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Old 05-26-2019, 05:18 PM
Jimbo1776 Jimbo1776 is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Roque Bluffs, Maine
Posts: 53
Default Dehradun Build - 7/16/19 new photos at bottom of page 2

New Dehradun Build - new photos added


Some of you may have heard the wonderful story of the Dehradun Guitar Company in Dehradun India. Here's a brief sketch for those who haven’t (if there are errors in the telling they are my own). Dehradun is a town in northern India near the borders of Nepal and Tibet. Dave and Mel Murray went there to do development work. Dave began working in a safe house with Tibetan refugees. The men he was working with found out he was a luthier and asked if he would teach them to build a guitar. He agreed and the experience was a success. They were hungry to learn more so Dave continued the process and eventually trained them to be first rate luthiers. It became clear that the dignity of creative work was just what these displaced and marginalized men needed and so Dehradun Guitar Company was born. They now build world class instruments and their success has served as the basis for deep healing, meaning and belonging. They have become, in their own right, amazing craftsmen. Men who were once refugees have become a brotherhood of gifted luthiers. I first was introduced to their story on the Dream Guitars website. I was intrigued by what Dave had done and based on the positive comments I read on DG I bought a Dehradun from Tristan off AGF. I was skeptical but willing to take the chance because I was so moved by the story.

So here’s what happened. I have attended three major guitar festivals and have had the privilege to play amazing guitars from some of the best luthiers on the planet and was amazed to find that, to my ear, nothing I had played beat the Dehradun. I was so impressed I decided to commission a new one with custom options and spent months ironing out the details with Dave and the Dehradun team. They were patient with my many machinations and constant questions. Meanwhile, the guitar I purchased on AGF developed a small problem with the neck so I contacted Dave to see what could be done. Although I had not purchased it from Dehradun he graciously agreed to meet me on his Christmas vacation when he was back in the US and fix the issue AT NO CHARGE. While he had my guitar he loaned me his personal guitar which was my guitars twin (see attached photo). They are both offset sound-hole designs with elevated fingerboards and a tail piece rather than the traditional bridge setup. I loved mine but his was simply the most responsive wood I've ever held in my hands. The bloom, overtones and sustain on the first one were shocking but the second one was markedly better. I mentioned the difference to Dave and to my amazement he said "well keep whichever one you want." Now that is customer service. Clearly I kept the second one.

After being patient with all my deliberations Dave gave the design for my new build to the team and they were finally able to start it about a week ago. Below is a picture of the guitar I already own with a note about the design ideas. The following photos are of the new build in process. The new build will be similar in design philosophy to the one I already own. Hope you enjoy them - I sure am. I am very blessed to be a small part of what's happening at Dehradun.

Jim


Here are three CAD mock-ups Dave did for the new build

Screen Shot 2019-01-21 at 8.43.53 AM.jpg

Here you can clearly see the sound hold design and tail piece with the pass through bridge. The bridge has been redesigned and will look more like a regular Dehradun bridge which I much prefer.

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These two angled shots show and newly designed bevel which is much narrower and at a more optimal angle for comfort than most bevels.




Screen Shot 2019-01-21 at 8.43.53 AM.jpg



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Here's the guitar I already have. You can see the tail piece which relieves all the pull on the top and allows the bridge to float. The strings put downward pressure on the bridge. Since the top is much looser it is much freer to move. The top is very silky Engelmann and the back and sides are Wenge.

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I designed a bi-level head-stock which they had never done before but were willing to try. Here's Dave's rendition on CAD

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This is a redesigned bridge. I wanted something closer to the regular Dehradun bridge they do on center hole guitars. I didn't realize how much engineering went into the bridge. Dave said - it's all about form following function and there's a lot of function the bridge is responsible for. Here's his CAD image.

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Here is the back - which is South Indian Rosewood which has been aged over 30 years.

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I love the darker streaking down the middle.

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The top is aged redwood.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg IMG_20190522_103544_Bokeh-Edit.jpg (33.9 KB, 568 views)
File Type: jpg IMG_20190522_103719_Bokeh-Edit.jpg (36.7 KB, 562 views)

Last edited by Jimbo1776; 07-16-2019 at 10:26 AM. Reason: Dehradun update - new photos
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