Two "identical" guitars

Bruce Sexauer · #1 09-30-2011, 01:26 PM

In 44 years of lutherie I have always stressed that I have yet to make even 2 guitars similar enough to be called the same. But now that has changed. A few months ago I built a guitar for a customer who stressed that he wanted our results to be as close as possible to perfect. Everyone says this and wants it, of course, but most of us settle for reality in the end. Because my work is truly by hand, there is going to be flaw for a variety of reasons stemming from the fact that I am a human being. But in binding his guitar I cracked the back, and that is beyond the kind of flaw I insist on my customers accepting, so I let him know that his guitar would be a couple of months late and I made him a new one.

I also went ahead and finished the first guitar I had been making for him, and glued and cleated the 2" crack on the back between the two lower braces. It turned out to be undetectable except as a slight distortion in reflected light; no one has spotted it with out me pointing it out, and I failed to locate it the last time I tried! In fact, I showed this guitar at the last Healdsburg event, and AGF contributor Alan Porton has publicly proclaimed it to be the best guitar (for him) in the show, the one he would have taken home were he able. I did use an ebony bridge instead of Snakewood as the customer had spec'd, and I put inlay in the fingerboard, both in the interest of being more mainstream.

Yesterday I finished the second one. I have thought it would be extremely interesting to see how the two compared because having strung up the first before beginning the second, I thought I might be able to improve on it. The materials and concept simply could not be more similar, and I did make minor changes in the proportion of the braces and plate thicknesses. Ee have all said or read that it is impossible to make direct comparisons between two instruments and learn anything of real value because the variables are simply too great, but I had thought I could learn something from this exercise anyway. Lotta past tense there, eh?

So here's what happened, much to my shock. The instruments sound so similar to each other I can hardly believe it. I have several other recent guitar by my hand here, and they all have their own unique character . . . except these two sisters who seem to be identical twins born at different times. Perhaps some of you are going "duh, of course", but it really does fly in the face of my expectations.

I have pages at my website for each (one) (two) if you want to have a look, but here is a front shot of each for you:

The first one is still available, and I am discounting steeply for the "flaw".

heni30 · #2 09-30-2011, 02:41 PM

Really exquisite instruments. Could you take a blindfold test and tell them apart? (Not a detailed examination - just a couple of strums). Is it a downer realizing that one of your unique masterpieces is re-producible?

I will respectfully refrain from making any comments (I'm sure no one ever has before) about your last name although it's VERY hard to do (no pun intended) (really.)

Thanks for keeping the hand-made tradition alive. Is No.1 on the classifieds forum?

Bruce Sexauer · #3 09-30-2011, 03:17 PM

I have never put a guitar up FS in Classifieds, or even visited after my first look. Does it work?

heni30 · #4 09-30-2011, 03:50 PM

I'm not a long time user myself. Seems like an amicable place - lots of brand quality items for sale - I have seen some SOLD notices but a lot more people saying how they wished they had the money to get something and many "Still Available" notices. It's worth a try though, I think. Definitely a place where people look when they're decided to get something. I think some better pictures here before sending people to your website would help (1st impressions).

Bruce Sexauer · #5 10-09-2011, 05:24 PM

Well, I sent the 2nd guitar off to Seoul last week and it arrived a couple of days ago. The fellow who bought it has set himself up as a dealer, and this is the second one I've sent him. I am not the only luthier he does business with, so he is fast becoming a sophisticated guitar buff. Here is a direct quote from the email he sent me yesterday:

Hi Bruce,

The guitar arrived this afternoon and we are all fascinated by the sound of the guitar. It is true masterpiece and I have never heard more beautiful sound before.

Despite it is still new guitar it sounds like aged one with wide open sound. It will be very much interesting to experience the developing of better sound as the finish gets dried.

Thank you very much for building me one of the best guitars in my life. I really appreciate.

English is not his first language, as most readers will quickly suspect, but his enthusiasm is hard to misunderstand.

Perhaps I will bring the sister guitar to Woodstock if I still have it then.

psynackerz · #6 10-09-2011, 06:06 PM

So is this dealer selling it? I live in Korea and I would love to hear some of your guitars. Would you mind PMing me his store address or contact number?

Bruce Sexauer · #7 10-09-2011, 07:21 PM

I believe he is selling it, and the PM is sent.

