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  #1  
Old 01-15-2020, 03:01 PM
Ukulele_Eddie Ukulele_Eddie is offline
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Default NGD: Beneteau 0-12

Admiring various build threads in the Custom Forum often inspires me to research those luthiers and may very well result in me having to work until I'm ninety because there are so many I'd love to own.

Drooling over Dustin Furlow's Beneteau build thread (fanfret Italian spruce/African Blackwood) ultimately led to me discovering a very nice 2014 Marc Beneteau 0-12 that Artisan Guitars had in stock.

I'm not much of a player so for me, appreciating the beauty of an instrument, its tone, aesthetics and build execution is as much a part of the experience as being able to play. While I tend to like guitars with more figured woods, this one captivated me. I kept going back to looking at it and listening to the sound sample.

I was a little nervous about this because of its 25.4" scale and 1 13/16 nut width. So far, I *generally* prefer 24.9" and shorter with 1 7/8" nut width. Now, I understand there are many other factors but, generally speaking, I tend to be comfortable with guitars that have those dimensions and the further I move off them, the less success I seem to have bonding with an instrument. And since I was buying online, it was shockingly difficult to judge playability. ;-)

However, I thought the price was attractive enough that there wasn't a ton of downside if I didn't bond with it or whenever it may be time to move it along. BTW, Artisan Guitars were an absolute pleasure. I highly recommend them. I had them hold the guitar over the holidays and just recently took delivery.

It's beautifully executed, both aesthetically and in build details. Marc's 40 years of expertise and reputation as a highly regarded builder really shines through. I am certainly very happy with this find and so I am able to forgive Dustin for causing me to spend money I didn't really *need* to spend.

I tend to like more highly figured woods than what's featured here, but it all comes together quite nicely. I really like his elegant headstock shape and the Gotoh 510's fit nicely here.

The cross-silking in the Sitka spruce top is pretty remarkable. The BRW rosette, binding and headstock overlays add a little "sumpin', sumpin'" to the package. The mahogany is attractive, if not a little understated.

The D-shaped neck on this Beneteau is really something. Everything else I've owned has been V, Mod-V or C. I absolutely love this neck and find it very, very comfortable. The longer scale is hardly discernible. So, both "worries" are crossed off.

I am impressed with the tone. While it's strong in the mid-range, the tone is well-rounded. Its bass is surprising and its highs strong.

Attached are a couple of pics because I know it didn't happen unless there are pics. Also, here is a link to the online photos and sound sample as posted by Artisan Guitars:

https://artisanguitars.com/beneteau-...-2014-id-11753


Specs:
Top Wood: Sitka Spruce
Back Wood: Mahogany
Scale: 25.4"
Nut Width: 1 13/16"
Setup High E: 1.5/32"
Setup Low E: 2/32"
Gloss Finish
Serial Number: 040314
Neck Wood: Mahogany
Fretboard: Ebony
Bridge: Brazilian Rosewood
Bracing: Hand Scalloped Braces
Headstock Overlay: Brazilian Rosewood
Tuners: Black Chrome Gotoh 510
Rosette: Brazilian Rosewood
Body Binding: Brazilian Rosewood
Fretboard Binding: None
Headstock Binding: None
Pickguard: None
Nut Material: Bone
Saddle Material: Bone
Saddle Spacing: 2 5/16"
Bridge Pins: Ebony
Neck Profile: D
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 20200115_093947.jpg (29.5 KB, 271 views)
File Type: jpg 20200115_094009.jpg (33.4 KB, 267 views)
File Type: jpg 20200115_094253.jpg (34.9 KB, 270 views)
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  • Beneteau 0-12 Sitka/Mahogany
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Old 01-15-2020, 09:08 PM
jaan jaan is offline
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That top is incredible. The guitar looks so elegant!
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  #3  
Old 01-16-2020, 08:07 AM
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cigarfan cigarfan is offline
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OMG Eddie! Congrats! Count me as officially jealous. A Beneteau in Spruce/Mahogany with 5 years of maturation. Awesome!

And the silking on that top is off the charts. Enjoy!
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Old 01-16-2020, 08:22 AM
Deliberate1 Deliberate1 is offline
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Gorgeous! Enjoy.
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Old 01-16-2020, 08:37 AM
JustMunkee JustMunkee is offline
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That's one mighty pretty guitar!
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Old 01-17-2020, 02:56 AM
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colins colins is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cigarfan View Post
OMG Eddie! Congrats! Count me as officially jealous. A Beneteau in Spruce/Mahogany with 5 years of maturation. Awesome!

And the silking on that top is off the charts. Enjoy!
Couldn't put it better. Congratulations!
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Old 01-17-2020, 05:59 AM
DownUpDave DownUpDave is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cigarfan View Post
OMG Eddie! Congrats! Count me as officially jealous. A Beneteau in Spruce/Mahogany with 5 years of maturation. Awesome!

And the silking on that top is off the charts. Enjoy!
I will second cigarfans words. Well done Eddie........how do you find the playability, seeing as it is different from your preferred specs.
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Old 01-17-2020, 08:46 AM
Ukulele_Eddie Ukulele_Eddie is offline
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@cigarfan, @jaan, @Deliberate1, @JustMunkee, @colins and @DownUpDave

Thank you all for the well-wishes on this lucky find.

@DownUpDave, I hope you are well my friend! Will email you, but to answer your question succinctly, I find the playability excellent. The neck is super comfortable and friendly

To offer a bit more detail, as I first started to toy with guitars two years ago, I liked vintage V style necks probably because a production 0-28VS was one of the first guitars I felt like, "just maybe I really can learn this gee-tar thang."

When I later got the Custom 0-28VS listed in my signature, I was concerned as I uncased it because right away I noticed that it was more Mod-V, definitely not as hefty as the production one. But I quickly grew to like it. Even later, when I tried my first Collings 01, really liked its neck shape. What I am finding is that while providing there is adequate nut width and string spacing, a variety of neck shapes work for me. The Beneteau is my first D-shaped guitar neck and I'd say I'm pretty dang smitten.
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Old 01-23-2020, 10:18 AM
Dustinfurlow Dustinfurlow is offline
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Man thats such a cool Benny! I'd have thought there would be slotted headstock. I'm super jealous! Marc's sitka is all perfectly quartered and he splits the billets himself. Such an understated, beautiful piece of work that I bet sounds massive for its size.
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Old 01-23-2020, 03:39 PM
marty bradbury marty bradbury is offline
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Wow! Beautiful guitar. Enjoy!
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Old 01-23-2020, 03:50 PM
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That is a very special guitar. Beautiful!
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  #12  
Old 01-23-2020, 04:38 PM
JohnFrink1 JohnFrink1 is offline
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Congratulations! I was acquainted with that guitar when it was young, and I'm delighted to know that it found a happy home.
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Old 01-23-2020, 07:42 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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Congratulations, Eddie. For a couple of years I owned a Beneteau baritone guitar, an instrument that forum regular Mycroft now owns, so I know how exquisite Marc's work is.

When my daughter was doing her graduate work at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, I went to visit her, then took a day to drive into Canada and visit Marc in his home workshop in St. Thomas, Ontario. He had a couple of guitars in progress and two finished instruments there that I could play, and I was hugely impressed.

He's a genuinely friendly man, as well.

Anyway, very cool.


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