The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 02-07-2017, 07:48 PM
Guest 1928
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Klepper - SSD curly Oregon Claro - new sound clips added

Although I have often followed build threads here, I seldom post because I usually have nothing to add. I don't build, rather I'm mostly just an interested observer. So, this is a thread I didn't really expect.

I own many (probably too many) guitars, but my variety is in numbers, not size or design. My guitars are mostly traditional, mostly Dreadnaughts, mostly Martins, and increasingly skewed toward vintage guitars. However, there are some newer guitars that I really enjoy, a Martin CS-D18-12 and a cocobolo Proulx OM/D as examples. While not wildly out of the norm, owning the Proulx for a while gave me the idea that perhaps I should, at least one time, commission a custom guitar from an independent luthier.

Howard Klepper was squarely in my personal short list and after kicking the idea around in my mind for a while, I contacted Howard last year. We chatted by email and phone a bit, just to cover the basics and help me figure out if this was something I wanted to pursue, and once the decision was made I sent my deposit so that the process could officially begin.

From then until now we've discussed what I like, don't like, and want in a guitar generally. Then it was on to body styles and woods, and more decisions still to come.

Well, my turn is nearly here. Howard says the build may start as soon as a few weeks from now. To that end I've settled on his own design, the Small Sloped Dread, or SSD. Partly because I think it will make a great guitar, and it's very much his design and will stand on its own among my Martins. I don't think an OM or other size would have been a bad choice, but this is it for now.

So, long scale SSD with curly Oregon Claro. The rest of the decisions await.

Oregon Claro


Last edited by Guest 1928; 06-24-2017 at 09:48 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 02-07-2017, 07:50 PM
rogthefrog's Avatar
rogthefrog rogthefrog is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 5,058
Default

Congrats! This is going to be fun to watch.
__________________
Solo acoustic guitar videos:
This Boy is Damaged - Little Watercolor Pictures of Locomotives - Ragamuffin
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-08-2017, 12:15 AM
joe white joe white is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Northern Indiana
Posts: 3,608
Default

Claro walnut! Okay, now you've got my attention.
__________________
Joe White ( o)===:::
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-08-2017, 10:06 AM
tadol tadol is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 5,214
Default

Claro is beautiful wood, and the curl in that set is gonna be impressive! Howard is a great person to work with - looking forward to seeing it come together!!
__________________
More than a few Santa Cruz’s, a few Sexauers, a Patterson, a Larrivee, a Cumpiano, and a Klepper!!
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-08-2017, 10:09 AM
oliverkollar oliverkollar is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Nor Cal USA
Posts: 554
Default

Congrats Todd!

The SSD is such a cool guitar, I played one years ago at Eric Schoenberg's.

I remember it being a great sounding instrument and very comfortable to play.

This is gonna be cool!
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 02-08-2017, 10:18 AM
BrunoBlack's Avatar
BrunoBlack BrunoBlack is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: New England
Posts: 10,480
Default

Oh boy, now the fun begins. I'll be watching with enthusiasm.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 02-08-2017, 11:24 AM
iim7V7IM7's Avatar
iim7V7IM7 iim7V7IM7 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: An Exit Off the Turnpike in New Jersey
Posts: 5,149
Default

Being that I played Howard's personal Walnut SSD last December, I can certainly tell Todd that he is in for a real treat...
__________________
A bunch of nice archtops, flattops, a gypsy & nylon strings…
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 02-08-2017, 02:55 PM
Guest 1928
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Haasome View Post
I'll be watching with enthusiasm.
Me too! I'm giddy, insofar as engineers get giddy.

Feel free to offer your thoughts on options as well. I have made all the decisions yet.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 02-08-2017, 03:15 PM
MWB5007 MWB5007 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 692
Default

Todd, you don't know me at all but over quite a few years now I have benefitted from both your uncanny knowledge of Martin guitars and the marked and widely appreciated generosity with which you have shared that knowledge.

Please accept my most sincere wishes for an excellent experience and, in the end, a superlative instrument, it could not happen to a nicer guy (or cyber citizen)

Most sincerely,

MB
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 02-08-2017, 03:41 PM
Guest 1928
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

You're far too kind, but I do truly appreciate that anyone would think of me that way.

While we have not met, I have also followed your posts with some interest. I hope you enjoy watching the journey, and please feel free to weigh in with suggestions.

Last edited by Guest 1928; 02-08-2017 at 07:07 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 02-08-2017, 09:29 PM
jmat jmat is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Virginia
Posts: 891
Default

Congratulations Todd! I was just playing my Klepper OM and it was sounding lovely. You will be very happy with the instrument and will enjoy working with Howard. The SSD sounds unique and fun!
__________________
Multiple guitars including a 1979 Fender that needs a neck re-set
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 02-08-2017, 11:19 PM
Guitars44me's Avatar
Guitars44me Guitars44me is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Mountains east of San Diego
Posts: 7,340
Smile Options...

I am an option junkie! Yep...

I would ask Howard for a wabi-sabi headstock similar to his recent build! Cool burl.

If it was mine I would like a short scale 12 fret, cutaway. Sound port high on the shoulder to hit my left ear. Arm and back bevels. Especially on the back of the upper bout, to avoid poking me in the sternum. Snake headstock, gotoh 510s, and a slightly asymmetrical slim semi V neck with 1.75" Nut and 2 3/16" saddle spacing.

Come to think of it that is what John Kinnaird is building me again! Hahah
Comfort is really important at my advanced stage of decrepitude!!!

I Love curly Claro! This will be fun. Enjoy the ride!!!

Cheers

Paul
__________________
3 John Kinnaird SS 12c CUSTOMS:
Big Maple/Cedar Dread
Jumbo Spanish Cedar/WRC
Jumbo OLD Brazilian RW/WRC

R.T 2 12c sinker RW/Claro
96 422ce bought new!
96 LKSM 12
552ce 12x12

J. Stepick Bari Weissy WRC/Walnut

More
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 02-09-2017, 06:20 AM
BrunoBlack's Avatar
BrunoBlack BrunoBlack is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: New England
Posts: 10,480
Default

Are you thinking about unusual tweaks under the hood? What are you thinking about for topwood?
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 02-09-2017, 08:10 AM
redir redir is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Mountains of Virginia
Posts: 7,650
Default

The walnut looks great. What will you choose for a soundboard?
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 02-09-2017, 10:22 AM
Guest 1928
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

To answer some of the questions asked:

The top will most likely be red spruce.

Long scale.

I'm unlikely to request anything too out of the ordinary. My preferences just don't run that way. Simple, classic, functional.

Whatever Howard does "under the hood" is up to him. I've described what I like in a guitar (tone and volume) and what I want from this one. He'll make the decisions about how to get there.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jmat View Post
...I was just playing my Klepper OM and it was sounding lovely...
An OM and SSD were my shortlist body sizes. I'd love to hear more about your OM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:03 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=