to exceed even my imagination of what I would get. It is safe to say that this one won't being going anywhere.

Now you've got me looking at the refurbished TB-24-G on ebay that's selling for nearly twice the price of the ones from Sam Ash. Dadgummit, I wish this Bedell fever would end. I'm going crazy. I have no restraint. I'm going to lose my wife and my job if I don't stop. I need an intervention...

[GangstaPat]

Originally Posted by JeremiahB.

Now you've got me looking at the refurbished TB-24-G on ebay that's selling for nearly twice the price of the ones from Sam Ash. Dadgummit, I wish this Bedell fever would end. I'm going crazy. I have no restraint. I'm going to lose my wife and my job if I don't stop. I need an intervention...

Didn't anyone else here get a 24? Can anybody back me up? Or maybe you weren't as impressed as I am...

No matter, tastes differ and to my ears this one is heavenly.

[PinkLine]

Y'all are making me feel like I showed amazing restraint only buying three Bedells since June! A TBCE-18-G, a MB-17-G, and an OH-12-G. Havin' a little Sapele orgy here. Still experimenting with strings and such, but I am enjoying the variety of tones from the different sizes and top woods. The parlor is a revelation.

It's nuts. I sit down with one, play it and am totally digging it, and then peek over at the rack and see another one winking at me, and swap 'em out for no good reason. My favorite of the bunch changes daily. Heck, sometimes hourly.

I'm not going to second guess these guitars because I might have missed out on a somewhat better one. I played a bunch of Bedells this summer and there wasn't a loser in the bunch. I only played one dreadnaught (mine) though, so when I play the rosewood dread my buddy just purchased as a result of my, uh, nudging, I may revise my opinion.

That said, if anyone feels compelled to unload a JB, or has a line on a 12 string, please PM me!

[JeremiahB.]

Originally Posted by GangstaPat

Didn't anyone else here get a 24? Can anybody back me up? Or maybe you weren't as impressed as I am...

No matter, tastes differ and to my ears this one is heavenly.

Probably a combination of you got a really good copy and it's just a good design. You obviously don't have to do this, but I would take a small ruler and check the distance from the edge of the soundhole to the intersection of the X braces. Then compare it to the distance on the TB-17 or just post and I'll compare with my TB-18-G. I'm curious to see if they forward shifted the X bracing, which is a huge reason for the infamous tone of pre-war Martins. I read in one of the catalogs the TB-24-G was supposed to have "customized X patterned scalloped sitka bracing" in their words. Of course, the TBCE-28-G was supposed to have this, too, and to me, it was by far the worst sounding of any Bedell I received which was a huge disappointment. Not horrible bad, but noticeably not in the same class as every other Bedell I received, so I didn't bother doing any brace measurements. I may have just got a bad one. Regardless, it's on its way back to Sam Ash.

Looking at other Bedell's in the catalog, the one I would've liked to have seen for purchase that I don't believe I've seen anywhere is the MBCE-24F-G, it's one of only 2 of the Chinese Bedells that has a 1 3/4" wide nut. Also has the cedar top, rosewood B/S, OM shaped cutaway with the Fishman system. That sounds like a killer combo!

[aknow]

Took my "new" Bedell into the best luthier in our area. He showed me how the setup was 'really bad'. I'd have to concur, I played it for about 2 hours, the 2nd day I had it, and the following day, 2 of my fretting fingers were very sore, which luckily only lasted 24 hours. New saddle (bone) and correction to the poorly installed LR Baggs amp system----Bedell also needs a new case. My budget Bedell will be up in the $600-700 range. Still a great deal......New strings should help too. Looking forward to reuniting maybe next week.
Hope you folks will keep me posted on your progress/upgrades too.

[GangstaPat]

Jeremiah:

I'll try to take measurements tonight with a tape measure (all I have). Maybe that will provide some insight. The next time I go by the shop I will try to remember to take it and have them measure more accurately. I know I have always been a fan of the Martin D-42 and it's sound is attributed to the forward shifted bracing.

[JeremiahB.]

Originally Posted by GangstaPat

Jeremiah:

I'll try to take measurements tonight with a tape measure (all I have). Maybe that will provide some insight. The next time I go by the shop I will try to remember to take it and have them measure more accurately. I know I have always been a fan of the Martin D-42 and it's sound is attributed to the forward shifted bracing.