Even if he can't bring himself to sell this particular guitar, as my dealer he can get you one faster than you can get it from me! And the price should be the same. The only REALLY good reason to deal with me directly is that the communication ought to be better (major understatement) w/o a middle man interpreting. Unless of course you don't speak English, in which case this particular middle man could be very useful.

Wade Hampton · #8 10-14-2011, 12:43 PM

Bruce, I just wanted to comment about the pickguard shape you came up with for this fan fret design:

As someone who's built a few instruments himself, and has since ordered quite a number of custom made guitars and dulcimers, I'm probably more aware than most people are of how difficult it is to come up with an original design for fretboard and headstock inlay or pickguard shapes that is simple yet still looks attractive. I think most people (myself once among them) assume that it's easy to do, but it's just the opposite: getting the proportions correct, making it pleasing without being overstated - it's actually pretty tough to do.

I don't think this pickguard shape would work nearly as well on an instrument that didn't have the fanned frets and the slanted bridge position, but as it stands it's perfect. It looks timeless, and that's about the highest compliment I could give it.

Wade Hampton Miller

Leftyprs · #9 10-19-2011, 06:07 AM

Bruce, if this guitar had that funny orange wood instead of HRW, and was left handed.... I think we'd be pretty close, if not dead on the specs I have stuck in my head! They both have your beautifully understated touches, that seem to make the right things "POP", while at the same time keeping a classic and sophisticated look to them. Nice work!!!

Bruce Sexauer · #10 10-19-2011, 07:52 AM

I have yet to make an OMish from that funny orange wood, Pernambuco, which is surprising considering the high proportion of OMs in my body of work.

I completely agree with you re PG design issues, Wade, and consider your compliment of the highest order. Thank you.

I am off to the airport within the hour, and look forward to seeing some of you readers in Woodstock this weekend.

lclyman · #11 10-19-2011, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

I have yet to make an OMish from that funny orange wood, Pernambuco, which is surprising considering the high proportion of OMs in my body of work.

I am off to the airport within the hour, and look forward to seeing some of you readers in Woodstock this weekend.

Hey Bruce,
What's my P-wood WRX...chopped liver..? Sure feels like an OM to me...albeit a bit crooked...in a good way though..!

Re: your flight:....remember..always look for a seat near the back...!

Looking forward to hangin' at Woodstock..

Larry

Bruce Sexauer · #12 10-19-2011, 07:10 PM

Seriously, Larry, FT and JB are two different animals. Since you have played both, I imagine you have noticed. I am in Philly as I write. Be in Providence in an hour and a half. Airport wireless is VERY slow here!

Leftyprs · #13 10-20-2011, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

Seriously, Larry, FT and JB are two different animals. Since you have played both, I imagine you have noticed. I am in Philly as I write. Be in Providence in an hour and a half. Airport wireless is VERY slow here!

I was thinking this was a JB-15, but now see it's a FT-15-JB. I know there is a difference, and I'm thinking the JB-15 is more asymmetrical than the FT-15-JB, and may have a larger difference in scale length. I guess I could just check your website to clarify, but everytime I get on there I find it difficult to stop reading all of the information available, and dreaming up future builds!! Larry, I wouldn't worry too much about being outdone. Your guitar and posts that followed, are a large part of why I'm building a guitar with Bruce. What a great guitar, and a great 6-7 page read for someone considering a guitar in that direction. Congrats on owning such a great guitar, and thank you for your posts that helped push me over the hump

lclyman · #14 10-20-2011, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

Seriously, Larry, FT and JB are two different animals. Since you have played both, I imagine you have noticed.

True, true...but I was commenting based on the overall size similarity...

LC

lclyman · #15 10-20-2011, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leftyprs

Larry, I wouldn't worry too much about being outdone. Your guitar and posts that followed, are a large part of why I'm building a guitar with Bruce. What a great guitar, and a great 6-7 page read for someone considering a guitar in that direction. Congrats on owning such a great guitar, and thank you for your posts that helped push me over the hump

LeftyPRS,
I have no worries about being outdone as it's never about a competition..and besides, my WRX-P is truly a one of a kind that continues to inspire me to play..( In fact I'm doing just that as I type this..)...

Enjoy the trip with Bruce as you've hitched a ride with a true master...

And I would highly recommend saving all your electronic communications with Bruce during the build...I go back and re-read mine frequently for the wit, wisdom, and occasional "Inside Baseball" utterances that bring the house down..!

LC