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#1
12-14-2016, 02:04 PM
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My Custom Builds From Vietnam 000 All Koa & D-45 12-Fret
Some of you folks might have seen the build thread of a 00-45 that I had built in Vietnam. I ended up loving the 00 so much that I've decided to have him build me 2 more. Being spoiled by owning many high end American made both small shop and independent luthiers I was suprise to find a luthier from Vietnam who builds such wonderful instruments. I know the boutique acoustic crowd can be tough to please as far as tone/fit/finish. The luthier would love any tips or advice you can offer from these photos, he's very much in love with the craft. Vietnam as you probably already does not have much of an independent luthier community like the west here. So please critique and criticize what you feel can improve, he would love that. Long story short the D-45 will have an Adirondack top with Ziricote back/sides/headplate/fingerboard/bridge. While the 000 will be an all Koa build with African Blackwood headplate/fingerboard/bridge.
              
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#4
12-14-2016, 10:15 PM
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They are looking great Vee. I'm no builder so I can't criticize anyone that can do so much more than me in this regard. I will ask because of appearances to me - are these extremely heavy. The braces seem huge and thick. In the end what really matters is the sound. How does the first one you had commissioned sound?
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#5
12-14-2016, 10:25 PM
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Funny, but that was my first thought; some of the back braces seem mondo heavy...
But the inlay work... gorgeous! And some nice wood selections too!
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2017 Taylor T5z Classic 2016 Taylor 812ceN 2016 Taylor K62ce 12 String 12 Fret LTD Koa S.E. 2015 Taylor 914ce First Edition 2014 Taylor 812ce 12 fret First Edition 2014 Taylor 324ce FLTD Koa 2009 Taylor 954ce 12 string 1966 Gretsch Country Gentleman
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#6
12-15-2016, 07:45 AM
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criticism
Someone who looks closer and knows than I do more will be able to give better feedback.
The back braces jumped out at me. Bracing is one of those areas where I let the luthier do his thing, but I have never seen anything like that. The lower two seem to by lying on side. You want them thinner and taller and contacting the back as little as possible and still get the job done without tipping over. One guitar shows a "recessed" area, for lack of better words, into which thee neck will fit, yet the photos of the neck do not show any that will fit in this way. It seems very unconventional to me. I am receptive to unconventional ways of doing things if the luthier can clearly demonstrate why he does it that way. The shot of the 2 necks side by side shows the left one is shorter. Were they supposed to be each a different scale? And I see a lot of stray glue marks. That does not harm anything, but indicates to me a certain sloppiness and makes me wonder if it carries over to more important things. The inlay is nicely done. I have seen the work of Vietnamese inlay artists and am impressed by their skills. I like the herringbone on the headstock. Different, yet traditional. The big things when all has been done: Do they look nice? Play nice? And sound good? If you have three "yesses" and are happy with the price, what more could one wish?
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The Bard Rocks Fay OM Sinker Redwood/Tiger Myrtle Sexauer L00 Adk/Magnolia For Sale Hatcher Jumbo Bearclaw/"Bacon" Padauk Goodall Jumbo POC/flamed Mahogany Appollonio 12 POC/Myrtle MJ Franks Resonator, all Australian Blackwood Blackbird "Lucky 13" - carbon fiber '31 National Duolian + many other stringed instruments.
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#7
12-15-2016, 10:19 AM
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These will be my 2nd and 3rd from the luthier. The bracing did jump out at my as well, they are huge. I told him before he start to make the best sounding guitars you can. I commissioned a 00 with him before and that came out very nice. I'll trust him to do the same with these but I guess I wont know till theyre done. I understand the back is responsible for reflecting the energy the top produces, so how substantial is the effect of a overbuilt brace? Here are a few photos and a sound clip of the 00 he built for me last year, its held up well with the weather/humidity here in the U.S.
    
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#8
12-15-2016, 10:45 AM
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Very cool stuff. Thanks for sharing.
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#9
12-15-2016, 06:42 PM
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My experience is limited with Vietnam imports but the few wood products that I have encountered have warped pretty severely. I would assume it's a difference in their RH and excessive wood moisture content verses ours. Having said that I would caution you to keep a close eye on the Zircote guitar. Zircote has the propensity to move more than most woods so you may or may not experience some lossend braces or cracking, depending on how your home's RH differs from the luthiers shop.
The one oddity I noticed was the herringbone on the peg heads upper corners radii appears to have broken on both corners and the builder had not seen the need the replace it. I'm surprised they sent you pictures of it knowing it was broken?
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#10
12-15-2016, 07:08 PM
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Vee, that guitar is gorgeous. How is the intonation on the guitar?
Last edited by DenverSteve; 12-15-2016 at 07:14 PM.
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#11
12-18-2016, 04:18 PM
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As some of you may already know, I was born in communist Vietnam -- a country known for its beautiful landscapes, somewhat hazardous street food and retarded politics.
The first thing that strikes me is that the name of the luthier is not mentioned anywhere in this thread. Thanks to Portuguese missionaries and Alexandre de Rhodes in particular, we're able to type most Vietnamese words using a standard western keyboard. From afar, I think the guitars look great. I'd have to look at them from up close and play them in order to form an educated opinion. The only concerns that we can express in this thread are based on cosmetics and the lack of a controlled environment to build the guitars. Quote:
Now, one of the only assets that Vietnamese luthiers have over the rest of the world is the cost of living and the cost of labour. The Vietnamese folks are also known for having good attention to detail and for being precise workers. As such, I think the precision work should be impeccable and I'm a little troubled by the generous glue marks. Quote:
Lastly, I realize this is a cultural thing but since we're mostly a western audience talking about a western instrument, I do want to point out that Vietnamese folks often work on the floor in a squatting position. Combined with their habit of walking around bare footed, this would make me a little uncomfortable indeed.
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#12
12-18-2016, 09:22 PM
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I think they're cool. I'm not as concerned with back bracing, if the intention is to make a more reflective, non-active back. I've built one carved back flat top, and played a couple other relatively stiff-backed guitars, that sounded great - so that is not necessarily an indicator of sound.
Also I've played a lot of guitars that were impeccably clean inside, yet sounded "sterile" or "meh." Of course price, sound, and ultimate satisfaction of the owner have to be taken into consideration. Some joints can look impeccably clean, when it belies a glue-starved joint, or glue that was not spread edge-to-edge on a joint. Obviously, most all us here would prefer "neater" work, but this particular builder does not hold it high up in importance. And at least that's honest. One can be sloppy, come in with a wet rag while the glue is still wet, and pull glue from the joint. Looks clean, not as strong. I find it weird to say this, as one who does go to great lengths to make the inside look nice, but again, not knowing the builder, and price point, I cannot make a judgment.
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