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  #181  
Old 04-04-2020, 09:53 PM
mountainguitar mountainguitar is offline
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I was hoping to hear your thoughts on this wonderful guitar, Tom. Thank you for taking time to fill us in! It looks so gorgeous and you describe the tone so well... Wow!! And you're already writing with it!!

It sounds like you're well into building a relationship with this special guitar! Congratulations!!

beth
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  #182  
Old 04-05-2020, 04:26 AM
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Fantastic review my friend. It isn't often I can almost experience the sound by reading a review. Don't sell yourself short. Awesome review!

I am very much looking forward to my chance to play the "Nautilox"!
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  #183  
Old 04-05-2020, 05:18 AM
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Tom,

Hope you get home safe and sound. Your new Nautilux is amazing, I don't believe I ever heard a guitar in a video demo sound so powerful. Enjoy in good health my friend.

I do have to differ with you and Ben on one thing. Guitars that pretty and especially with that soundhole design cannot be in the masculine gender. Like a beautiful boat or ship, they must be of the feminine gender.

Cheers,

Bob

P.S. - Jason Verlinde at Fretboard Journal or Michael Bashkin at Luthier on Luthier should do a podcast with Ben. His craft and playing are amazing and his personality is so engaging.
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  #184  
Old 04-05-2020, 06:58 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Carmel Cedar View Post
Tom, what a great review! You have a gift for conveying tone. This guitar clearly gave you wonderful tone to write about - Ben has created something really special. Does the 'Dolby effect' also kick in when in standard tuning, or is it specific to drop D?

If you have a few moments in the middle of these hectic circumstances, a video or sound file post would be awesome - my headphones are plugged in and ready! The opportunity to see/hear this guitar live will be an extra motivation for us to make it to a rescheduled B.I.G. as well...
Thanks for the kind words. Yes, the big bass is there with drop D or standard tuning, sorry if I was not clear with that, I just started with the drop D.

I would love to do a video with my new song haha, but currently have nothing to record it with. I am looking at getting a Shure MV88 for my android phone and if that works well I can do that.

In the meantime, there is this by Ben. Music starts around 3:30, but if you put in headphones and listen to it all, it is interesting as whenever he is talking you can hear the guitar quietly resonating in the background to his voice lol!

At 3:37 he hits his first G note on the low E and you can hear what I am talking about, BOOM...there are many other examples as well.

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  #185  
Old 04-05-2020, 07:03 AM
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Originally Posted by bmh1 View Post
I was hoping to hear your thoughts on this wonderful guitar, Tom. Thank you for taking time to fill us in! It looks so gorgeous and you describe the tone so well... Wow!! And you're already writing with it!!

It sounds like you're well into building a relationship with this special guitar! Congratulations!!

beth
Thank you very much Beth, the guitar wrote it, I just had to stay out of the way!!!

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Originally Posted by cigarfan View Post
Fantastic review my friend. It isn't often I can almost experience the sound by reading a review. Don't sell yourself short. Awesome review!

I am very much looking forward to my chance to play the "Nautilox"!
Thanks Dennis, like the song, the guitar sort of wrote its own review as well.

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Originally Posted by SprintBob View Post
Tom,

Hope you get home safe and sound. Your new Nautilux is amazing, I don't believe I ever heard a guitar in a video demo sound so powerful. Enjoy in good health my friend.

I do have to differ with you and Ben on one thing. Guitars that pretty and especially with that soundhole design cannot be in the masculine gender. Like a beautiful boat or ship, they must be of the feminine gender.

Cheers,

Bob

P.S. - Jason Verlinde at Fretboard Journal or Michael Bashkin at Luthier on Luthier should do a podcast with Ben. His craft and playing are amazing and his personality is so engaging.
Yes, thanks, not sure when I can get home, I am thinking end of May hopefully! The Gov did not put a time on the ban. I agree, I tend to think feminine gender on this as well, but Ben was going masculine so Nautilox is kind of a neutral name. I know Nemoman went with Arial for his smaller version....I agree with the interview. Actually I apologized to Ben for not being some famous guy so that he would get the recognition he truly deserves for this model. AKA the Olson type of story.
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  #186  
Old 04-05-2020, 07:19 AM
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Default Ben Wilborn/Nautilox: Tunnel 14/BRW! Final VIDEO added!!!

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Originally Posted by TomB'sox View Post
... Actually I apologized to Ben for not being some famous guy so that he would get the recognition he truly deserves for this model. AKA the Olson type of story.
For what matters, the Nautilox is already on my wish list!!

