Late to the party and been away for a while, but the I have to comment on this one Mark. I'm a career graphic designer and fine artist and I was taken by the fluidity of line inlay and interplay/contrast of shape of the guitar body. I've not seen that before. Being a closet maple fan and my first 97 Taylor jumbo had the extremely atypical quilted maple, this guitar just captivated me. Another compliment of wow!! I want one :)

Then BUY IT!!!

Chris

"but dear I can explain ...Chris said buy it so I HAD to.. It was practically a triple dog dare!"
-signed middle age guy married 31 years in midlife crisis at divorce lawyer office.

Realistically I'd love love love try a Hatcher and explore tone fitment someday ...really goes for any custom guitar. I'm also in Iowa. I've only had the rare privilege to play an Olson and a Petros customs in my limited experience. Killer though. Impulse buys are less so for me these days.

Still... Your point haunts :)
Doug

Yes, the caveat, everyone had their own likes and dislikes with tone...however, having touched and played 4 Hatchers, it would be unfathomable to me that there would be anyone unhappy with the tone. Just sayin....call the lawyer and be proactive :)

He committed a breach of etiquette skipping the "double-dog dare" and hitting the triple-dog dare but _ F it - buy the guitar and keep your tongue off frozen flag poles!

Chris (yes THAT one)

You guys remind why I've called the forum home for 15 years. Thanks for enabling and smiles from afar. Love this community of like minded players and enthusiasts! As it's been said before by many I never get tired of those Hatcher build works of art. I can only imagine his tone follows beauty of form.

Thanks for the support and kind words fellas!

The Ebony does add a noticeable amount of weight simply because it is heavier.
however Ebony is so stiff It allows me to mitigate that weight some with a thinner backplate. That lightens it up some and increases the base response.
Having heavier sides doesn't hurt anything, some would argue it's helpful for tone.

Thanks DMZ!

I'm glad my design efforts are evident and appreciated. That quilted maple just begs for attention and I thought I'd just go with it and see what elements I could use to point at it. Even the choice of which model was a consideration.

Thanks Again,
Mark

Somebody PLEASE buy this maple. I'm already WAY over my skies.

Small Jumbo Quilted Maple Show Spec all strung up
 

I have the Josie quilted maple guitar all strung up. I'm very happy with it's sound and playability and will try to get sound clips up on it in the next week or so. This is the third in my show spec series.

The top on this is a bear claw and quilted Sitka. It glistens in the light but is a devil to catch with a camera. I trying my best to show this in some of these shots;

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7648/...f812cf48_c.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7009/...50c81c69_c.jpg

It's not too hard to catch the figure on the back;

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7472/...e2dd69bc_c.jpg

The bridge and fret board are Cocobolo;

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7467/...c376a6bc_c.jpg

The rosette is a bunch of mahogany, black and white wood purfling lines with spalted Tamarind in the middle;

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7203/...b525edda_c.jpg

I went with Snakewood bridge pins and bone saddle;

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7082/...16405d41_c.jpg

The neck is bound in Cocobolo with MOP side markers and a black purfling line against the Sugar Maple neck;

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7455/...d9a4dd78_c.jpg

The headstock has three different kinds of maple. It has a quilted Western Big Leaf Maple overlay, Hard Maple core, and a maple burl back strap;

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7380/...cdc7dc75_c.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7088/...90bb1e5c_c.jpg

I get to play this one for a week or so while it learns it's new guitar identity then I'll put up for sale or save it for a show, whichever comes first.

Thanks for viewing!
Mark

Mark,... STUNNING! Paul has has nothing on you for finding sexy Maple. - Larry!


Chris

Wow Mark! What a transformation from when that wood came off the blade! You did an great job choosing the right appointments to accent a stunning set of maple. I am sure it sounds just as good as it looks.

Thanks. I felt lucky to come across this particular wood. I have two additional sister sets and am looking forward to working with this wood again!

