Will do Ed. Glad you like the GC. Currently, I'm working on a BRW GC and I'll post some photos soon.
Trevor, I may have an instrument for you.
Kym, thank you!
Holzapfels have pretty deep boxes, but I have thought of making them a bit slimmer. I think the Stella is actually more comfortable because it is a little slimmer in depth. The 6 pin bride is a bit more difficult to string, as you have to make sure the new strings sit right in the slots before putting in the pin. Have never cared to do that, but thought I'd try the bridge. The owner doesn't seem to have a problem with it, but I also make the 12 pin bridge for them.
Strings on the instrument are pretty heavy, .070-.020, but I think the owner lightened them up a bit. Depends what you tune it to. If I remember right, it was tuned to B. I like a nice fat sound in my 12's. The Stelle is a bit stronger sounding, although a second Holzapfel sounds stronger with Sapele rather than Honduras but is not quite as "harmonious". Sapele is fast becoming my wood of preference for big 12's.
My most comfortable 12 is the MJ of course, but is a bit harder to tune with the short scale.
Tone on the white oak MJ-12 is remarkably Stella "like", but a tad weaker. Hard to beat a Stella for projection.
Both the Holzapfel and Stelle are ladder braced and the MJ-12 is my "W" bracing. Here's a short clip of the MJ when it was new.
http://s723.photobucket.com/user/ivo...20071.mp4.html
Thanks Tim, good to hear from you too. Really hard to find white oak with that kind of uniform ray between halves.
I'll try not to be such a stranger...