2 Chasson Concerts

[riorider]

Originally Posted by Tony_in_NYC

I really like the book matched fret board on the coco guitar.

Yet one more example of something cool that I've not seen anyone else do. Not that it hasn't happened - I've just not seen it. I suspect we'll see more if Bob Taylor's efforts to make non-pure black ebony fret boards a very acceptable design element.

I guess I've not seen that many figured fingerboards, so it doesn't surprise me.

Very striking look you've achieved here, Kent!

Cheers,

Phil

[haolebrownie]

Originally Posted by Tony_in_NYC

Wow. Two exceptionally good looking sets of wood that are becoming exceptionally good looking guitars!
I really like the book matched fret board on the coco guitar. I am a sucker for sapwood! And the ziricote is totally drool worthy. One of my favorite woods for looks alone!

I just wanted to echo this sentiment. I love the way it all ties in.

[ChuckS]

Great looking guitars Kent. I have to say the cocobolo is my favorite of the two. Have you built many of this new model yet (concert), and how is it performing against your goals/expectations?

Thanks,
Chuck

[Kent Chasson]

Thanks again for the kind words.

Chuck, Thanks for asking. I've only strung up one. These are 2 and 3. The first one was one of my favorite guitars. I think the size is just big enough to get some rumble on the bottom end yet it still feels like a relatively small guitar. I think all body sizes can be balanced but it seems to come naturally on this one. All things being equal, it's probably what I'll be recommending for most people who want a lot of versatility in an instrument.

[Trevor M]

Here's the first one, in Engelmann and wenge.

[gregcardinal]

I LIKE this cutaway design. Might have to consider this when I order a Chasson.

[mesa]

Great work Kent.....beautiful guitar! Congrats to you both!

[Billy Boy]

Beautiful work! I think I'm just going to have to stop by next time I drive up to see my brother in Birch Bay.

[Kent Chasson]

You know, I don't think I ever mentioned that the Cocobolo one is bound for Trevor at TAMCO. I started a Cedar/Walnut Concert for him today as well.

Originally Posted by gregcardinal

I LIKE this cutaway design. Might have to consider this when I order a Chasson.

I'm glad so many people like this, myself included. I've always thought it funny how people tend to fall pretty strongly in one camp or another (Venetian or Florentine). Maybe Bruce's design will prove that we can all just get along

Originally Posted by Billy Boy

Beautiful work! I think I'm just going to have to stop by next time I drive up to see my brother in Birch Bay.

Stop by any time. These two will only be around for a short window around Christmas (along with a cedar/walnut Classic that should be strung up just before New Years). If you like, I'll let you know when they are playable.

[AshrafO]

That engelmann and coco is to die for.. same with the engelmann wenge! I love your coloured purfling lines a LOT. I am surprised you didn't sneak one in on the zircote (should've).

I enjoyed your interesting note about the engelmann being all over the place, and I've been wondering what luthiers think of it; I have about 100 sets in my basement and I have tapped and listened to them all about twenty times each.. all over the place is right.. some woody and mute, some sharp and rich, some airy and mysterious.. interesting stuff. The top of your engelmann and cocobolo is just like the one I picked to build my first guitar with. The hard grained tops more often tap better than the straight white ones.

I noticed Bruce Sexauer built a streaky engelmann/brw to compare with an adi/brw.

[Kent Chasson]

Originally Posted by AshrafO

That engelmann and coco is to die for.. same with the engelmann wenge! I love your coloured purfling lines a LOT. I am surprised you didn't sneak one in on the zircote (should've).

....

Thanks. The only color I've used lately (except for black) is what I can get from un-dyed wood which pretty much leaves me with the red of bloodwood. The red just doesn't work for me with Ziricote. Maybe another color could work but I had a bad experience with dyed purfling fading after a few years so I'm hesitant to trust it (although I know some people have no problems). Although the high contrast is a bit of a departure from my typical trim, both my client and I are happy campers.

[JoeCharter]

All three guitars in this thread look quite exceptional. And looking at the pictures posted by Trevor, one must wonder why wenge isn't used more often on guitars.

I've never played a guitar made with wenge back and sides but luthiers who have used it all say it sounds great. And from my vantage point, I think it looks awesome.

The ziricote and cocobolo sets were tastefully selected as well.

[Kent Chasson]

Originally Posted by JoeCharter

All three guitars in this thread look quite exceptional. And looking at the pictures posted by Trevor, one must wonder why wenge isn't used more often on guitars.

I've never played a guitar made with wenge back and sides but luthiers who have used it all say it sounds great. And from my vantage point, I think it looks awesome.

The ziricote and cocobolo sets were tastefully selected as well.

Thanks, Joe. Wenge is a great tonewood but I can think of a few reasons it's not popular among builders...

First, it's tough to bend. It's not prone to breaking like some wood but you have to get it extremely hot and then it springs back worse than any other wood I've worked with. I usually run it through 2 or 3 heat cycles in the bender and still have to touch it up by hand.

Then there are the splinters, little tiny ones like prickly pear spines.

Then there are the huge pores to fill. (Feeling sorry for me yet? )

Tonally, it's among my favorite woods though. That and the look of the straight grain make it worthwhile to me.

Like several other species, few people had even heard of it 20 years ago. When it first started showing up in lumber yards, there were plenty of huge, perfect boards. It's already much harder to find in the size and quality we need.

By the way, Ray Kraut was the first person I saw use it in a guitar.

[steveh]

Originally Posted by JoeCharter

looking at the pictures posted by Trevor, one must wonder why wenge isn't used more often on guitars.

I've never played a guitar made with wenge back and sides but luthiers who have used it all say it sounds great.

I've played that guitar and it sounds really great. Lots of clarity, separation and complexity. A wenge Somogyi MD I played at TAMCO was one of the very best guitars I've ever played, and a pal of mine has a wenge MD from Jason Kostal on the way in Feb 2013, so I'm really looking forward to trying that.

I've not played enough guitars made from it to form any strong opinions other than the fact that it sounds great. It's also a very cheap "upgrade" currently so I hope that doesn't change.

I am really curious as to what a wenge OM would sound like but when I spoke about the possibility to a UK luthier well known for his stellar OMs he point blank refused to consider it - the splinters will get you, and then you spend a year filling the golf-ball sized pores; Kent is absolutely right. Jason Kostal works with it because Somogyi and his acolytes have had great success with it and so his customers demand it, but his stories about getting splinters from just looking at the stuff are hilarious...and they go septic.

cheers,
Steve

[NoPicks]

Originally Posted by Kent Chasson

I should point out again that the cutaway was inspired by Bruce Sexauer and he was kind enough to share.

Kudos to you both for your refined aesthetic sense. That is the first time I've ever seen a florentine cutaway on a flat-top that I really liked. Not too sharp and deep like the Gibson style that is much more common, and from a functional perspective even better