Urlacher Short-Scale OM (Cedar/Indian Rosewood) **Video Added!!**
 

Hi folks,

An exciting new venture for me - after seeing the rough beginning stages of this guitar online I absolutely had to inquire with Oregon-luthier Rebecca Urlacher about this build and decided we would move forward together spec'ing it out. It's occurred to me how well 15" size guitars work for me ergonomically when using either my NeckUp or Ergoplay guitar supports, so after selling my beloved Goodall RGCC (Redwood/Indian) I felt this would be a perfect replacement, tonally and even more-so aesthetically.

Other than performing, the thing I was looking forward to most at La Connor was meeting a handful of luthiers I had been following including Rebecca, who's work had been on my radar for the past few years. This is her first OM with a Florentine cutaway, but she has been building high-quality steel-strings for 17 years. Hoping the rescheduled date for La Connor in July still happens.

When we talked she had mentioned that she builds her guitars with my type of playing style in mind - which I guess one could call "modern-fingerstyle" or just altered tuning-based fingerpicking - often with a crucial need for full-response to a light-touch and balanced mids to ensure clarity of voicings and melody. In this case, I am greatly looking forward to having a short scale OM in the stable to be a nice recording guitar and easier on the shoulder/hands for 1hr+ practice sessions.

The aesthetics of the initial photos I saw really grabbed me - she used some of very favorite woods to accent the warm cedar top: Walnut, Koa, Ebony and interestingly - Eucalyptus (one of my favorite trees and also the very first time I had ever seen this wood used for veneer/aesthetics!) So aesthetically this guitar really just knocks it out of the park for me, earthy tones with a modern, simplistic touch to the bindings and purflings. The rosette, headstock and floating backstrip all share a common, unified theme which I really, really love. When she said the guitar was soon to be sent off the Vancouver Guitar Finishing I just about lost it! Seeing photos from their shop has always stopped me dead in my tracks, just amazing finish work.

https://i.imgur.com/Mny5MOt.jpg

Headstock Veneer: Walnut and Koa with Ebony and Koa/Eucalyptus tiles!
https://i.imgur.com/bVxqgtl.jpg

Koa binding detail:
https://i.imgur.com/WGb6k7z.jpg

Fingerboard assembly, I asked her to do position markers up to the 19th fret and only do the double dot on the 12th fret (I for some reason was always bothered by the double side-inlay at the 7th fret on my old Goodall):
https://i.imgur.com/Pee5wAF.jpg

The back with a "floating" strip to match the rosette! Was a coincidence that this backstop matches the type I have on my incoming commission with Marc Beneteau:
https://i.imgur.com/BIbXHxh.jpg

Rough assembly before fine-detailing:
https://i.imgur.com/jxhDxAc.jpg

Rebecca offered this type of Gotoh button which actually wouldn't normally be my first choice, but I think will look cool for this guitar!
https://i.imgur.com/zWRRgbe.jpg

Seriously in love with this design and wood choices!:
https://i.imgur.com/xlhL6ve.jpg

Rebecca was even kind enough to install a soundport (which wasn't originally there!) after I asked if there was one and voiced that it wasn't at all a deal breaker but I normally love having one, based on my experience with Marc Beneteau:
https://i.imgur.com/MWcwbPm.jpg

Here are the spec's:

Top: Western Red Cedar
Back: Indian rosewood
Body bindings: Flamed Koa
Rosette: Walnut and Koa with Ebony and Koa/Eucalyptus tiles
Nut width: 1.78"
String spacing: 2.28"
Scale length: 25"
Lower bout Width: 15"
Body depth at endpin: 4.25"
Fretwire: Evo Gold
Tuners: Gotoh 510 gold w/ Tortoloid buttons

Here is Rebecca Urlacher's website to browse previous show guitars and other info:
www.urlacherguitars.com

Thanks for stopping by ;)

Congrats, it looks quite amazing.

Awesome, awesome, awesome, Dustin!!!!!:)

...and there you have it.

(I can't fully explain this somewhat enigmatic sentence here...it would take far too long. Let's just say I'm pretty happy for everyone involved)

Congrats to both Rebecca and Dustin on this particular adventure!

Congrats, Dustin--that's awesome!!!

I'm not familiar with Rebecca's work, but this is an exceptional looking instrument. I think the second photo you shared really impressed the high quality of her work - the completed headstock appears flawless. I've opened the link to Rebecca's website and look forward to seeing her other work.

Dustin, that looks fantastic! Really liking that headstock detail! Can't wait to hear you showing it's abilities!

Very tasteful design!

https://urlacherguitars.com/stands/

Urlacher's belezza guitar stands are the most beautiful functional guitar stand I have come across on the web so far - will you also be getting one along with the guitar, Dustin?

I'm so happy to see this build thread here! I love Rebecca's guitars- been following her work for 7 or 8 years. Seriously thought about her parlor but it was a bit too small. And this OM was a bit too big... So I've been holding off.

AND... She builds gorgeous instruments that sound amazing! And Dustin is such a great player. Match made for something truly special!

I so look forward to following this and to hearing you play this special guitar! Thanks for bringing us along!

beth

My goodness Dustin. What a nice looking instrument. The headstock design is other worldly. Absolutely love it! And the way that theme is carried throughout is fantastic. In your hands this will be spectacular! :)

Well, this confirms the question I asked on Facebook - it IS for you!

Going to be beautiful for sure.

I've been on her page a few times looking around - she does wonderful work!

July 2020 Urlacher OM Florentine (Cedar/Indian Rosewood)
 

Rebecca has a great intermediate body size (between parlor and OM) which is her “tenor” guitar.

This body can (and has been, I believe) be used for a regular 6-string guitar application.

Check with Rebecca on this, in case this might be the perfect fit...

Congratulations, this is going to be a beautiful instrument for sure. Very organic, warm look, interesting. It's amazing how many great builders are out there, I will check out Rebecca's work. EIR and Cedar is said to be a great combo.

Thanks Larry! I had seen the tenor guitar on Rebecca's website, but I'm figuring learning to play a regular 6 string guitar as well as I want to could take me the rest of my years... :)

Worth checking out!

beth

This is WAY COOL
 

Beth has been singing Rebecca's praises as long as I have known Beth! Which is a while now.

Very glad to see a WOMAN BUILDER represented here ! Rebecca especially!

Paul