Gerber Guitars recent work

[gerberguitars]

Hey everyone, I'd like to share a few photos of the last three completed guitars. All three are heading to a customer in Shanghi, who I previously met at the Memphis guitar festival. So a big shout out to the Memphis show for giving me the opportunity to build these guitars!

I am very excited about what these guitars have to offer sonically, as well as visually. I feel that they accurately represent the evolution of my guitars in both areas. Visually, I am aiming for a more subtle approach than some of my earlier guitars (I think this is probably a natural progression for most builders). I am pulling for subtle, but I also want to maximize the details. I want the player, or casual observer, to have to look a little bit harder to find the details. Sonically, I'm continuing down the path of powerful tone, that is at the same time comforting to the ears. There is a fine line between tone that is impressive initially, but overbearing and uncomfortable long term, and tone that it sweet, full, and sustainable long term for the ears.

All three guitars are my RL15 model. This first of the batch, has Adirondack red spruce top, over Cocobolo back and sides. Cutaway and a subtle bevel armrest finish it off. (I have recently refined my armrest design to be very minimalisitc, and only big enough to do the job of maximizing comfort without taking too much of the soundboard)

[IMG]IMG_7543 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_7547 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_7558 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_7591 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_7595 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_7551 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]

[gerberguitars]

And here is the second. It is the same RL15 model, with Swiss moon spruce and a different variety of Cocobolo back and sides. This is my personal favorite of the three, from a playing perspective. While it's just a shade less powerful than the first guitar, there is something extra going on in there that I've found very inspiring. You know when you pick up a guitar and immediately play something interesting that you've never played before, and it's that moment of connection with the musical part of your brain that has been dormant for the past six months....? That has been this guitar for me.

[IMG]IMG_7530 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_7533 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_7528 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_7599 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_7512 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_7540 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]

[gerberguitars]

And the third. When the customer asked for all Koa, I hesitated. All koa? But my job is to build responsive guitars that sound great, I said to myself. A Koa top? ehhh, I wasn't sure, but decided that if that's what he wanted, and he had proper expectations, then why not. If nothing else, it would be a good learning experience.

I'm glad that I went for it. While the trebles in the upper frets don't have the same volume or fullness as my typical spruce guitars, it surprises everywhere else. Good low end, volume, balance, are all there. It might almost pass as an expressive, responsive fingerstyle instrument.... (:

[IMG]IMG_7564 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_7569 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_7576 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_7579 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_7587 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_7588 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]IMG_7581 by adrienne mickler, on Flickr[/IMG]

[bubbaprime]

Wow! Really beautiful work, Ryan. Love the overall look of each guitar, but really digging the work with your rosette and backstrips. Loving the color splashes in there, really compliments the wood choices.

[Marcus Wong]

WHAT A STUNNING TRIO! I absolutely adore your design elements. Love the rosettes especially! 3 lovely guitars all at once, wow! And did you by any chance mean to say Shanghai?

[rogthefrog]

Wow, that's lovely work! The rosettes in particular.

[Greg Rappleye]

Just beautiful!



Greg Rappleye

[Glenn23]

Wonderful decisions and executions at every detail!

[Tim McKnight]

Really clean and exceptional work Ryan! Rosettes are tasteful. Is the background of rosette #2 sycamore?

[Aubade Acoustics]

Very nice work, love the Rosette details and colors.

[mikealpine]

I like the bevel on that first one. It looks like it is enough to add comfort, but not really intrusive on the top. Beautiful work all around!

[Steve Kinnaird]

Fabulous stuff alright! Thanks for sharing!

Steve

[iim7V7IM7]

Very elegant trio...

Thanks for taking the time to share with the forum...

[CaE]

Great work Ryan! Very nice and clean.

[dcn]

Tasteful, elegant work - very cool!