Hi Everyone ... New Sponsor ... David Wren - Page 4

David Wren · #46 01-25-2014, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

David, what an amazing thread. It's fantastic seeing those old pics of yourself, Jean, Linda, and others. I've read about Jean and his apprentices and all the success that yourself, and others, have had since then. It must have been a magical time.

Hi Dru ... thanks for the kind words and welcome! Yep ... it was definitely a magical time for sure. I was out for dinner with Linda on Tuesday and we were reminiscing a bit ... got the memories flowing again!

David Wren · #47 01-25-2014, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dewar Wilson

Hello Mr. Wren. I like this discussion. Do you build with cocobolo? Every piece guitar I play made of cocobolo looks and sounds different from the last. What are your views on this?

Hi Dewar ... yes, I build with Cocobolo quite a bit ... love it! As with other woods, it can have quite a variety of appearances (see photos below), but I've found that with my guitars (as with most of the other very dense tonewoods such as Ziricote, Brazilian rw, Macassar etc) from a sonic standpoint it consistently adds noticeable content and prominence to the overtone series as well as adding significantly more point or edge to the initial attack transient. I love it!

Some "Cloud" figure

Linda Manzer · #48 01-26-2014, 10:54 AM

Just a note that all these beautiful guitar pictures and the Jean Claude Larrivee portrait are all taken by David Wren.
Besides making stunning guitars he is also a master photographer.
And incredibly nice guy. I'm very honoured to call him my friend.

Trevor M · #49 01-26-2014, 11:07 AM

Hi Linda, good to have you on board. I couldn't agree more about David. I'm looking forward to your project.

coopman · #50 01-26-2014, 01:25 PM

Hi David,

Great to see you here. I'll look forward to watching your build thread.

Between David at the Twelfth Fret and the classified's on the AGF I have gotten myself into so much trouble over the years ... However, Lord willing, it will be my 1978 David Wren that they'll pry out of my hands when I leave this world. It's still going strong! As good as David's instruments look ... they sound even better! I've had the privilege to play 10 different Wrens over the years ... and every one has been nothing less than stellar.

David, I think that you ought to consider a Wren owners weekend festival. Of course with all the beautiful Brazilian models you've built with in the past, you might need to host it 'down under' here in the states. Let me know if I can help

Cheers,

John

David Wren · #51 01-26-2014, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coopman

Hi David,

Great to see you here. I'll look forward to watching your build thread.

Between David at the Twelfth Fret and the classified's on the AGF I have gotten myself into so much trouble over the years ... However, Lord willing, it will be my 1978 David Wren that they'll pry out of my hands when I leave this world. It's still going strong! As good as David's instruments look ... they sound even better! I've had the privilege to play 10 different Wrens over the years ... and every one has been nothing less than stellar.

David, I think that you ought to consider a Wren owners weekend festival. Of course with all the beautiful Brazilian models you've built with in the past, you might need to host it 'down under' here in the states. Let me know if I can help

Cheers,

John

Hey John ... thanks for the kind words ... very much appreciated!!!

David Wren · #52 01-26-2014, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linda

Just a note that all these beautiful guitar pictures and the Jean Claude Larrivee portrait are all taken by David Wren.
Besides making stunning guitars he is also a master photographer.
And incredibly nice guy. I'm very honoured to call him my friend.

Holy Mackerel ... Linda on a forum! Thanks for the kind words ... right back at ya!

David Wren · #53 01-27-2014, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wanderer

I have always been a fan of your earlier work and admired the fact that you set it aside for awhile to make the 12th Fret "the" acoustic shop in T.O. Your attitude and dedication was instrumental in that shop's success. Recently I have lusted after one of your 80's Concert Cutaway that is presently for sale at the 12th Fret. A very reasonable price as well. I am delighted that you have joined the Forum and look forward to following your build threads.

Thanks so much!

ronwal · #54 01-29-2014, 09:39 AM

David, were you at Larivee the same time as Sergei Dejonge?

Halcyon/Tinker · #55 01-29-2014, 09:58 AM

David,

Yes, I was there from 1996-2013, right up to the bitter end, as they say. I strung up the last 10 'official' guitars there. Sad to see it go, but....

David Wren · #56 01-29-2014, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halcyon/Tinker

David,

Yes, I was there from 1996-2013, right up to the bitter end, as they say. I strung up the last 10 'official' guitars there. Sad to see it go, but....

I here it was quite the party at the end? Rumour has it over 500 bottles of beer were consumed ... emergency medical services were called? That's what I call a party!

David Wren · #57 01-29-2014, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronwal

David, were you at Larivee the same time as Sergei Dejonge?

No, Sergei was before my time. I think that Sergei met Jean just after Jean's apprenticeship with Edgar Monch, when Jean was still building in the basement of his townhouse (1969-1970?). Then Jean opened a slightly larger ship above the Tarragon Theater with Sergei, a teenaged Grit Laskin, Jim Hale from Mossman Guitars, and one or two others. I bought my first set of guitar wood from Jean at that shop and built it in my parents garage in the winter (with the snow from the hood of my dad's car melting down the back of my pants!)

I started at the Mount Pleasant shop in 1974 when it was back to just Jean and Grit. I vividly remember meeting Sergei for the first time at this shop. A VERY tanned gent in shorts and a teashirt comes in and sits cross-legged on one of the benches and we chat for a minute, then Jean comes in and says "Serge ... you went out to get us a couple of popsycles ... that was three weeks ago ... where the h*&%$#* have you been??!?!?!" and Sergei replies "Oh ... yeah ... I ended up hitchhiking to Arizona and fasting with the native Americans for a couple of weeks". That was the kind of free spirit Sergei was (and is)!!!

Here's a shot of Sergei that I took a few years ago in his current shop.

I've been in a LOT of guitar building shops over the years, and Sergei's is without a doubt the coolest!

Halcyon/Tinker · #58 01-29-2014, 07:21 PM

I here it was quite the party at the end? Rumour has it over 500 bottles of beer were consumed ... emergency medical services were called? That's what I call a party!

Yeah, we know how to do all of it right!

Coffeeaddict · #59 01-30-2014, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halcyon/Tinker

I here it was quite the party at the end? Rumour has it over 500 bottles of beer were consumed ... emergency medical services were called? That's what I call a party!

Yeah, we know how to do all of it right!

"Could have been the whiskey, might have been the gin, could have been the three or four six packs I don't know...."

IndianHillMike · #60 01-30-2014, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Wren

"Serge ... you went out to get us a couple of popsycles ... that was three weeks ago ... where the h*&%$#* have you been??!?!?!" and Sergei replies "Oh ... yeah ... I ended up hitchhiking to Arizona and fasting with the native Americans for a couple of weeks".

Ha! That just made my day, thanks Dave!

Mike