Build Thread: Dehradun Lutz/Wenge SJ

[RJVB]

Right, I hadn't realised those scallops are for thumb access to the strings

I didn't occur to you to check how the instrument sounded with nylon strings, before selling it? If I understand the design correctly the top must have been braced pretty lightly because it didn't have to carry all the tension a steel-string acoustic guitar top usually has to carry.

[Jimbo1776]

Hey Tristan,

I'm the one who bought your guitar. What fun to see this thread. Please see my current build thread on my new Dehradun which should be done this month. It's a very fun story. I'm posting things on it again today. Dave actually has your build now - I traded him for #1 which interestingly enough I think is even better. Yours was absolutely fantastic though. Hope you are well. I'll let you know how the new one turns out.

All The Best, Jim Pearce

[RJVB]

These guitars sound and look good enough that I found myself wondering how much their India-only Himalayan series go for, and how poor Westeners like myself who can't afford their other builds could get their hands on one

[Jimbo1776]

Hey Tristan,

I'm the guy who bought your Dehradun. Fun to see some action on your thread here. Please take a look at my thread on my new Dehradun build. It tells the story of the two guitars Dave built for you. I ended up trading for the first one after meeting Dave and playing them both. My new one will be very similar but with some things Dave is hoping are going to make it even better. We'll see. Hope you are well.

Jim Pearce

[tkoehler1]

Originally Posted by RJVB

I didn't occur to you to check how the instrument sounded with nylon strings, before selling it? If I understand the design correctly the top must have been braced pretty lightly because it didn't have to carry all the tension a steel-string acoustic guitar top usually has to carry.

You know I never tried it. Might have worked with this design. Still a nylon set of strings usually has under 100 lbs of pull, most steel string sets are 150ish. Something like that. So I doubt they would have the horsepower to move that top.

TK

[tkoehler1]

Originally Posted by RJVB

These guitars sound and look good enough that I found myself wondering how much their India-only Himalayan series go for, and how poor Westeners like myself who can't afford their other builds could get their hands on one

Dehradun is an expensive guitar yet very reasonable for what you get. They really are world class (without the world class price tag). IHMO.

TK

[tkoehler1]

Originally Posted by Jimbo1776

Hey Tristan,

I'm the guy who bought your Dehradun. Fun to see some action on your thread here. Please take a look at my thread on my new Dehradun build. It tells the story of the two guitars Dave built for you. I ended up trading for the first one after meeting Dave and playing them both. My new one will be very similar but with some things Dave is hoping are going to make it even better. We'll see. Hope you are well.

Jim Pearce

Yes I've been following your thread with interest. If I ever get another steel string it will be Dehradun.

So you liked #1 better than #2? That's interesting. Dave wasn't happy with the sound but of course it's all subjective - different strokes for different folks. Glad it was a good guitar and not chucked or something.

TK

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by tkoehler1

So I doubt they would have the horsepower to move that top.

Everybody said the same about my resonator, before I had a new nut cut and put on nylons. It is still loud enough that my wife told me to wear ear protection while playing it

I came across a pair of videos recently, of a Takamine mini-jumbo (I think an EN30c) played with steel strings in the one and nylon strings in the other. Didn't sound particularly nice in either, but still full enough with the nylon strings. Of course that was a recording with an unknown amount of post-processing but amplification won't add richness and depth to a thin sound (heh, reminds me of American coffee in the 80s ).

My hunch would be that you wouldn't find ball-end nylon string made by some of the big brands (e.g. EJ32/33) if there wasn't a chance they'd sound "good enough".

[tkoehler1]

I could be wrong I've never tried it.