KENT CHASSON "Craftsman Style” Concert No. 99 (Engelmann/Wenge)

[Kent Chasson]

Thanks for all the suggestions! At some point, we will have to do some serious pruning of all the possible elements and inspirations but for now, it's fun to soak them all up.

[ecguitar44]

Any details that can be shared?

I live in a 1936 Craftsman bungalow. Our design/decoration choices revolve around trying to be somewhat "true" to the Arts and Crafts and Mission movements...without being overly antiquey. If that makes sense.

I was intrigued by the Martin Arts and Crafts guitars (I believe there were two of them). If I recall, they were oak guitars...with some splashes of design ques taken from Mission stylings.

I'll be paying A LOT of attention to this thread!

[Kent Chasson]

Originally Posted by ecguitar44

Any details that can be shared?

I live in a 1936 Craftsman bungalow. Our design/decoration choices revolve around trying to be somewhat "true" to the Arts and Crafts and Mission movements...without being overly antiquey. If that makes sense.

I was intrigued by the Martin Arts and Crafts guitars (I believe there were two of them). If I recall, they were oak guitars...with some splashes of design ques taken from Mission stylings.

I'll be paying A LOT of attention to this thread!

We're still fleshing out multiple concepts, none of them finished enough to share just yet.

I totally understand what you are saying about not being "overly antiquey". If we wanted to take the design to the extreme, we may end up with something not unlike a cigar box guitar. I think it's safe to say we aren't going that direction. But it's a challenge to take a style that is typically rectilinear and incorporate it in something with so many curves. We are exploring ideas that keep the contemporary elements of my existing design as well as options that square some things up. Super fun so far and it's been outstanding to collaborate with someone with Bob's design experience and enthusiasm.

[ecguitar44]

Originally Posted by Kent Chasson

We're still fleshing out multiple concepts, none of them finished enough to share just yet.

I totally understand what you are saying about not being "overly antiquey". If we wanted to take the design to the extreme, we may end up with something not unlike a cigar box guitar. I think it's safe to say we aren't going that direction. But it's a challenge to take a style that is typically rectilinear and incorporate it in something with so many curves. We are exploring ideas that keep the contemporary elements of my existing design as well as options that square some things up. Super fun so far and it's been outstanding to collaborate with someone with Bob's design experience and enthusiasm.

Can. Not. Wait.

[iim7V7IM7]

To name a few...

Architects: David Dryden, Charles & Henry Greene, Bernard Maybeck & Frank Lloyd Wright

Artisans: Elbert Hubbard (Roycroft), Dard Hunter, Charles Mackintosh, Marblehead & Newcomb

Furniture Makers: Harvey Ellis & Gustav Stickley

[CoolerKing]

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

I live about 30 minutes from it and used to be a "member"....

I lived in morristown for a while then LBI.

[iim7V7IM7]

Hi,

I posted this thread last August and I am excited to tell you that I have reach the front of Kent's build queue and he is about to begin building.

Part of the reason that I selected Ken for this commission was his personal interest and passion for this design movement. We have had a tremendous amount of collaborative correspondence and phone calls over the last 4 to 5 months regarding potential design themes in the Craftsman Style design motif. Kent has been extremely patient with my barrage of communications while he has been executing other builds for clients. Having background in both architecture and industrial design, I likely overwhelmed him with design input and thoughts while he was taking care of other clients (sorry Kent!). Based on input from me and his own research, Kent developed two concepts:

1) A more traditional looking instrument, emphasizing the inherent beauty of wood, joinery, textures with Craftsman Style decorative design motifs (think Stickley, Roycroft etc.)
2) A more modern interpretation, using Kent's elegant design aesthetic, integrating the simplified, abstract designs of Prairie Style architecture (think Frank Lloyd Wright)

After discussing a path forward, because we both like each concept, and Kent's personal interest in this project; he made me an extremely generous offer:

How about I build both guitars and you can A/B them to decide which one you like better and I will sell the other as a spec. guitar? How could I say no? So this is what we're doing!

