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Old 11-12-2019, 03:41 PM
Dustinfurlow Dustinfurlow is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Asheville, NC
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Default Beneteau MJ Fanfret (Italian/ABW) *Video Added*

Wonderful day it is to hear my second commission with Marc Beneteau is officially underway! I've been a big fan of Marc's guitars literally since I was 17! Thats about a decade now...sheesh.

Little backstory leading up to this order:
My first commission with Marc from July 18' was a 25.75" scale Italian/Black Walnut SJ which is 16.75" across the lower bout, and is overall the most inspiring box of wood I've had in my stable over the years and will be a lifetimer, I am certain. The tone is clear and sweet, yet powerful when needed. The goal with that one was to have a dry, clear midrange to balance the midrange-scoop typical of jumbo guitars, but still have a dash of overtones in the top from the Italian spruce. He hit it right on the money. I'm still baffled at the resonance, especially when capo'd! With the arm and rib bevels is is extremely comfortable for longer sessions, either standing or seated. Definitely was worth the extra $ since its a larger guitar. Can also add that the soundport helps acoustically, when playing unplugged for house concerts it gives the impression it is louder and more open - also inspiring from the driver's side!

Before that commission I had owned two secondhand Beneteau's - a Carpathian/Ebony Model M and a Euro/African Blackwood Concert Standard. The playability and neck profile of the Model M, with it's 1 25/32" nut and 4.25" deep body was the best I've encountered for my personal ergonomics (I'm about 6 ft, semi-big hands), but the tone of Euro/Blackwood CS was where the inspiration for a second commission was, it just didn't have the wide spec's I needed. I recorded almost my entire solo-guitar album "Woodscapes" with the ABW CS so I knew exactly what kind of tone and response I was getting from the woods, paired with Marc's voicing. And so, I set out to have my second commission with Marc be almost a hybrid of the two...it will be a "Mini jumbo" guitar, 16" across like the Model M, also having the wider specs of the Model M, but will have the tonewoods of the CS, Euro and African Blackwood. An added feature we decided to go with was a 25.4" to 26.25" fanfret. After playing Paul Heumiller's McConnell which had these dimensions, I felt it would serve my pieces well!

Here are the detailed spec's I've requested. I can hardly wait!!

Body: Mini Jumbo
Top: Italian spruce
Back/Sides: African Blackwood
Body binding: Snakewood
Body top purfling: Red wood close to color of Snakewood, thin maple lines
Neck: 5-piece, slim/standard C, polished satin finish
Fingerboard binding: Ebony
Fingerboard purfling : Maple
Headstock veneer: Maple-bound Snakewood, Standard “B” inlay
Cutaway: Florentine
Bridge: Pinless
Tuners: Cosmo black Gotoh 510 with ebonoid buttons
Frets: Evo Gold jumbo wire
Soundport: Yes, no cover
Bevel: Laskin
Heelcap: Snakewood
Behind headstock: Snakewood (if possible)
Backstrip: Snakewood

Measurements:
Nut width: 1 25/32"
Bridge spacing: 2 5/16"
Scale: Fan Fret: 25.4”-26.25”
Body depth at tail: 4 3/8”

Special requests:
-MOP Sidemarkers up to 21st fret
-Two holes drilled at bottom
-Cedar kerflings
-clear pickguard
-black strap pin
-wood tile rosette

Outline of the MJ with requested Florentine cutaway:


Marc using the same method he's used since the 70's for gluing together the top, a slight variation of "sticks and wedges", he calls it.
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Dustin Furlow

-Award-winning songwriter/guitarist, Visual storyteller
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available at www.dustinfurlow.com

Last edited by Dustinfurlow; 05-23-2020 at 09:43 PM.
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