I wouldn't bother, especially if you're talking about the big Stanley type tape measure. The last thing you want to do is accidentally drop your tape measure on the top while trying to snake it through the strings which could easily happen. I'd hate to be the reason for you damaging such a special guitar. I have a special little ruler I use for this purpose and I'm sure your local luthier does, as well. Of course, if you're talking about the small keychain type tape measure that wouldn't hurt a fly if it fell on it, then disregard everything I just said.

[Brick is Red]

Originally Posted by PinkLine

Y'all are making me feel like I showed amazing restraint only buying three Bedells since June! A TBCE-18-G, a MB-17-G, and an OH-12-G. Havin' a little Sapele orgy here. Still experimenting with strings and such, but I am enjoying the variety of tones from the different sizes and top woods. The parlor is a revelation.

It's nuts. I sit down with one, play it and am totally digging it, and then peek over at the rack and see another one winking at me, and swap 'em out for no good reason. My favorite of the bunch changes daily. Heck, sometimes hourly.

I'm not going to second guess these guitars because I might have missed out on a somewhat better one. I played a bunch of Bedells this summer and there wasn't a loser in the bunch. I only played one dreadnaught (mine) though, so when I play the rosewood dread my buddy just purchased as a result of my, uh, nudging, I may revise my opinion.

That said, if anyone feels compelled to unload a JB, or has a line on a 12 string, please PM me!

I can only wish that I knew about this in June. I'd get the sapele parlor and the maple jumbo to go along with the OM Sitka over EIR. My one Bedell is fantastic. I would have LOVED to get in on the AMS offering before July.

[Brick is Red]

Originally Posted by PinkLine

It's nuts. I sit down with one, play it and am totally digging it, and then peek over at the rack and see another one winking at me, and swap 'em out for no good reason. My favorite of the bunch changes daily. Heck, sometimes hourly.

That must be a great feeling.

[PinkLine]

Originally Posted by Brick is Red

I can only wish that I knew about this in June. I'd get the sapele parlor and the maple jumbo to go along with the OM Sitka over EIR. My one Bedell is fantastic. I would have LOVED to get in on the AMS offering before July.

I lucked out and landed on the AMS page before they were advertised (or in stock). I never saw a parlor on that site, and strangely, the AMS and Zzounds offerings were different, so I ordered one guitar from each. I found the parlor on Ebay, and then drove two hours to the store that was selling them for about double that I paid for the AMS guitars, but even that feels like a good deal (and I it came with a hard shell case). I was fortunate enough to have just sold off some other guitars so I had guitar money available at just the right time.

I came close to canceling the TBCE-18-G order after the third time AMS missed the expected ship date to order the "The Bass" dread, but from what I read on this thread none of those guitars ever made it to buyers. So I was lucky again.

[GangstaPat]

Originally Posted by Brick is Red

I can only wish that I knew about this in June. I'd get the sapele parlor and the maple jumbo to go along with the OM Sitka over EIR. My one Bedell is fantastic. I would have LOVED to get in on the AMS offering before July.

Yeah. I missed so many that I would have loved to have also.

[JimB1]

Geez, you guys had better start a BA (Bedell-aholics Anonymous) club and get some help

Glad I only went in looking for the MB-28, though those Award series MBA-17-G models looked pretty sweet. At some point I may get a Cedar over Mahogany. I came really close to getting a Taylor GS5 at one point because I really liked the Cedar over Mahogany…

I have to say, I am not looking to get any more but seeing all the ebay ones out there now from folks that bought to flip for a fast buck really annoys me…

-Jim

[Indiehouse]

Originally Posted by JimB1

Geez, you guys had better start a BA (Bedell-aholics Anonymous) club and get some help

Glad I only went in looking for the MB-28, though those Award series MBA-17-G models looked pretty sweet. At some point I may get a Cedar over Mahogany. I came really close to getting a Taylor GS5 at one point because I really liked the Cedar over Mahogany…

I have to say, I am not looking to get any more but seeing all the ebay ones out there now from folks that bought to flip for a fast buck really annoys me…

-Jim

Yeah, me too. Gluttony, man. Though I do enjoy seeing them just sit there and not sell.