I got up this morning, checked out and waited for Jim to come by. Yes, the legend himself picked me up at the hotel...
When we got to Circles Pines, Jim gave me the full tour of his shop before finally handing me the guitar.
In person, this guitar is absolutely stunning. I couldn't be happier with it.
In terms of sound, I must admit I had second thoughts about choosing "The Tree" for back and sides. I thought I would be missing out on the classic Olson tone (rosewood and cedar).
Well, after having played a BRW/cedar SJ and a IRW/cedar SJ at the shop, I must say I like my SJ best (although by a small margin). The tone is still very much what we expect from an Olson -- but with a bit of an edge and sparkle. Factor in the incredible looks of "The Tree", and you've got a real winner.
Compared to my other guitars, the Olson SJ almost plays itself. I couldn't believe I was playing a long scale guitar. The BRW SJ definitely had the edge in terms of bass response -- but not enough for me to ignore the wonderful trebles on the mahogany guitar.
After taking possession of my new guitar, Jim took me out for lunch and we discussed music, family and faith over a nice meal. Finally, I had to catch a flight back to Toronto in the afternoon so Jim dropped me off at the airport. Talk about five star service...
This day was a dream come true for me. Those of you who grew up in modest families can fully understand how I feel today.
I will start posting videos and sound clips as soon as I get back home.