Don Musser

[Universe]

I have 2015 Don Musser Brazilian Rosewood/ Colorado Engelman OM #324 8/18/15. It was new but sat on shop wall until 14 months ago when I bought it.
Rounded binding edges of big leaf curly maple. Honduras Mahogany neck.
Ebony fretboard.
Bridge & pick guard is Ocelot Ear (Zollernia Brazilian Blackheart)
It is cathedral & focused. Mine still smells glorious. Vanilla is what I smell. Don only makes about a dozen a year so they are rare to come by.

Not sure how to attach photos...See if it works

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by Universe

I have 2015 Don Musser Brazilian Rosewood/ Colorado Engelman OM #324 8/18/15. It was new but sat on shop wall until 14 months ago when I bought it.
Rounded binding edges of big leaf curly maple. Honduras Mahogany neck.
Ebony fretboard.
Bridge & pick guard is Ocelot Ear (Zollernia Brazilian Blackheart)
It is cathedral & focused. Mine still smells glorious. Vanilla is what I smell. Don only makes about a dozen a year so they are rare to come by.

Not sure how to attach photos...See if it works

Interesting. The only one I ever played was at McCabe’s. Colorado blue soruce top. Sounded great. Did you get this one at McCabe’s? I see you’re in that area.

[roberts]

Nice find. Every once in a while I'd stumble across something written about how good his guitars are they are pretty understated and elegant looking with those rounded edges. How about sharing your impressions....Obviously a builder who didn't seek the fanfare.

[Universe]

Originally Posted by justonwo

Interesting. The only one I ever played was at McCabe’s. Colorado blue soruce top. Sounded great. Did you get this one at McCabe’s? I see you’re in that area.

Not sure what top Don was referring to. He has used Blue Spruce.
He calls this Colorado Engelman Spruce from a log he personally selected & processed.

Don't know where McCabes is. The shop was CA Vintage Guitars near Van Nuys CA...I somehow found the guitar listed & went to go see it. Apparently it was new from 2015 & just was hanging on the wall for the better of 7 years. This guys knows Don & we had a nice chat. I think he was happy it wnet ot a good home.

I have barely played the guitar. I'm not a great player & don't play that often but when I do I enjoy it. I think fingerstyle it needs stronger fingers.
I basically use my fingers. The last time I played it I used a pick & it really bloomed. It is an older guitar but has not been played much.

I have nothing to really compare it to but classicals & 2 used Mahogany Martins med grade that I bought used & returned. Mot sure if I just don't like Mahogany or what. The first was the all hog & it was nice but too big.
Then I went with the black & white hog short scale used from Guitar Center.
For over $1000 it just did not seem any better than my classicals.

I'm just learning & enjoying.

Not many Don Musser's around. He builds about a dozen a year if that many.

The intonation & notes are really nice at least from my perspective but I have
never played many guitars.

[justonwo]

You’re right. The wood on the guitar I played was called Colorado Engelmann. Here’s the thread.

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=143213

However, I suspect it’s the same wood (and from the same log) that others call Colorado Blue spruce. I have no idea which is correct, taxonomically. If you look at the Musser guitars at Dream, some have Colorado blue spruce. Some have Colorado Engelmann. Would be interesting to know if that’s the same.

[kkrell]

Yeah, I'd been saving up for that particular guitar. I did ask them to put new strings on it. Every time I had the funds, something knocked me down again. Latest was a Honda total engine failure. Oh well, still have my dread, from when he was near Nevada City, CA, so a much earlier build. There's a lovely Brazilian OM up in Canada, but I don't know how easy it would be to get back across the border.

Used to be able to find some of Don's guitars at Norman's Rare Guitars.

[roberts]

I see that Dream recently sold a 2024 Musser build slot so I assume he's still building...?

[Universe]

At his highest output he made about 10 a year.
Maybe he's doing a few now. Don's been building since 1978 so over 40 years & he's not built 400 guitars yet.

I'm happy to have mine. Was a freaky accident I came upon a new old stock.
Could not sell it for over 7 years. I guess there is not that much interest as no one really knows about them like the more prolific builders.

His Brazilian least mine is pre cities but traveling out of the country could be a problem.

Originally Posted by roberts

I see that Dream recently sold a 2024 Musser build slot so I assume he's still building...?

[Universe]

From what I can see this might have been the last 2023 build #371
Don may be building 3 or so a year now.

My August 2015 is ser #324 & #358 was a OM built 2021
So that was 6 a year?

This 2020 #358 has my wood combo & it's an OM.

https://youtu.be/LvYCb-d0hLA?si=zwvvW9SZ2y97OKuM

This Dread is one of the last of 2023
https://youtu.be/AVEtxzvtWBI?si=iWJAVUyJIMvRNQH7

Started building 1978 & has built 371 guitars over 45 years so there are not that many out there.

I'd like a ebony but Brazilian is great!

Originally Posted by roberts

I see that Dream recently sold a 2024 Musser build slot so I assume he's still building...?

[RainJ]

I have two of them (#333 and #259) and my friend here in town has a left handed one and a standard one.

All a blast to play!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/gLDusDV1YVe2Bge17

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fNqkPuGpnU3RMeRt5

[Universe]

333 must have been a 2016- 2017

Cool.

Mine is an OM as maybe you can see my photos keep disappearing.

Same Colorado spruce log!

Mine is not even broken in yet for a 2015. It was new & I've got not many hours on it.

Playing with a Loef 00 right now so Musser has not been out for a while.

I love my pick guard as it's Ocelot Ear as is the bridge. A very hard leopard looking wood. Think aka Pau Santo...

Originally Posted by RainJ

I have two of them (#333 and #259) and my friend here in town has a left handed one and a standard one.

All a blast to play!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/gLDusDV1YVe2Bge17

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fNqkPuGpnU3RMeRt5