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  #106  
Old 01-09-2018, 01:24 PM
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Yikes!!!!! Certainly the prettiest BRW I ever laid eyes on.
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  #107  
Old 01-09-2018, 04:02 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TomB'sox View Post
Holy cow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Tom, I said the same thing. Getting closer now...

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Originally Posted by Guitars44me View Post
Wowsers! What a babe!

This has zipped by... won't be long now!

Congrats, and kudos to Ben!

Cheers

Paul
Thanks Paul. I'm pretty stoked about this one.

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Originally Posted by islandguitar View Post
Spectacular color in that Braz!! Stunning in all ways!!!!!
Thanks. It was a gorgeous piece without any shine, I knew it would pop once he got the goody on there.


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Originally Posted by cigarfan View Post
Yikes!!!!! Certainly the prettiest BRW I ever laid eyes on.
Thanks Dennis! I'm really happy with the colors in this wood as well.

Everyone knows by now that Ben doesn't waste any time getting guitars built. If there is anything that my build has established, without a doubt it is the speed. And yet, I see speed without the normal "consequences of speed"...meaning that Ben builds 'em fast, but solid. I'm really impressed with his methods.

One of the ways he moves them along faster is to do his own finishing. I know some builders do this and some don't, and those who don't probably have good reasons. One of the reasons TO DO it is it saves a ton of time. Heck, I've waited nearly as long to have a guitar body finished as it has taken to build this entire guitar finish and all!!

So, here are a couple of pics Ben sent of "glooooing" the bridge to the body .



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  #108  
Old 01-10-2018, 08:47 AM
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I am jealous - - -

Just from looking at the background in some of the pics, Wilborn appears to have a first class shop and some tech'd out equipment for his builds.

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Last edited by Montesdad; 01-11-2018 at 08:26 AM. Reason: verbiage -
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  #109  
Old 01-10-2018, 02:18 PM
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Default A word or two about speed

[QUOTE=invguy921;5597461]Thanks Tom, I said the same thing. Getting closer now...

"Everyone knows by now that Ben doesn't waste any time getting guitars built. If there is anything that my build has established, without a doubt it is the speed. And yet, I see speed without the normal "consequences of speed"...meaning that Ben builds 'em fast, but solid. I'm really impressed with his methods. "


It has been much noted here about my speed of building, so I thought I might address it here. Probably one of my better attributes as a builder is my focus.
I'm not a genius or a great artist, nor really an innovator (maybe someday I'll come up with something), but I am a craftsman who takes a lot of pride in his work, and focus is what lets me work with a steady and smooth approach. When I am building a guitar, that guitar is on my mind. I've tried building in batches, but I find it confusing. I have developed a lot of processes, supported by quite a few shop made jigs, that allow me to cruise along at a good clip. Working the way I do, there is really nothing strange about putting together a guitar from scratch in 2-3 weeks, with a another 3 for finish.

For my first few years of building I was casting around for an aesthetic, and that takes a lot of time. Then slowly, a style started to coalesce. In the past few years, I have settled on a set of body shapes and design details, and now that that is taken care of (at least for the time being), I can focus on what really interests me: the innards. The TONE. So I can work pretty quickly, and just focus on refinements in the plate thicknesses, brace location and size, body resonances, weight and the like.

Also, a smooth and sensible building process makes sense for me since I am doing this as a full time profession, and supporting my family. At my price point,
which I believe to be really on the low end of what I might charge if I were fiercer about profit, I need to make 15 or so guitars a year, and my pace seems to suit that just about right. 40 to 45 shop hours a week, 15 or so guitars a year. I have no plans to grow or expand. My work and life are balanced in a way that I never would have dreamed of, so I am most grateful and happy.

So, perhaps in the stop-frame manner in which a build is shown here on the forum, progress seems to be surprisingly fast, but behind the scenes, the process chugs along steadily and before I know it, another Wilborn is ready to be mailed off to some distant new home.

By the way, I am very grateful to Mike (Woody) for posting this thread, and to everyone who has participated!
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  #110  
Old 01-10-2018, 02:39 PM
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Wonderful thoughts, Ben, much appreciated. Glad I was able to follow along and at the same time get to know you better!
Best,
Fred
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  #111  
Old 01-10-2018, 02:41 PM
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It's been my pleasure!
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  #112  
Old 01-10-2018, 02:57 PM
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[QUOTE=WilbornGuitars;5598332]
Quote:
Originally Posted by invguy921 View Post
Thanks Tom, I said the same thing. Getting closer now...

