Sexauer '24

[Palladio]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

It turns out that because how close to the bridge one picks makes a huge difference in tone, twisting the bridge means the bass strings are automatically picked further from the bridge than the treble strings, which therefore works against the MultiScale goal of increasing bass acuity in order to achieve superior string to string balance. Because JB/2 has't got this issue, it works surprisingly well in comparison.

Interesting how you describe this Bruce. I hadn't thought it through like that before. I would have thought a JB does "more" in its intended affect than a JB/2, but perhaps it doesn't, given the default picking position.

What I can say is that your guitars have totally sold me on the JB design.

[Bruce Sexauer]

JB does seem to work better than JB/2, which it should since it is 2x the disparity. Logic says JB/2 should work half as well as JB, but I think it works 3/4 as well. By the way, JB/2 is a fraction: JB over 2.

Yesterday I spent some time blocking out Dread Lightning, and today I expect to buff and the assemble the neck to the body.

Still haven’t taken any pictures of the completed Cambodian JB-15-WRX.

I have been offering both the Cambodian and the All-Koa JB-15-WRX’s for $14k, with no up-charge for the materials. I am seriously considering removing that perk for apparent lack of response, which will make the All-Koa $16500. I honestly believe it is a candidate for best Sexauer ever, and am certain it’s the best All-Koa I’ve made so far.

Those who know me may have noticed I like all my guitars, but also that I am not particularly given to hyperbole.

[Palladio]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

JB does seem to work better than JB/2, which is should since it is 2x the disparity. Logic says JB/2 should work half as well as JB, but I think it works 3/4 as well. By the way, JB/2 is a fraction: JB over 2.

The two obvious "modern" features that differentiate my JB-16 from my vintage guitars are the multi-scale and sound port. Of course Bruce's entire asymmetric design concept is also different, as is the unique feel and responsiveness of his guitars. There's nothing else quite like them.

As someone new to multi-scale and the sound port, I am glad I ordered them and would do so again without hesitation. The JB multi-scale took no adjustment in playing for me. I only notice it if I look at it. The advantages that I feel/hear sonically are subtle but meaningful. It's like having the best of both worlds between my longer scaled Martins for drop tunings and bass articulation, with the fatter and slightly more fundamental treble notes that I love on my old shorter scale Gibsons.

The sound port is also worth having in my opinion. I'd probably put one in all of my guitars if I could. It does reduce forward projection and volume slightly, but I'll gladly trade that for the enveloping sound and feeling of connection with the guitar for the player. It's sort of like going from 2 way to surround sound on a home theater set up, the experience is more engaging and satisfying. Unless someone is doing acoustic un-mic'd bluegrass jam sessions, I don't see a disadvantage to the slight loss of forward projection. Most of us are going to be mic'd or using some sort of pickup on a gig anyway.

[Rob L]

I have a JB-16 also. (2022 #326) Like yours Palladio, but with an Adirondack top and Ebony appointments. You don't hear a lot of talk about where a guitar gets picked or plucked in the context of the guitar shape. Obviously this has a significant effect on tone. The JB-16 asymmetrical body shifts the guitar to the right and causes picking to be further from the bridge. I have a strong preference for the modern 12 and 13 fret designs where the bridge is shifted to the sweet spot, as opposed to the traditional 14 frets or simply elongating the upper bout. Although, I do have a 000 that is spectacular!

[Bruce Sexauer]

Yesterday I got Dread Lightning’s neck on, inlayed and fretted, and made and installed the bridge (28 grams). Pretty good chance of completion today . . . maybe I’ll even get around to making a PG for the Cambodian and snapping some pics.

While a 13 fretter may shift the body slightly to the right compared to a 14 fretter, it shifts the body slightly to the left compared to a 12 fretter. But if you think in terms of where your left hand is in comparison to your right hand, nothing changes.

[Rob L]

Well I guess I was thinking that when seated, the way I hold a guitar is largely determined by the shape of the lower bout and the location of the waste. My right hand will fall where it is used to going unless I'm deliberately doing something different. So moving the bridge within the lower bout will alter the distance of my right hand to the bridge.

[Bruce Sexauer]

Linda and I are going to Spain for a couple of weeks in a week or so. Coincidentally (I guess) one of my old customer/friends who currently lives on Majorca visited a few weeks ago and then a couple of days ago sent me a picture of the 1978/79 Sexauer FT-16 he still owns in playable condition! I do believe I've gotten better at pick guards. . . but I am super pleased that most of my now nearly 50 year old guitars are hanging in there! By the way, last time I looked, there is a sister build to this one for sale on Reverb for a decent price.

[Bruce Sexauer]

I have strung Dread Lightning, my second style 18ish light gauge strung D that targets Bluegrass. It is one day old, which is quite young, but seem on target to me. Time will tell. HERE is its page on my site, and one free picture as well:

[Bruce Sexauer]

Bit of a posting flurry here today! I finally got around to making a PG for the Cambodian Tool, took a few pictures, and made a page for it HERE. And, of course, put a picture here for your pleasure and mine:

[Treenewt]

Bruce,

You've definitely honed your pick guarding skills a bit, but what a great testament to your work to see the condition that old FT-16 is in!

