#31
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Hi cbjanne,
Thank you for very eloquently describing your experience. I completely understood what you meant and have had a similar experience with a pair of guitars that I have compared. It is humbling to discover that some extraordinary things might not be a good match after all. I love what you said about looking for a "partner" rather than just a new guitar. Sounds like you came away from this exploration with a deeper understanding of yourself as a player. Best of luck with the slow simmering and I look forward to hearing where this journey takes you. Best, Jayne |
#32
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#33
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Cbjanne,
Playing a great guitar is a privilege and it does change you in a good way. It is great to read of your transformative the experience was for you. Some of the things you wrote kind of echoed with me too because I have played and owned many great guitars. The guitar I have today is in it's own way as good but I cannot say it is better than rhe best of those exceptional instruments but I enjoy playing it more than any guitar I have had, and that makes it the best guitar for me... Here's to you finding that ideal guitar that will be the mirror and perfect interface between you and your music!
__________________
In the end it is about who you love above yourself and what you have stood for and lived for that make the difference... |
#34
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Thanks guys!
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#35
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Expressing sound and its perception with words is extremely difficult and often futile; I struggle endlessly with it myself. What you have written is lucid and makes complete sense. Bravo to you, Sir! Cheers, Steve |
#36
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That was a fascinating read, thanks for taking us along.
I have owned a Traugott for a bit more than 6 months now (the one Marc is mentioning), and your experience about the Jeff’s guitars acting as extensions is very smartly put. I'd also second the unforgiving aspect of a Traugott, for better and worse. Hardly the guitar you quickly grab for 10 minutes while thinking about something else. It often requires focus to fully please the player, but man it can be so satisfying once you reach the "sweet spot”. Beyond the gap between my skills and the caliber of the instrument, playing such a high end guitar often came with a sense of obligation - a “it has to sound good!” feeling - that prevented me from fully enjoying it. As my playing has improved lately through classes and structured practicing, I realize these guitars also reward impeccable technique and a rather soft touch. I like to think I turned that restraining feeling into a learning motivation, aiming to deserve that instrument (one can dream). Finally, nice touch about the partnership, it reflects my thinking very well. There is almost a lyrical aspect about that exclusivity, and it's very hard to achieve with so many amazing instruments at our consideration. Great thread, please keep us informed of your journey! Tom |
#37
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Tom, your post resonated heavily. Thank you. |
#38
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cbjanne,
Thanks so much for your very articulate description of this phase in your journey ! As others have said, your English is better than that of most native speakers by far ! I'm a language professional, and you, sir, rock ! What you've discovered about the Traugott is what I discovered with the Claxton OM I bought six months ago. Everything I do, every little change in pressure or means of attack, changes the timbre of the music coming out of this glorious box. So transparent. Luckily for me, and probably due to Ed Claxton's perfect setup, it is forgiving enough for me never to feel discouraged by it, even when I'm just farting around, thinking about other things at the same time. But when I'm totally focused, the rewards abound at every moment, and I have become a much more attentive player as a result. To top it all off, it weighs next to nothing, even less that Thomas' stunning Traugott, and therefore after a few moments in my lap, it ceases to be a "medium" and becomes an "extension". You've captured the essence of an experience that is very difficult to describe. A great read that has spawned a great conversation. I wish you luck in your search, but you really don't need it. You're on the right path to the guitar that is out there somewhere, just waiting to meet you! (We should all be so wise...) Please don't be shy about reporting back on the subsequent twists and turns you'll navigate along the way, it's a great story.
__________________
____________________________________________ 1922 Martin 0-28 1933 Martin 0-17 1974 Alvarez/Yairi CY120 2010 Baranik Parlor 2013 Circa OM-18 2014 Claxton OM Traditional 2014 Blackbird Rider |
#39
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And just for the record, Thomas, in my book, you already deserve your Traugott.
__________________
____________________________________________ 1922 Martin 0-28 1933 Martin 0-17 1974 Alvarez/Yairi CY120 2010 Baranik Parlor 2013 Circa OM-18 2014 Claxton OM Traditional 2014 Blackbird Rider |
#40
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Marc you're too kind, the amazing reverberation at your place was certainly helping.
Was about to comment on your Claxton, a lot of common ground with the Traugott. Lightly built, airy and resonant, very nuanced... maybe my fav' among your herd (even if the Meridian fits your playing style very well). Got really intrigued by Walnut to be honest. |
#41
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Based on the little I can tell from numerous pictures and sound clips, Claxton guitars appeal to me greatly. I almost blind ordered one from Luthier’s Collection but decided against it. It feels like too much of a gamble to make such a commitment based on compressed audio files and pixels, especially now that I have learned what it can be like to connect with an instrument of the highest class.
Having said that, I’d be really interested in hearing players’ perceptions on the similarities and differences between Jeff and Ed’s guitars. If there is one thing that I might have felt lacking in the Traugott I played, it might have been a certain “warmth” of tone, although I suspect that too has to do with the new strings. Some of the Claxton sound clips I’ve heard have had quite a lot of what I hear as “warmth” or “sweetness”, though those clips were played by Doug Young, which surely is a deciding factor. And again, sound files only reveal so much. |
#42
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I just got home. Time to sleep and rest my overheated brain. Thanks again to all of you! It’s been an intensive three days, and having you guys to share everything with has been a joy. I am most grateful.
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#43
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Anyway, I hesitate to make any blanket statement about Claxton's vs Traugott, since everyone hears differently, specific guitars might be different, and so on. But I'd say my BK has a big low end, deeper than my (smaller) Claxton's, but with slightly scooped mids (or maybe it's just that the mids are dwarfed by the low end) and is slightly diffuse sounding - it sort of has a softer feel, while the Claxtons are more focused, and have stronger, rounder mids. When I was considering buying the Traugott, I took my Claxton Malabar in to compare - mostly to have something to reset my ears. It wasn't a very valid comparison, the small, OO-1/2 Claxton vs the jumbo Traugott, but I ended up hearing both similarities and differences and liked them both. But putting those into words is hard to do.
__________________
Music: Spotify, Bandcamp Videos: You Tube Channel Books: Hymns for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), Christmas Carols for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), A DADGAD Christmas, Alternate Tunings book Online Course: Alternate Tunings for Fingerstyle Guitar |
#44
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Doug, thank you for your kind message and observations. I’d really like to try a Claxton, but thus far haven’t had an opportunity. Especially the Malabar model seems interesting.
If only I lived in California! |
#45
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I was told that Claxton and Traugott worked for Santa Cruz back in the day and when they set up as sole luthiers, their workshops were very close indeed. That might suggest some common DNA. What I will say on that topic is that the first time I played a Claxton, a cuban mahogany OM, I instantaneously thought of a Traugott; it was incredibly well-balanced and refined, clear, complex and responsive, and with a traditional edge - a lot of "wood" in the sound as well as string. After having played a few of each (there aren't many of these Ferraris around!), I still think there are far more similarities between them than differences, given similar body shapes/woods (in the way that Somogyi and his apprentices share a common sonic signature). Indeed, if pushed, I think the biggest difference is simply the price. Claxton is a relative bargain. I have never heard a negative comment about Claxtons from anyone. Probably the best mids and trebles I've ever heard were from a Claxton Malabar that a friend was selling. Astonishing. Had I not become enamoured by nylon instruments, that guitar would have been mine. Also goes to show that people sell "lifetime" instruments, often just for the sake of a change. Cheers, Steve |
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Tags |
traugott, traugott r |
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