"Everyone knows by now that Ben doesn't waste any time getting guitars built. If there is anything that my build has established, without a doubt it is the speed. And yet, I see speed without the normal "consequences of speed"...meaning that Ben builds 'em fast, but solid. I'm really impressed with his methods. "


It has been much noted here about my speed of building, so I thought I might address it here. Probably one of my better attributes as a builder is my focus.
I'm not a genius or a great artist, nor really an innovator (maybe someday I'll come up with something), but I am a craftsman who takes a lot of pride in his work, and focus is what lets me work with a steady and smooth approach. When I am building a guitar, that guitar is on my mind. I've tried building in batches, but I find it confusing. I have developed a lot of processes, supported by quite a few shop made jigs, that allow me to cruise along at a good clip. Working the way I do, there is really nothing strange about putting together a guitar from scratch in 2-3 weeks, with a another 3 for finish.

For my first few years of building I was casting around for an aesthetic, and that takes a lot of time. Then slowly, a style started to coalesce. In the past few years, I have settled on a set of body shapes and design details, and now that that is taken care of (at least for the time being), I can focus on what really interests me: the innards. The TONE. So I can work pretty quickly, and just focus on refinements in the plate thicknesses, brace location and size, body resonances, weight and the like.

Also, a smooth and sensible building process makes sense for me since I am doing this as a full time profession, and supporting my family. At my price point,
which I believe to be really on the low end of what I might charge if I were fiercer about profit, I need to make 15 or so guitars a year, and my pace seems to suit that just about right. 40 to 45 shop hours a week, 15 or so guitars a year. I have no plans to grow or expand. My work and life are balanced in a way that I never would have dreamed of, so I am most grateful and happy.

So, perhaps in the stop-frame manner in which a build is shown here on the forum, progress seems to be surprisingly fast, but behind the scenes, the process chugs along steadily and before I know it, another Wilborn is ready to be mailed off to some distant new home.

By the way, I am very grateful to Mike (Woody) for posting this thread, and to everyone who has participated!
OK, OK nicely said but enough of the mumbo jumbo...where IS my guitar?????? I have been waiting for nearly a WHOLE month and a half for pete sake!! ha!
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Last edited by invguy921; 01-10-2018 at 03:27 PM.
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  #113  
Old 01-10-2018, 03:02 PM
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[QUOTE=invguy921;5598374]
Quote:
Originally Posted by WilbornGuitars View Post

OK, OK nicely said but enough of the mumbo jumbo...where IS my guitar?????? I have been waiting for nearly a WHOLE month and a half for pete sake!! ha!
It takes time for it to ship from Macau...
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  #114  
Old 01-10-2018, 07:59 PM
LouieAtienza LouieAtienza is offline
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[QUOTE=WilbornGuitars;5598332]
Quote:
Originally Posted by invguy921 View Post
Thanks Tom, I said the same thing. Getting closer now...

"Everyone knows by now that Ben doesn't waste any time getting guitars built. If there is anything that my build has established, without a doubt it is the speed. And yet, I see speed without the normal "consequences of speed"...meaning that Ben builds 'em fast, but solid. I'm really impressed with his methods. "


It has been much noted here about my speed of building, so I thought I might address it here. Probably one of my better attributes as a builder is my focus.
I'm not a genius or a great artist, nor really an innovator (maybe someday I'll come up with something), but I am a craftsman who takes a lot of pride in his work, and focus is what lets me work with a steady and smooth approach. When I am building a guitar, that guitar is on my mind. I've tried building in batches, but I find it confusing. I have developed a lot of processes, supported by quite a few shop made jigs, that allow me to cruise along at a good clip. Working the way I do, there is really nothing strange about putting together a guitar from scratch in 2-3 weeks, with a another 3 for finish.

For my first few years of building I was casting around for an aesthetic, and that takes a lot of time. Then slowly, a style started to coalesce. In the past few years, I have settled on a set of body shapes and design details, and now that that is taken care of (at least for the time being), I can focus on what really interests me: the innards. The TONE. So I can work pretty quickly, and just focus on refinements in the plate thicknesses, brace location and size, body resonances, weight and the like.