Last edited by Flat5; 04-05-2020 at 08:20 AM.
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  #187  
Old 04-05-2020, 10:23 AM
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Congratulations on your acquisition of the splendid Nautilox guitar, Tom! I have a feeling some of your other guitars are going to be taking an extended break from active duty! Maybe the Nautilox will be the new Crown Jewel of your harem?

Once again, it's so gratifying to see a wonderful builder and a an equally wonderful player collaborating on such a splendid instrument. Especially at times like this, we all need a little extra bit of joy to share (from at least six feet away).
Interesting to watch the demo video with Ben, while he's talking, you can clearly hear his voice echoing from the guitar. Man, that thing is responsive! I can only imagine what a joy it is to play.

Stay safe, and be well, Tom. Even now, I doubt you will have to endure much boredom. That Nautilox is a perfect deserted-island guitar.
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  #188  
Old 04-06-2020, 03:52 PM
Ukulele_Eddie Ukulele_Eddie is offline
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Congrats, Tom!!! I can almost feel the sound enveloping me as I read your description. Sounds like a very, very special guitar.
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  #189  
Old 04-06-2020, 07:54 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flat5 View Post
For what matters, the Nautilox is already on my wish list!!
Good choice! Hope you are well over there!

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Originally Posted by theEdwinson View Post
Congratulations on your acquisition of the splendid Nautilox guitar, Tom! I have a feeling some of your other guitars are going to be taking an extended break from active duty! Maybe the Nautilox will be the new Crown Jewel of your harem?

Once again, it's so gratifying to see a wonderful builder and a an equally wonderful player collaborating on such a splendid instrument. Especially at times like this, we all need a little extra bit of joy to share (from at least six feet away).
Interesting to watch the demo video with Ben, while he's talking, you can clearly hear his voice echoing from the guitar. Man, that thing is responsive! I can only imagine what a joy it is to play.

Stay safe, and be well, Tom. Even now, I doubt you will have to endure much boredom. That Nautilox is a perfect deserted-island guitar.
Thank you as always for the kind words!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ukulele_Eddie View Post
Congrats, Tom!!! I can almost feel the sound enveloping me as I read your description. Sounds like a very, very special guitar.
Thanks Eddie, I think it is.


For those of you who have followed this thread, you might remember there was mention of the Nautilox's brother being built at the same time to show at the now cancelled/postponed B.I.G. event. Ben called it the Blueboy as he used blue trim on the guitar.

He made this video comparing the two as they were built side by side with the same construction techniques, are the same size with the only difference being the materials: Sapele B and Sides and 50 year old Sitka Spruce instead of BRW with Tunnel 14 RW. Built by the same guy, played by the same guy, recorded at the same time. It would have been more fun to A/B them in person, but this video is the next best thing. Enjoy, it is fun to try and hear the differences that are surely there.

If anyone wants more info about the Blueboy, feel free to PM me, I probably can answer any questions for you.

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  #190  
Old 04-10-2020, 07:58 AM
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I am quite surprised that this last post failed to generate a single comment over 4 days and 250 views when we always talk about comparing tonewoods on guitars with so many variables.

I thought this was unique in that they were the same exact guitar, same builder, same strings, same player, same recording, same age, as close to the exact same as possibly with the only difference being the woods used for construction.

I thought this was the kind of stuff we lived for around here LOL????
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  #191  
Old 04-10-2020, 08:50 AM
Ukulele_Eddie Ukulele_Eddie is offline
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Hey, Tom -

I had been saving the listening opportunity until I had suitable time to really enjoy it. And, yes, it is super cool to have two instruments built by the same luthier of the same model at the same time with different woods. I find this stuff fascinating.*

They are both wonderful and share certain characteristics. As expected though, I do hear more mid-range presence in the spruce/sappele (one of my favorite woods) and more pronounced lows and highs in your drop-dead gorgeous T14/BRW. There is just enough difference that I think you should buy Blue Boy, so these siblings can stay together forever. ;-)

Since it is available, were it not to mean the end of my marriage, I would be tempted to grab Blue Boy if it had wider string spacing and nut with.

Would be really cool to have Ben build four instruments: two body woods and two tops and then the four instruments could have each combination (A-A, A-B, B-A, B-B), which might convey some differences in top vs. body woods. I know there are a lot of variables and it's not science, because even two instruments built at the same time from the wood of the same billet can have differences. But, still...

Okay, so who is going to step up and commission four Nautiluses (Nautili?) for the benefit of the group? LOL

Stay healthy everyone!


