One of the fun things is to see how a builder evolves and how their guitars get better and better. My first Kostal was in 2011, my second in 2015, and now this one in 2019. Every four years I see how Jason's builds mature in not only his aesthetics and details, but more importantly his tone! I can't wait for this one and then to see what 2023 brings! :D

Thanks! Baby is keeping us up with sleepless nights, but we are so excited! :)

Thanks Choongbok! I hope your Kostal continues to amaze you!

I love Jason's work. I can't wait to see how this next guitar turns out! :)

You've done it again!.. and again. :)

congrat!

Congratulations Eric!

I'm delighted you're going for and MDW, Jason and I put a lot of love and thought into that guitar and it seems to be proving very popular, I don't know where I'd be without mine!

All the best

MDW

It'll be a fun build for sure! Hopefully something very special in honor of our baby girl! :)


Michael, its all your fault I got started on this journey with the first one! :D How will I ever repay you? :lol:

Oh my! Things are about to get rolling. Do I go straight grain or a little figured for the Brazilian back and sides?:D I love things about both and I already have one of each. What would you like to see? :)

Which One?
 

That's easy..you ask Jason to use the piece HE thinks has the most potential.

Not all luthiers operate that way. In fact, most I’ve ever worked with don’t go goo goo ga ga over one particular piece of wood. They’ll say, “It all sounds good. Just pick the one you like the look of the most.” On some occasions, I’ll be instructed to go with their recommendation for a particularly good top, however.

As for me, I like it straight as an arrow and quartered. Traditional and boring, but as a famous AGF poster once said, “In great boredom, there is great excitement.”

With dense, stiff, glassy woods that move asymmetrically with changing humidity, i always choose the set that is more physically stable (quarter sawn, straight grained).

This is the approach I've always taken with every one of my builds. I'm not going to hamper my builder's ability to maximize tone just because I have a visual preference for one grain pattern over another.

Regarding choosing between 'pretty woods', I try always to remember two things:

1. I can't see the back & sides when I'm playing.
2. Doc Watson never cared what his guitars looked like.

Tone is everything to me.

If the builder likes two sets equally, I'm in iim7V7IM7's camp; give me the most stable: quarter sawn and straight grained.

I am on the justonwo train. Straighter grain is better when all other things don't matter much. Besides, you want those little one serenades to SOUND awesome!

Figured :)

Was the brz neck a big upcharge? Looks.Very cool.

Thanks for the responses on straight vs figured. Of course I would always ask Jason what he thought first. I had several choices narrowed down to 4 choices. Then after Jason cleaned up those sets, I narrowed it down to two sets.

One was very straight and looked like classic old growth straight grain. The second had very beautiful coloring and vivid lines. It also is quartersawn enough to be on the safe side :) I ended going for the more colorful piece because its in honor of my daughter and she might like this one in the future :) The Brazilian for my MDW :D

https://i.imgur.com/Habc2n1.jpg

I wanted to go for a brazilian neck and also Brazilian binding. The hard part is getting different woods to match. Otherwise they begin competing against each other. So no Brazilian neck for now. We might have a few surprises in store ;)

I feel a jam coming...

looking forward to it John!

Here is another picture of the back with some Naptha to show the deep reds that will pop under finish!

https://i.imgur.com/qCd8YFu.jpg?1

For the top, we are going with a nice set of German spruce. I requested no run out and as much silking as possible. Very excited to see this one under finish :)

https://i.imgur.com/yymsUV2.jpg?1

And the top and back for a quick family photo :D:

https://i.imgur.com/RmBXEJK.jpg?1