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  #31  
Old 10-07-2021, 01:32 PM
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Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
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Originally Posted by FrankCousins View Post
Hi Bruce,

I was not implying that this was not the case, but by 'attention' I implied selecting the best possible materials to pair with etc. My 'devil's advocate' questioning is driven by a recognition that quality of instrument tone is generally accepted to mostly be influenced by the top, with the back and sides providing 'the flavour'.

Of course we can't escape the issue of cost of this wood due to its scarcity and beauty - as with BRW. I think there are many who would accept the price based on supply and demand, but might question whether its level of premium would be as high if it were simply plain, but exhibiting the same tonal characteristics you describe?
If there were a single plain mahogany tree that sounded as different from other mahogany trees as "the Tree" does, it would be very difficult to identify it, or notice the pattern since it would be spread across many "users". There is a current marketing program around "Sinker" mahogany, and the differences both visually and sonically are a bit subtle. It would be pretty easy to insert non-sinker mahogany into the mix unnoticed. Not so with the Tree.

As far as premium materials are concerned . . . that's all most of us use, and that is generally truer as we mature. Our ability to recognize the best grows over time, as does our ability to afford it. My materials, for the most part, were graded by the purveyor (if there was one), regraded by myself when I chose them, and then graded again when the customer and I chose them from my stash. This is not just an aesthetic exercise, but also includes the customer's tonal target and my guidance with that target in mind. Nearly every piece of wood I have is the best possible choice depending on targeted function and in some cases, budget.

I mentioned earlier in this thread that I made a Tree guitar, which I judged spectacularly successful, for a customer who found it didn't work for him at all. Different strokes! By the way, that particular customer has ordered more than one guitar from me since, so it probably wasn't my work that didn't please him. Unlike most mahogany guitars in my experience, my Tree guitars are the opposite of dry tone.
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  #32  
Old 10-07-2021, 03:12 PM
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If there were a single plain mahogany tree that sounded as different from other mahogany trees as "the Tree" does, it would be very difficult to identify it, or notice the pattern since it would be spread across many "users". There is a current marketing program around "Sinker" mahogany, and the differences both visually and sonically are a bit subtle. It would be pretty easy to insert non-sinker mahogany into the mix unnoticed. Not so with the Tree.

As far as premium materials are concerned . . . that's all most of us use, and that is generally truer as we mature. Our ability to recognize the best grows over time, as does our ability to afford it. My materials, for the most part, were graded by the purveyor (if there was one), regraded by myself when I chose them, and then graded again when the customer and I chose them from my stash. This is not just an aesthetic exercise, but also includes the customer's tonal target and my guidance with that target in mind. Nearly every piece of wood I have is the best possible choice depending on targeted function and in some cases, budget.

I mentioned earlier in this thread that I made a Tree guitar, which I judged spectacularly successful, for a customer who found it didn't work for him at all. Different strokes! By the way, that particular customer has ordered more than one guitar from me since, so it probably wasn't my work that didn't please him. Unlike most mahogany guitars in my experience, my Tree guitars are the opposite of dry tone.
I can speak personally on Bruce's attention to detail when looking at wood as I had the pleasure of doing so in person at his shop a few years back. We spent the better part of a day looking through all the woods that were an option for me. When I thought we had found the perfect top and were done, down would come another pile and we went through that until we found a better one. This was repeated a few times until we were both happy.

In regards to the tree, of course it is at a premium because of the figure and it's uniqueness. To date it is the only mahogany tree discovered with this figure so naturally it carries a premium over other mahogany which may sound as good, but does not have the appearance or the provenance to go with it. This seems inherently obvious to me, you are paying for the look and story as much if not more than the tone and I am 100% fine with that. That is one of the things that make guitars so special. If all you are after is a certain tone, you possibly could find that other places.

I have one tree guitar that is quite special and until I need the money it will not be going anywhere soon.
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  #33  
Old 10-07-2021, 05:22 PM
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When I first encountered the Tree at Handlogger's Hardwoods in Sausalito around 1981, it was fresh off the boat and it was being sold for $15 a board foot. That seemed like a lot as typical H. mahogany was about $3 at the time. Tim Mahoney, the proprietor, had thousands of feet of it, much of it in 2" planks around 3' wide and 20' long. It was flat sawn, for the most part, and didn't look like guitar wood to me, so I passed.

Shortly thereafter it was raised to $30 a foot, and in a year or so he wanted $75 a foot. It was virtually all gone it around 2 years. Today the odd bit shows up now and again, after all, I am still only a few miles from Sausalito. The current price for the raw lumber is around $1500 a board foot, and guitar sets can add as much as $12,000 to the price of a guitar, depending on who's selling. Realistically, I think a great set can still be had for around $3500, and mediocre sets for less, of course. Building with it is extremely challenging, and I personally have broken 2 sides in the bending process, so expect to pay more when "the Tree" is included in a guitar.

While I do not think the Tree, or any other wood has cornered the market on "tone", I DO think the Tree is unique, and not unlike Brazilian Rosewood, I have not encountered another wood that offers quite the same tonal envelope. And those two woods, though occasionally compared as similar, have absolutely nothing in common (except $$$) in my opinion.
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Last edited by Bruce Sexauer; 10-07-2021 at 05:28 PM.
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