How do you think Dread Lightning compares to Dread Lightly? That is a stunning guitar visually!

All around, well done sir! Hope y'all enjoy your trip!

[Bruce Sexauer]

D lightly was relatively mature when I last played it. D lightning is an infant. In my memory, the former was more fundamental, while the latter has more midrange zing. That is the general progression of guitar tone in my experience, so it is likely that they are more similar than different, which is what I’d expect.

There is no reliable way to judge a brand new guitar beyond two basic criteria: First, it should start off with a substantial degree of responsive sensitivity, and Second, it is a good thing to have a fairly complete audible overtone sequence, even to the point of seeming a bit bright. Over a surprisingly short time, the overtones will diminish noticeably and become the subtle flavorings of the complete tone. IMO, of course.

I should have more to say about D Lightning’s true character in a few days to a few weeks.

[tadol]

Had a chance to stop by and play all of these - and they are all really wonderful instruments. Dread Lightning is incredibly balanced and big sounding - I think it’s a fantastic singer/songwriter guitar, and once again proves how Bruce’s mahogany guitars are some of his best. Now, that said, I understand the appeal of rosewood, and the cambodian rw is both beautiful and has more harmonic content that is impossible to not like, and a strong, clear voice - really great. Luckily, I have guitars built by Bruce in both mahogany and cambodian rw, so I moved on to a few that I don’t have - the all koa still haunts me - not as much harmonic content, a little more mid-range, but such a beautiful voice, and a real joy to hold and play - and if you aren’t playing it, it’s just a beautiful piece of art, with such fine materials and exquisite design and craftsmanship. I still think it’d be a great addition to my collection, but then I had a chance to play a couple of older instruments he has in stock. His little olive guitar was always good, but I swear that it has aged particularly well and really opened up since I last played it - maybe I just don’t remember correctly, but I thought it had a very sweet voice, but a bit small, which is OK for a small guitar. But it was just mind boggling how big and lovely it’s sounding now! And honestly - the olive wood itself is like a fine piece of modern art, with olive head and back straps. Perhaps, even more beautiful than the koa? Hmmmm . . . hard to say. But the last guitar I played was the ceylon satinwood - a big, beautiful voice, one of the very few large guitars I would love to play endlessly because it just sounds so fantastic regardless of how you want to play it. Play it gently, and it just lets the notes gently lift off, but play it hard, and it just gets louder and louder without ever being over-driven. Bruce’s complaint is that while the sides are perfectly quartersawn, the back is flatsawn, but thats what it takes to bring out the incredible figure in the back, and quartersawn sides are what you really want, so . . . no problems! Luckily, I can drop by and enjoy a little time with them, as long as no one buys them - which I know doesn’t really suit Bruce, but so far, works for me!

[Treenewt]

Bruce,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the dreads, and on judging (or not) new guitars in general. Makes sense to me!

Tad, thanks for sharing your impressions as well! What a privilege to get to try all those amazing Sexauers!

[Bruce Sexauer]

Tad's recent post is well considered and agrees very closely with my own observations . . . but is inaccurate in one way: The back of the Ceylon Satinwood JB-16 is not flat-sawn, but merely not perfectly quarter-sawn. It is between 15 and 30 compass degrees off quarter from one extreme to the other. If it were flat-sawn, I'd have been much less willing to build a big guitar with it.

I recently sent the Satinwood guitar off for approval, and the would be buyer instead chose to buy the BRW equivalent JB-16 I had FS at Dream. Then I got the Satinwood back into my hands I experienced great relief: it is that good!!! Something about my "Big Gun" is very satisfying.

The Olive is an L00, almost the size of an OM in the lower bout, similar to a Martin 00 in the upper bout, and I cleave to Martin body depth rather than the 5" Gibson used to make theirs back in the day. It doesn't have quite the power of my SJ sized JB-16, but it does have more than most players need or expect, and it sounds beautiful, as Tad suggested. I am surprised I still own it. HERE is its page, and a picture of the (quarter sawn) Olive back:

[TroyWoodyard]

Bruce, I hope this is the right place to ask this question. I am new to the forum, so feel free to suggest I move the question to a more appropriate location.

First of all, thanks for sending me your finishing schedule a few months ago. I recently was able to finish guitar #3. Tod date, all my efforts have used an outside mold. As I start #4 I am wanting to try my hand at building "in the air" as you call it, but I am puzzled by one piece of the method. I had trouble with guitars #1 and #2 building a completely domed top on a 28' radius and having a gap in the fingerboard/top joint area due to the curvature of the top. On guitar #3 I flattened the rim in the area of the upper bout before gluing the top and used a straight upper transverse brace and everything worked out well. It appears to me like you are doming the whole top in your top down method on the dish. How do you handle this freetboard to top detail? Are you flattening the glue surface on the top to make sure the fretboard sits flat, or using a straight instead of radiused upper transverse brace? Or using a bigger radius than 28'? Any insight would be appreciated.

Again, apologies if this hijacks your build thread. I am really interested in your work.