Thanks again for the comments, they made me smile!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deft Tungsman
Hi Janne!
Like Thomas, I was wondering when you’d finally feel ready to share your impressions of your gorgeous Malabar with us here on the Forum. Thanks for spoiling us with more than words!
The video showcases the timbre and responsiveness of your guitar with great honesty. I dig the tune, the playing and the quality of the recording.
You say that your room sounds dull, and while that may be true in real life, my ear likes the dry, direct sound you’ve captured in the video. The mic placement seems just right to me, certainly not too bass-heavy or congested in the midrange. The voice I hear bears a striking resemblance to that of my OM, with perhaps only a tad less overtone content. The entire spectrum is so balanced, so warm, full and clear, it truly sounds like everything I could ever want in an acoustic guitar. (Like you, I’ve discovered that I’m not all that interested in playing a six-string grand piano.)
As a haptic experience, I’ve never played another guitar that feels or responds like my Claxton. Listening to the video, I can easily imagine what plucking your guitar’s strings must feel like, how the notes project and how that projection varies as you change your attack. After spending a few days or weeks enjoying the charms of my other guitars, when I return to the Claxton I realize immediately that it has a magic none of the others can match. You are truly gifted at articulating what that magic is all about, and your words echo my experience perfectly.
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and the pictures, especially the one with your daughter. It’s the very portrait of spontaneous joy and a fitting tribute to the immediate, umbilical connection you’ve made with this beautiful example of Ed’s handiwork.
I sure hope we get the chance to share the joy in person one day in the not-so-distant future, my friend!
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Marc, thank you! I was hoping you'd chime in.
Yes, every time I pick up the guitar I understand better what you've talked about since we connected. The experience of playing on the Claxton is indeed on a different level compared to other high-caliber guitars I've played. I'm still surprised about how big the difference is, though. There's just no contest with my other two guitars, though they are great too. The haptic component plays a big role in that. And all this is very difficult to put into words. I'm repeating myself, but the best description I can come up with is that this guitar "feels right".
About the recording: I've listened to it critically for a few times now, and I think I've found what bothers me. My small room has quite a lot of absorptive material on the walls and the ceiling, but behind that is concrete, and there's no "bass traps" of any kind. Thus, the high frequencies are instantly dampened, but the low reflections linger around, creating a sloppy bass response. It's not terrible, but not ideal either -- it lacks the "snap" I can hear and feel when playing quick passages. I'll have to figure out how to deal with this. I'll post more recordings then!
I'd also love to hear more of your music! And maybe, some day, there'll be a "Claxton gathering".