NGD - - - Ryan Content

TennesseeWalker · #1 01-25-2022, 01:40 PM

Been looking to acquire a Ryan for several years now but always seemed to miss out on just the right one by not being online all the time or not getting calls back from shops posting them. Met with Amilcar, Ryans Sales Manager, about a build sometime back but C-19 shut down personal visits and I decided back then to take a different route. This one came to me from the original owner who enjoys playing a variety of nice guitars and decided to let this one go.

I've played several Ryan's over the years, the last one's being at Normans Rare Guitars up in the LA area. He had one that was way too decked out with pearl and another Brazilian that was quite the plain Jane - neither was visually appealing although they both sounded quite pleasing. Wanted to get one with a little sparkle to it but not one that looked like it should be hanging in the back room of a bordello.

Really like the Ryan bevel and especially the acoustic flutes. The flutes toss sound from the larger bout on the bass side up to and in front of your face - very different from a sound port in the upper bout headed towards your left ear. A post I started recently had some knowledgeable comments on a soundports in particular Allan Carruth's "A side 'port' that the player can see into as they play will direct a lot of higher frequency sound from inside the box toward them"

I'm finding a good deal of the lower tones come to my ears with no loss of trebles being dispersed out as in a standard spec'd guitar. This Bearclaw Sitka / EIR combination produces a very nice bass response, sparkling trebles and a midrange that fills in nicely. I am very impressed by the clarity of the notes from individual strings and how nicely it also handles light strumming as well.

Ryan's tops are built flat, I see no belly bulge on this 2019 and the back is domed to focus and push sound out the front of the guitar. I saw an interview with Kevin Ryan on a youtube post and he stated that the backs on the Nightingales were originally flatter like a standard dread going from shallow to deep but with a little experimentation, changed to more of an arched back.

All this and his desire to reduce weight on the top as much as possible thru use of his honeycomb bridge plate, titanium pins, engineered laser cut bracing and such makes for a very light, responsive top.

Ryan sells his kerfing to many luthiers for their production use as well as owning and running Advanced Shell Technology https://www.advancedshelltech.com that sells abalone binding to many, many major manufacturers.

Anyway, here's a few pics, gonna start trying some different string combinations for my fingers and pics.

volman · #2 01-25-2022, 01:49 PM

Congrats. Such a great guitar. My Nightingale is also a 2019 build with bearclaw sitka (albeit torrefied) and indian rosewood...also in a white/blue Calton. I have thoroughly enjoyed owning it and plan on it being a lifetime guitar.

Glennwillow · #3 01-25-2022, 01:51 PM

Oh, my goodness!

What a beauty! That is just gorgeous and I bet it sounds heavenly!

I have been tempted by Ryan Nightingales for so long, it's ridiculous, but I just don't play enough instrumental pieces anymore to spend that kind of money. But every Nightingale I have played has sounded fantastic!

Good for you! What a fantastic guitar! And just the right amount of bling, I think!

Congratulations!

- Glenn

Rev Roy · #4 01-25-2022, 01:59 PM

Nice! Congrats!

Stonehauler · #5 01-25-2022, 02:08 PM

Wow, that's a stunning guitar. May you have many decades of enjoyment out of it!

marty bradbury · #6 01-25-2022, 02:27 PM

Beautiful guitar! Enjoy!

Martz911 · #7 01-25-2022, 02:32 PM

That's a knockout! Enjoy it in good health.

Carmel Cedar · #8 01-25-2022, 02:33 PM

Lovely guitar. Ryan builds some of the best out there.

If you do get the chance, I'd encourage you to visit Ryan Guitars as things allow. Kevin and Barbara are wonderful to meet, and Amilcar will give you an awesome tour. Will give you deeper perspective on your new instrument.

Enjoy, and play in good health for many years!

birkenweg42 · #9 01-25-2022, 02:44 PM

That's a beautiful guitar with just the right amount of bling. I have a cedar-topped Ryan on my bucket list.
Enjoy!

TennesseeWalker · #10 01-25-2022, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martz911

That's a knockout! Enjoy it in good health.

Hope things are going well for you down Florida way in your retirement Larry
How are you and that Brazilian Goodall Standard I sent your way getting along?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carmel Cedar

Lovely guitar. Ryan builds some of the best out there.

If you do get the chance, I'd encourage you to visit Ryan Guitars as things allow. Kevin and Barbara are wonderful to meet, and Amilcar will give you an awesome tour. Will give you deeper perspective on your new instrument.

Enjoy, and play in good health for many years!

Ryan's shop is about 15 minutes up the freeway from me - been there a few times but never have made past the lobby/display area and Amilcar's executive suite.

colins · #11 01-25-2022, 04:21 PM

Fantastic guitar, congratulations! Very elegant, and I’m sure it sounds amazing. I like your commentary on the flutes too; I have a couple of guitars with sound holes in the upper bout and I’ve wondered about how the Ryan flutes work in the lower bout.

Hope you enjoy it for many years!

Jeff Mc · #12 01-25-2022, 05:08 PM

Congrats. I am sure it is a great guitar. I have a 20 year old MGC (btw/adi) and a 2 year old Nightingale (zircote/redwood). Kevin and Barb are great.

Toucan · #13 01-25-2022, 06:22 PM

Stunning guitar. Congrats.

slaminsam · #14 01-25-2022, 06:55 PM

Very Beautiful guitar, Enjoy!

Macpage · #15 01-25-2022, 08:13 PM

Congratulations. This is what I love about AGF. I get to see these wonderful instruments. Maybe one day I will get to play some of the models I have seen here. Until then I will admire ones like yours. It's a joy to look at and I'm sure even better to play. Enjoy.

Best,

Mac