The Arum--A New Wilborn Guitar Model Build!!! Video added!
 

I got hooked on Ben Wilborn's guitars earlier this year when I attended B.I.G. 2019 in March, an event I highly recommend. While there I purchased the BevelBelle, one of his EllieBelle (15" lower bout) models, a guitar which has quickly become one of my favorites in my stable.

I'm fortunate enough to live within a few hours of Ben's shop and have visited quite a few times over the course of this year. Looking over his wood stash during these visits, and mentioning my desire to one day do a cocobolo build, Ben tempted me with some of his amazing sets of coco. I couldn't resist, so back in September I plopped down my deposit for one of Ben's Lion models (14" lower bout), and selected a cocobolo set which totally captivated me.

Meanwhile, Wilborn Guitars just recently introduced a new guitar model, the Nautilus--an exciting guitar which is a total departure from conventionally x-braced guitars. With a combination soundhole/soundport located on the driver's side of the upper bout, the top of this guitar is radially-braced allowing the entire top to vibrate and contribute to the sound it puts forth. It's a very striking and sexy guitar.

If you haven't seen the Nautilus yet or checked it out you can find it here in the following video....



And here's a photo of the top for your viewing pleasure...

https://i.imgur.com/s9jqx0c.jpg?2

I decided that I needed to try out the Nautilus for myself, and so I headed up to Ben's shop earlier this month to check it out. This guitar is really totally different experience--it produces amazing tone that totally engulfs the player. It's like a total emersion in sound for the player that is sonorous and cello-like. It's very warm and woody and open sounding and after playing it for awhile, I was very taken with it and determined that I wanted to own one of my own!

The Nautilus was built utilizing the EllieBelle size and shape. I had a Lion build on commission and wanted to find out if Ben could do a "Nautilized" version of the Lion shape and size. Ben was excited and up for the challenge, and so the Arum model was born. Ben named it the Arum after the genus of a type of folded lilly--a very apt name to depict the shape that the beautiful soundhole/port takes on.

Ben contacted me this week and told me that my Arum is now officially underway! So let's get to the pictures and get this underway...

Here's the amazing 4-piece cocobolo back set and matching sides which I was so smitten with. Ben did an amazing job joining the back pieces--most folks would never know it is a 4-piece back. Also in this photo is the bookmatched headplate we'll be using that Ben put together

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

Here's a close-up shot showing the gorgeous ink-line figuring of this set

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

We decided to pair this cocobolo with a Tunnel 14 redwood top--Ben is quite fond of this wood and I have to say this top had an amazing tap tone. The definition of a ringing bell when tapped...

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

And finally, a close-up shot of the Tunnel 14 top showing the beautiful silking that this top has

https://i.imgur.com/zgwbR6C.jpg?1

I'm really excited and blessed to be having Ben do this build for me. He's really a talented luthier and a great guy that I can heartily recommend to anyone considering a custom build.

Thanks for checking the Arum out and following along!

To my mind, that Cocobolo set is the nicest I have ever seen. No wonder you were smitten by it. If I did not see the cut ends of the pieces in that picture, I would not have been able to find the seams.

A Nautilus Lion, that is really going to be cool. I will be watching this thread for sure! I look forward to playing it at B.I.G. (er) 2020 I hope!!!

I am excited to see what the Tunnel 14 does under finish. Are you planning anything in terms of a burst or other treatment for it, or just let it come to life under regular finish?

I am envious of your driving location, although if I could drive there, Ben would likely get sick of me and forbid me to come to the shop haha!

Whee!!!
 

This will be a fun ride. I am buckled up.

Ben is a wonderful builder and a really fun person, too. Lucky you!!! Have fun

The Nautilus Video is really worth watching! The thing sounds unbelievably HUGE. And FINE!!!

Paul

The Nautilus design could be a game changer. Hope to see it at BIG!

I am completely enamored with Ben’s guitars tone, build and designs.
This really checks every box of mine, and some that I didn’t know I had!

