Sexauer/‘21 (chapter 2)

[Bruce Sexauer]

With customers like this, who needs friends? Thanks, Bob!

[The Bard Rocks]

Originally Posted by Jamiejoon

That is just about the nicest set of Pernambuco I have ever seen.

Those were my words, too.

[Bruce Sexauer]

I got my MacBook back today, and all is well in my office once again.

I also delivered Jamiejoon's new JB-15 today. I will refrain from hyperbole in hope that he will find something to say about it in the next while. I made a page for it on my website HERE. And here are a couple of pictures I didn't put on the page:

[Treenewt]

Beautifully done Bruce’

[iim7V7IM7]

Beautiful guitar Bruce… (congrats Jamie)

[BEJ]

Wow, the more you look at the more little details start to be noticed/stand out. And create some questions.

[Bruce Sexauer]

There are guitar qualities that go beyond our ability to describe or discuss them. Some guitars seem to be inexplicably difficult to play, or not able to produce the sound that one expects, despite being made from the right materials and with all the measurements where they should be. This new guitar is the opposite of that, it sounds and plays better than the sum of its parts. You’d think I’d be used to this by now, but I’m not.

[TomB'sox]

Bruce, when they fixed your computer they must have changed some other things as your pictures are showing up for me again!

[BEJ]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

There are guitar qualities that go beyond our ability to describe or discuss them. Some guitars seem to be inexplicably difficult to play, or not able to produce the sound that one expects, despite being made from the right materials and with all the measurements where they should be. This new guitar is the opposite of that, it sounds and plays better than the sum of its parts. You’d think I’d be used to this by now, but I’m not.

It's great that even a master with so many great builds under his belt can still learn and be amazed.

A couple of questions, why the asymmetrical bridge and what were the challenges to the fret board and nut layout?

Bruce,

[Bruce Sexauer]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

Bruce, when they fixed your computer they must have changed some other things as your pictures are showing up for me again!

That's because a few days before I took my system in I figured out how to change my site's protocol to https.

[Bruce Sexauer]

Originally Posted by BEJ

It's great that even a master with so many great builds under his belt can still learn and be amazed.

A couple of questions, why the asymmetrical bridge and what were the challenges to the fret board and nut layout?

Bruce,

"JB", and this is a JB-15, stands for my fully asymmetrical guitar, including the template, headstock, MultiScale, and the bridge itself. The bridge shape is a slight nod to Michael Kasha, who's unusual thinking included bridges longer and thinner on the treble side and shorter and wider on the bass side. He was more extreme by far than what you see here, and his thinking has been largely discredited. My bridge in made from snakewood, which is quite heavy. I have gouge carved the wings into somewhat of a concavity to remove a bit of the weight. Its footprint is actually quite close to standard Martin.

[Jamiejoon]

I had a very nice visit with Bruce yesterday in his lair, a familiar place to me now and protected as always by Bruce's awesome dog Koal.

I have been looking forward to this guitar for several reasons, other than the obvious - new guitar! Oregon Myrtle is the same as California Bay Laurel, which grows all around where I live. I think it's nice to have guitars made from trees you know well. I also was of course intrigued by the results Bruce has been getting from Myrtle, and was totally wowed by the outstanding Myrtle guitar he built for Bob Berger. I generally want what a luthier is most excited to work with. And, as I know from my previous builds with Bruce, he is in quite a groove lately. The guitar did not disappoint.

Over the next month (and years) I know the guitar will develop a lot. I am learning not to make strong conclusions about a new guitar on first playing it. However, this one sounds terrific at only 5 days old. Very clear, balanced, and sensitive. It elicits emotion from me as soon as I start playing it, it is very comfortable to play, and has a softness (sorry, can't explain better than that) that I appreciate in my other favorite guitars. More complex and resonant, I think, than my recent Polish Spruce/Euro Pear JB-15.

At this level of luthiery, I don't believe there is a "best" guitar (other than perhaps compared with other examples of the same luthier's work). If you play a Somogyi and think it is terrible because it doesn't sound like your vintage Martin, in my humble opinion I think you are missing the mark. Yes, Ervin makes a terrible Martin. And Bruce makes a terrible Brondel, etc. But I think Bruce makes profoundly good guitars, and he has perfected what it is that he is doing. Some ears will appreciate what is there better than other ears, or his guitars will suit some songs or approaches better than others. Feel free to use this as an excuse with your significant other for buying yet another guitar.

At any rate, I think this new Sexauer, Lotus #3, is up there with the best Sexauers I have played, and it probably has the most potential of the three I own.

[Dave Higham]

Don't wish to annoy you Bruce, but it says Rubner tuners on your website and 25.25" scale although it's obviously a multiscale. What is the other one?

[Bruce Sexauer]

I annoy myself sometimes. I was a bit too quick on the guitar's page. I usually start with another guitar's page and then edit it. It seems I left some important details unchanged. I am going in to fix it now and if you'll give me a few minutes I will improve the accuracy of the details. Thank you.

[Bruce Sexauer]

Here are a couple of pictures of my current project, an FT-L00 in "Folsom" Pernambuco topped with a Hampton Bros. sourced Adi top. "Folsom" because the guy whose stash it came from (rip) last lived in Folsom, CA. He was a violin maker, and this wood was headed toward violin bows, but was still a 2" x 11" x 7' plank when I got it. Close one!