Buying a mystery

[Birdbrain]

I was looking for something else, I swear! But just one more stop by a pawn shop, and now I'm the owner of my first handmade, all-solid flattop. What is it, who knows? It's a Jumbo, Spruce over Maple back and sides, with Rosewood neck and fingerboard and a Venetian cutaway. This Denver shop though it was made by a local builder. I'll probably never know for sure. Maybe that lack of brand power and reputation was the reason I could get it for only $600, complete with a three-way Artec pickup and a hard case.

Whatever it is, it plays well, and seems very well constructed. It has all the big bass you'd expect from a solid jumbo, but the trebles remain steely, sweet and singing. It's easy to tune, and the tune stays put. The pickup seems able to mix up any tone you'd ask for- how long have we had acoustics with three built-in pickups?

It's an odd feeling owning this instrument, like I've stepped off the karmic wheel of gear envy. I'll never read a review of this one, or even a lone post. There are no print ads or YouTube videos displaying its merits. It's just the best acoustic guitar I've ever thought about owning, with materials to match a $2500 Taylor.

https://ibb.co/fbe94m
https://ibb.co/dgSJx6
https://ibb.co/hNK94m
https://ibb.co/ccQhPm

[Bear Davis]

Would love to see some pics!

Here is the best way IMHO:

1. Go here: https://imgbb.com/

2. Click on "Start Uploading"

3. Select the pictures from your computer

4. Click "Upload"

5. From the drop down box select "BBcode Full Linked"

6. Copy all the jargon in the box below

7. Paste into your thread

8. Walla!

[Birdbrain]

And that's "Voila!"

[Steadfastly]

You have just shown the best way to purchase a guitar.

You've purchased it for how it sounds, looks and how it's built, not by what it printed on the headstock. That is the way all guitars should be purchased.

[Wade Hampton]

Ex-Nash, I can't accurately tell you the precise manufacturer of your cool new mystery guitar. But here's what I can tell you:

1.) It's almost certainly Asian-made, most likely in China or South Korea;

2.) The abalone around the soundhole is a laminated abalone product called Ablam, which indicates that it was built in the past twenty years or so, because before that Ablam wasn't in common use in factory-made guitars.

My guess is that it's about ten or twelve years old, maybe newer. I also guess that it was either a prototype, or else someone took it upon themselves to remove the logo from the headstock. I don't know for certain, though.

How does the pickup and tonal controls sound?

That's about all I can tell you based on the photos. But I'm delighted that you found a cool all-solid wood guitar that you like.


Wade Hampton Miller

[David MacNeill]

Looks like a perfectly wonderful guitar, regardless of who made it or where. I would have bought it if I’d seen it first.

[Birdbrain]

https://ibb.co/dkaYH6

My original photos didn't show this clearly. But I'm pretty sure that nothing's been added or removed from this headstock, which is trimmed in the same maple as the rest of the body.

Asian origin might explain the lack of a logo, or even initials. The plastic bridge pins don't suggest a cost-is-no-object build. The hundred-dollar pickup seems cheap for what it does. But they didn't seem to scrimp on the woods, or the excellent, large-keyed tuners.

The pawn shop said it was from "some small luthier in Boulder." I'll take it up there and show it in the guitar shops, so see if anyone sees any family resemblances.

It is what it is, as they say. And nothing more- no brand loyalty, no rave reviews, no history. Just a yellow dog with no pedigree, no papers. But I'm happy to have her!

I like the Jumbo style as much as I dislike Dreadnaughts. This actually tape-measures the same as my mini-jumbo, but with 3/4" more depth. Judging from the big bottom end, it sound like it's a foot deeper. I'm still discovering the variety of sounds that lie within, from various picks and styles. With three blendable pickups, it reminds me of my Godin Convertible, with the P-Rails, for the number of possible combinations and settings..

I think I'm through guitar-shopping for a while.

[Moocheng]

first though is that its Chinese, then the body depth sort of puzzled me a bit, Chinese guitars tend to be shallower in depth than an American made equivalent, rarely if ever deeper. Also it would be a closer copy of an existing American instrument which it clearly is'nt

Just have a feeling it was built by some guy who builds one or two guitars a year.
Sure is a nice guitar, you scored a great instrument

[Tony Done]

My reaction was nice looking top, good fit and finish, laminated B7s - judging be the dark colour through the soundhole. The headstock pic made me think of Tanglewood, but I don't think that signifies anything.

[Birdbrain]

Originally Posted by Tony Done

My reaction was nice looking top, good fit and finish, laminated B7s - judging be the dark colour through the soundhole. The headstock pic made me think of Tanglewood, but I don't think that signifies anything.

"B7s"? Did you mean to type B&S? The leading acoustic dealer in Denver confirmed for me that it was solid. You can see the matching grain patterns through the soundhole.

[Birdbrain]

Originally Posted by Moocheng

first though is that its Chinese, then the body depth sort of puzzled me a bit, Chinese guitars tend to be shallower in depth than an American made equivalent, rarely if ever deeper. Also it would be a closer copy of an existing American instrument which it clearly is'nt

This one tapers from 4 1/8 to 4 7/8 inches deep. I couldn't play anything much deeper!

[Tony Done]

Originally Posted by Ex-Nashvillian

"B7s"? Did you mean to type B&S? The leading acoustic dealer in Denver confirmed for me that it was solid. You can see the matching grain patterns through the soundhole.

OK, but can't tell from your pics, the inside looks brown.

[Birdbrain]

"A woman is a man's best friend, outside of a guitar. And inside of a guitar, it's too dark."

[Tony Burns]

What really matters is that you like it - reguardless of where it came from -
names on a headstock typically set a selling price , and are sometimes removed ( if their a sticker - decal ) by a seller to drive a price up -as a rule i dont trust pawn shops to give one honest answers and sometimes give wild stories just to make a buck . but if it has a nice sound , then you have a deal.
I think its Chinese becasue of the trap door .

[Birdbrain]

What's a trap door?