*To wit, in case anyone is interested, check out Luthiers for a Cause, a project where we did sort of the opposite, we used storied wood sets from the same billets and had six different world class luthiers build tenor ukes. There is an interview with sound samples on the home page (link below). We then sold them as a collection and raised $130K for the Ukulele Kids Club, which supports hospital-based music therapy program for kids battling serious medical situations. https://www.luthiersforacause.org
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  #192  
Old 04-10-2020, 10:12 AM
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OK--I'll chime in on this as well.

They are both lovely sounding instruments. I love them both for different aspects of which I'm terrible at articulating. The warmth of the Nautilox and it's fullness is astounding. But I love Blueboy for that punch that it imparts. And they both really shine when he digs into it with the harder picking.

Both are truly amazing beasts--I wouldn't hesitate to snap up either one if I had the means at this point! And I know Tom isn't giving his up!

I like Eddie's suggestion, but I'd add the Arum into the mix. It would be cool to hear different tops and back and sides and models based on Ben's new design. Regardless of any comparisons, Ben has really created a winner with his new design, both in the Nautilus and the Arum.
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  #193  
Old 04-10-2020, 10:40 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ukulele_Eddie View Post
Hey, Tom -

I had been saving the listening opportunity until I had suitable time to really enjoy it. And, yes, it is super cool to have two instruments built by the same luthier of the same model at the same time with different woods. I find this stuff fascinating.*

They are both wonderful and share certain characteristics. As expected though, I do hear more mid-range presence in the spruce/sappele (one of my favorite woods) and more pronounced lows and highs in your drop-dead gorgeous T14/BRW. There is just enough difference that I think you should buy Blue Boy, so these siblings can stay together forever. ;-)

Since it is available, were it not to mean the end of my marriage, I would be tempted to grab Blue Boy if it had wider string spacing and nut with.

Would be really cool to have Ben build four instruments: two body woods and two tops and then the four instruments could have each combination (A-A, A-B, B-A, B-B), which might convey some differences in top vs. body woods. I know there are a lot of variables and it's not science, because even two instruments built at the same time from the wood of the same billet can have differences. But, still...

Okay, so who is going to step up and commission four Nautiluses (Nautili?) for the benefit of the group? LOL

Stay healthy everyone!


*To wit, in case anyone is interested, check out Luthiers for a Cause, a project where we did sort of the opposite, we used storied wood sets from the same billets and had six different world class luthiers build tenor ukes. There is an interview with sound samples on the home page (link below). We then sold them as a collection and raised $130K for the Ukulele Kids Club, which supports hospital-based music therapy program for kids battling serious medical situations. https://www.luthiersforacause.org
Thanks Eddie, might take a rich guy like you to commission 4 of those haha. I watched the Uke video, very interesting even though I know nothing, but a really cool project with obviously a great cause and result! I could hear differences among them, but all very similar, I was able to pick out my to favs though for whatever that is worth!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nemoman View Post
OK--I'll chime in on this as well.

They are both lovely sounding instruments. I love them both for different aspects of which I'm terrible at articulating. The warmth of the Nautilox and it's fullness is astounding. But I love Blueboy for that punch that it imparts. And they both really shine when he digs into it with the harder picking.

Both are truly amazing beasts--I wouldn't hesitate to snap up either one if I had the means at this point! And I know Tom isn't giving his up!

I like Eddie's suggestion, but I'd add the Arum into the mix. It would be cool to hear different tops and back and sides and models based on Ben's new design. Regardless of any comparisons, Ben has really created a winner with his new design, both in the Nautilus and the Arum.
Thanks Kevin, yeah mine is staying here for hopefully a while. It will likely be put up for sale when I die though! I think Ben has another Arum nearing completion that we should hear soon. I have forgotten what woods were being used though.
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  #194  
Old 04-10-2020, 11:44 AM
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They sound so supremely musical and powerful, both of them!
The Brazilian is of course dense with overtones, which are equally powerful. The sound is haunting.
The sapele is more focused, and extremely flat in response: it didn’t sound to me like mid-range-y, more like a quicker response, similar to mahogany. Also very balanced response throughout the fretboard.
Yes, definitely one sensible addict would want both of them (that might be getting personal here -lol).

How’s the dynamic range?
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  #195  
Old 04-10-2020, 05:21 PM
Ukulele_Eddie Ukulele_Eddie is offline
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I just found out that Blue Boy has 1 13/16 nut with and 2 5/16 string spacing. Somebody, puh-puh-puh-pleeaeeeeeasssee put me out of my new misery and buy that thang! LOL.
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