These two builds happen to be Kent's #99 and #100 guitars. He is going to build them serially. I will try to keep the forum updated on the progress as he moves ahead over the next 4 months of so. Based on my playing style and sonic preferences we had decided that the top wood of choice for me was some stiff Engelmann Spruce that he has been saving. In terms of back and side woods, both Brazilian Rosewood and Wenge are the top choices together with the Engelmann to support my goals. Design 1, #99 (Craftsman Style), is more synergistic with the straight grain, porous texture of of quartersawn Wenge and Design 2, #100 (Prairie Style) has synergies with Brazilian Rosewood. Additionally, being Kent's 100th build, he has a particularly nice set of BRW to use.

Guitar #99: "Craftsman Style"

Model: Concert
Top: Engelmann Spruce
Back/Sides: Wenge
Cutaway: Modified Florentine
Scale: 24.9"
Nut: 1-3/4"
Other: Manzer Wedge

Guitar #100: "Prairie Style"

Model: Concert
Top: Engelmann Spruce
Back/Sides: Brazilian Rosewood
Cutaway: Modified Florentine
Scale: 24.9"
Nut: 1-3/4"
Other: Manzer Wedge

So Design 1 (#99, Craftsman Style) is up first. I will post some updates as they come in from Kent.

:-)

Bob

[kirkham13]

I'm hoping for a big front porch on that craftsman style..

[Nemoman]

Great concept and what a deal to have your choice between the 2! I'll be following closely along on this one (two actually...)!

[W. D.]

What a great choice! I have a 2006 Engelmann/BRW Grand Auditorium from Kent (#31) and it is absolutely a joy to play and listen to. I've had the guitar for three years and it continues to inspire and mature. Kent's stash of older Engelmann is absolutely superb. Kent continues to advance his designs and skills, so with the addition of his carbon fiber bracing and elevated fretboard your guitar should be even more stunning. Kent built a concert size Redwood/Ziricote for me a year ago, and the tone is amazingly lush and balanced, and the workmanship stellar. His concert model is a real winner. So congrats to you.

It will be fun to see how the two guitars compare in sound; I'm confident they will both be wonderful! I'll be following the build thread with great interest.

Best,
W. D.

[iim7V7IM7]

Hi,

Kent sent me some photos of the top and back sets for #99. Here is a close-up shot of the Engelmann he selected for the top. It looks to be in the range of 20-22 grains per inch (the guitar pick is about an inch in size). Like many of you, I associate Engelmann on average to be less stiff than European or Adirondack. But wood being a heterogeneous material can vary. The Engelmann is from a batch that Kent purchased about 8 years ago and have not seen the likes of before or since. Kent told me that the "stash" that he has is very stiff and will make an instrument with dynamics, immediacy and headroom.



The Wenge for the back is straight grained and much lighter in color at this stage than the dark chocolate color that we're use to seeing in finished instruments. I suspect oxidation, sealer and finishing will deepen its color as the project moves forward. Funny, it looks so friendly. I would have never guessed it to be a porous splintering wood that causes the fingers of luthiers who choose to work it such pain.



That's all the news from Bothell, WA today...

[ukejon]

This will be a fun thread to follow:

[iim7V7IM7]

Looks like Harvey Ellis...

Originally Posted by ukejon

This will be a fun thread to follow:

[Kent Chasson]

Thanks for all the interest. I'm still finishing up a couple of other guitars and should start in on this in earnest next week. For now....

One big task was to determine exactly what we each meant by "Craftsman". With my background building houses and furniture, my first inclination was toward Mission and similar craftsman furniture. I designed and built this table about 15 years ago as a slightly contemporary version of Mission. To me, it's about simple forms and "honest" use of the material. Refinement of design without being overly embellished. That's where I started on for #99.



It turns out to be pretty difficult to think "rectilinear" and "planer" on a guitar Since Bob was originally drawn to the existing design elements of my guitars, we were both reluctant to abandon them. But I did already have a slothead headstock shape that has 2 straight lines, so we started there.



We're sticking with a paddle head to get more of the planer effect but using the slothead shape. I think it was Bob's idea to try a Craftsman font for a logo. And we are considering making the truss rod cover mimic a through-mortise like you see on the arm of a Morris chair.



Thanks for looking. I'll try to get some drawings of the fretboard up this weekend. I should be able to do that before the Seahawks game starts...

[iim7V7IM7]

Either a Morris Chair (arched am version)...


or how exposed mortise and tenon joints used decoratively...


The exposed ends are end grain and chamfered like Kent's truss rod cover...