Someday Ben, I hope to commission a build from you. I have now decided
It will be a Nautilus!

You’re going to have an incredible guitar Nemoman!

Mark

Yes, he should have at least one there and if he is fast enough two!!! Plus I believe Kevin is planning on bringing the Arum as well.

The nautilus looks interesting. I think there was a Dehradun guitsr design that was similar in idea though it used a non fixed bridge and a carbon fibre rod from neck block to tail block as well. It also has some similarities with the Schwarz Oracle that is however lattice braced, but that has also been described as being cello like in tone.

The video you linked shows Wilborn playing the guitar with only flatpick- are there videos showing it finger picked?

Really cool design. I'm looking forward to playing one!

Beautiful design and very nice woods. Looking forward to seeing this one come together!

I'm excited to see the Tunnel 14 under finish as well! Originally we were going to do a narrow edge burst around the top, but with the shape of the new model, we're just going to let that redwood shine on its own. And although I'm fond of the dark oxidation lines in the top, we're going to eliminate most of them in order to take advantage of the clean and silky portions of this top.

Regarding the trips to the shop, I think I've been there 4 times since March, and I'm fairly sure Ben gives out a groan when he sees me coming. Lucky for me he still lets me keep on visiting!

Hey Paul--you're right indeed. I'm truly lucky and it will be a fun ride for us all!

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, it will definitely be there at BIG for all to see and try out.

Thanks, Mark. Ben does have some great designs with the tone and sound to match. I hope you commission your Wilborn soon and start a thread for us to follow along!

It is a beautiful and sexy design. To my knowledge, this is the only video thus far that Ben has done with the Nautilus. Maybe he will do another one soon to show how it responds to fingerstyle playing. Thanks for commenting!

Congrats!! Everything about this model and Ben's work looks awesome! this will be a fun build to follow.
That redwood and cocobolo will be a magical combination. And certainly that Tunnel 14 Redwood will be spectacular under finish! My signature pic has LS Redwood under finish.....it just glows.......elegant......you'll be in for a treat!!!

Thanks Mark! The Nautilus I have- the ONLY Nautilus in existence yet- is like some kind of drug for me. I can't stop picking it up and playing. I had to banish it from my shop, so I could get some work done!

Standing at the bottom of Mount Arum
 

I wouldn't probably do anything this challenging if it weren't for my customers. I had been mulling over a different way to brace a steel string using the whole top, and a radial configuration for a couple years, and had even built a prototype (Algernon), but it took Tom Bowersox to get me to finalize and build The Nautilus. It was basically my way of incorporating all the features he was looking for in one guitar (with a few of my own). Without his order for a guitar in a design that didn't yet exist, I might never have sliced out the time and resources to make such a complex instrument come to life. But, man, am I glad that I did. I find the Nautilus to be a completely intoxicating instrument, deep, powerful and possessed of a density of tone that I had only previously dreamed of in a vague way. Now Kevin has pulled me in another, complimentary direction. This is the Arum. He was taken with The Nautilus, but since he already has a fairly adequate Wilborn in that same body-size, he asked me to Nautilize a Lion (or Lionize a Nautilus, maybe) and build the same features onto a 14" Lion chassis. And of course, I said yes! So, here at the bottom of Mt Arum, I have to fabricate templates, cauls, forms and finalize design elements before I begin the climb. I've gotten a lot of them built over the last couple weeks, but there are a few more to go. The hardest part of this design to build is the 3-D Soundport, which serves as a sound hole on the top, but also dips down into the side to create a player's sound port. It's really hard to make, but thanks to the Nautilus I've built, at least I have a pretty good idea where I'll be going. You can all watch me struggle through that... Anyway, I am very excited to be embarking on this build. Thank you, Kevin, for the vote of confidence, and by the way, I am always glad to host you at my shop! OK, here we go!

This...is .....very, very.....cool!!

This is seriously amazing. Stuff like this is why I visit the Custom Shop section...can't wait to hang at B.I.G this year, Ben!