Also, a smooth and sensible building process makes sense for me since I am doing this as a full time profession, and supporting my family. At my price point,
which I believe to be really on the low end of what I might charge if I were fiercer about profit, I need to make 15 or so guitars a year, and my pace seems to suit that just about right. 40 to 45 shop hours a week, 15 or so guitars a year. I have no plans to grow or expand. My work and life are balanced in a way that I never would have dreamed of, so I am most grateful and happy.

So, perhaps in the stop-frame manner in which a build is shown here on the forum, progress seems to be surprisingly fast, but behind the scenes, the process chugs along steadily and before I know it, another Wilborn is ready to be mailed off to some distant new home.

By the way, I am very grateful to Mike (Woody) for posting this thread, and to everyone who has participated!
Ben we're grateful to have you participate in the build thread and share the love you have for the craft.. Great videos and playing, by the way!
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  #115  
Old 01-10-2018, 08:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by islandguitar View Post
Wonderful thoughts, Ben, much appreciated. Glad I was able to follow along and at the same time get to know you better!
Best,
Fred
This has been great fun. Thanks, Fred. Nice tune by the way! Your composition?
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  #116  
Old 01-10-2018, 09:35 PM
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Thank you, Ben! YES, one of mine....thanks for taking a listen, I really appreciate it. I have a couple in this tuning: DGDGBE (capo 2).
All the best,
Fred
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  #117  
Old 01-11-2018, 07:26 AM
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Here's a couple of pics that may...possibly...suggest that something good is not far off.



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  #118  
Old 01-11-2018, 07:42 AM
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STRINGS!!!

I love that neck heal shot where the straight grain of the mahogany seems to just flow from the BRW sides!!!
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  #119  
Old 01-11-2018, 07:54 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TomB'sox View Post
STRINGS!!!

I love that neck heal shot where the straight grain of the mahogany seems to just flow from the BRW sides!!!
Oh yes...Tom wins the award for the first person to notice the STRINGS!!

And about one hour after the string "addition", the reviews from Bro Ben sound pretty darned promising. We all know that there's that initial shock to the wood of going from this gentle relaxed state to "oh my goodness, I'm a GUITAR!!!!!!" So, after only an hour possibly it is too early to make a really solid assessment.

Now friends, I've observed that Ben likes his stuff and I'm yet to hear him say that he hated the sound of one of his guitars, but I have to admit that his initial thoughts about this one sounded pretty genuine.

I like my chances!!
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  #120  
Old 01-11-2018, 08:22 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by invguy921 View Post
Oh yes...Tom wins the award for the first person to notice the STRINGS!!

And about one hour after the string "addition", the reviews from Bro Ben sound pretty darned promising. We all know that there's that initial shock to the wood of going from this gentle relaxed state to "oh my goodness, I'm a GUITAR!!!!!!" So, after only an hour possibly it is too early to make a really solid assessment.

Now friends, I've observed that Ben likes his stuff and I'm yet to hear him say that he hated the sound of one of his guitars, but I have to admit that his initial thoughts about this one sounded pretty genuine.

I like my chances!!
If my experience is any indication, Ben was initially quite high on my guitar, and it sounded great in the video, and, barely a week after it was strung up when it arrived, it sounded fantastic. I think he’s just really got it dialed in. It has only gotten better too.

It’s nice to see such a kind and humble guy making his model work. Based on the rest of the market, I’d say he’s underpriced for what he builds, but there’s a lot of logic to it. He’s also unlike many builders who try to upsell on woods and features. I came in prepared to use fancier woods and he convinced me of the virtues of Dad’s Sitka and some beautiful Honduran mahogany he had. The one feature he thought I shouldn’t go without was the soundport and I did and now am a convert. I’ve had the good fortune to work with a number of builders, but Ben stands tall among them - the experience and the result were and are immensely satisfying. Whether you’ve ordered a bunch of custom builds or if you’re on the fence about your first, Ben’s product and build experience are worth the price of entry and then some. I highly recommend it and I look forward to doing it again later this year!

Can’t wait to see the video of this beauty! Good luck with the wait - although, in this case, know that it actually won’t be long!
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