Thanks Chris,

I was fun trying to design to the figure of the wood and I feel it worked out well too. I'm glad I sent the billets to you for resaw because I'm pretty sure you got more slices then I would have!

Mark

The look of this guitar is just mesmerizing!! I keep finding new details within the whole. Mark, it's really amazing workmanship.

Almost too pretty to play! Beautiful work Mark.

Thanks Mike!

It was a fun build. I had Charlie Chronopolous over to record some sound clips today. Unfortunately, my next door neighbor had someone over to mow his lawn at the same time. In any case, I got to step away from the guitar while he played and am very happy with what I was hearing! We'll try the recording again next week.

In case you are wondering why I am asking Charlie to do recordings for me here is a You Tube he recently put out that I just can't get enough of;



Now if that only was a Hatcher he was playing :) (we're working on that)

Mark

Thanks TEK!

I'll bet you a quarter this one isn't going to make it to the show, either ;)

A bet I'd be happy to loose :)

Whoa baby, that's a smokin piece of pickin' I can see why you're asking him to demo for you. I hope you get a Hatcher in Charlie's hands. Awesome stuff!

Mark- I'm going to let my deposit ride on the BRW/WRC (Which is sex on a stick). But That maple is THE BOMB!

Chris

Here is a little update and recap on something different I'm doing with your guitar. This is the second in the show spec series. It's the Greta grand auditorium model with a Western Red Cedar top and BRW back and sides.

I went with wooly mammoth tusk bark for the nut and saddle because it is a bit harder than bone and would add a little more "ping" or snap to the sound. I love the warmth of cedar and BRW certainly isn't lacking in the lows. I also am using cedar bracing on a very light back. So with all of that a little ping seems to be called for. It will add a little presence to all that deep and dark.

Here is a picture of a bunch of mammoth pcs I had to choose from;

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5786/...fcbdc86b_c.jpg

The big piece in the middle up top shows a section of tusk with a piece of the "bark" still attached. It's obvious why it's called "bark". The thing is the bark is the part that has been directly exposed to elements and over the last 20,000 to 40,000 years has started to absorb the surrounding minerals on it's way to becoming fossilized. It also picks up some wonderful coloring. That's the extra hardness I am looking for. Here are the two pieces I selected to cut the nut and saddle from;

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1569/...109659b8_c.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/...1cd80c25_c.jpg

When I cut the nut and saddle I tried to preserve some of the very outer edge just to show how great looking it is. Here are some pictures of the finished headstock and bridge with the nut and saddle in place;

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7336/...0529e527_c.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7685/...0514ac5b_c.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7629/...5debf268_c.jpg

You'll notice that the bridge pins, truss rod cover, and heel cap are tusk bark as well. My overall design efforts on the look of this guitar draws heavily from the what I feel is the very masculine look of contemporary collectable knives

By the way, I got my ping!

Wow, that is an absolutely beautiful touch to cap of this build!!!!! I love it.

Mark,

I feel bad about trying to explain this to my wife. She has been forgiving beyond words.

And then you post another picture and I quietly snicker to myself thinking " I just be about to get away with murder!" (in a guitar way that is)

NICE and unique work. In Fact, this may be the most unique aesthetic I've ever seen. I suddenly crave a brontosaurus burger!

Chris

Thanks Chris,

I am always especially proud when I think I was able to contribute something original into the pool of contemporary guitars. That is really hard to do. There are a lot of talented builders with great ideas and skills out today.

I see you started a post with this this guitar. I'll post any new update pictures and comments over on that one.

Mark

Tough Day
 

Phew! What a tough day. Got my boss, Enzo, breathing down my neck

https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7687/2...945fbfe1_c.jpg

Enzo is CLEARLY thinking "Make sure Chris' guitar KNOWS it's a guitar!" (and find a good box!)

Oh it's a guitar alright! Should be ready to ship Monday

Mark

enzo wants to know why you're not mixing the cat nip into finish. Also, reminding you not to leave any glasses on the shop tables.

Or pencils!

Maybe Enzo could be the final Buffing pad? BUT NO PEEING!