For Sale: Ryan Mission Grand Concert # 002 prototype

foosball · #1 08-23-2018, 06:45 PM

Up for sale is a Kevin Ryan # 2, a prototype Mission Grand Concert.

It is highly flamed Koa back and sides with a Sitka spruce top. It has hand cut Pau around the soundboard. The rest of the guitar is standard Mission Grand Concert non-cutaway size with the exception of the waist, which I believe Kevin narrowed to the current dimensions. A very slight change and not noticeable.

The Back story: I commissioned Kevin’s first two guitars after meeting him at a Pierre Bensusan workshop. I had brought my Olson cutaway to the workshop and Kevin and I started talking about the Olson’s characteristics. Kevin told me it was his dream to be a luthier full time and that he had made one guitar for his mother from a Martin kit. After the workshop, we went to his parent’s house to see his first guitar and I admired his fit and finish as a master wood worker. Because of his workmanship and enthusiasm. I commissioned the first Mission Grand Concert, choose the woods from what he had collected up to then and I left my Olson with him to study, with Jim Olson’s permission. 18 months later I had MGC 001 prototype. It was a great experience for me because I got to watch the progress of the first MGC’s and do some make some meager suggestions as a player.

My brother played my MGC 001 and order a guitar for himself with the exact same features, hence MGC 002 was born. Watching Kevin’s process with these first two guitars was amazing because he was thinking trough all the jigs, dimensions, and little nuances that make Kevin’s guitars what they are today. I have been a fan of his guitars from the beginning, I have owned 7 of them over the years. I took my Ryan guitars to many of the finger-style venues around Southern California and put Kevin’s guitars in the hands of some great players.

My brother lives in Tucson and does not have the right environment in his house to keep guitars in the right humidity. He has a breathing problem and doesn't want to put in humidifiers and dehumidifiers in his house to protect guitars. Because of the lack of constant humidity, The guitar had some wood shrinkage and as a result, the top of the guitar had a split, the bridge had a crack in it, and the frets were coming up the finger board. My brother asked me what to do and I suggested that I seek out a good repair guy and found Butch.

Butch Boswell of Boswell Guitars did the work. He did a great job and you can see it under his repairs section on his website. https://boswellguitars.com/repairblo...-2-restoration I met him in Santa Barbara Acoustic Instrument Celebration show last year where we were talking about his experience as a guitar builder and having been the main repair guy for 12 years at Rudy's Music in New York City. I was really impressed buy his workmanship which shows his attention to detail while keeping Kevin's originality. Cost my brother a pretty penny to have it reconditioned but I would say that the guitar is now 9+ and plays like a dream. He did a neck reset and fret job (with the gold Evo frets) repair the top completely including duplicating Kevin’s bridge with Kevin’s permission. Could be happier with the result.

I would keep this one myself except I’m starting to build my own guitars and am selling off about half of my collections.

Asking $8,250.00 OBO including shipping. PayPal fees would be extra

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IMG_0541 by Jeff Gibbs pix, on Flickr[/IMG]

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IMG_0547 by Jeff Gibbs pix, on Flickr[/IMG]

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IMG_0545 by Jeff Gibbs pix, on Flickr[/IMG]

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IMG_0546 by Jeff Gibbs pix, on Flickr[/IMG]

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IMG_0550 by Jeff Gibbs pix, on Flickr[/IMG]

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IMG_0558 by Jeff Gibbs pix, on Flickr/[/IMg]

thanks for looking

Jeff

Cameleye · #2 08-23-2018, 07:17 PM

Watch that decimal point Jeff. I mean 8 million!?!

SoCalSurf · #3 08-23-2018, 07:38 PM

I may consider 7 million, but 8 million is just too much.

justonwo · #4 08-23-2018, 09:33 PM

That is amazing. Gorgeous stuff. Great seller here, people. Jeff is a friend and an all around great guy!

foosball · #5 08-23-2018, 09:45 PM

How about I reduce it to 7 million? Decimal corrected

thanks

J

Guitars44me · #6 08-23-2018, 10:11 PM

What a beauty! And a cool story to go with it for sure.

Best on the sale. Should fly fast!!!

Cheers

Paul

B Chas · #7 08-24-2018, 08:15 AM

Fascinating story and a very cool guitar. What year(s) did the build of these first 2 Ryan guitars take place? What good fortune to be in on one of the premier builders first steps, pretty good vision to recognize the opportunity and act on it. Wonder what Kevin’s path might have been without your Olson you generously shared with him.

Cool story…..

foosball · #8 08-24-2018, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B Chas

Fascinating story and a very cool guitar. What year(s) did the build of these first 2 Ryan guitars take place? What good fortune to be in on one of the premier builders first steps, pretty good vision to recognize the opportunity and act on it. Wonder what Kevin’s path might have been without your Olson you generously shared with him.

Cool story…..

I don't remember the exact date but it was very early 90's for sure.

Kevin and Barb are great people and I have witnessed how much his business has grown. The way he builds in his shop today as compared to when he first started out is way more advanced. Very few luthiers have had as much success as Kevin and he is well deserving.

Jeff

Carmel Cedar · #9 08-24-2018, 10:40 PM

I asked Jim Olson about this story while visiting with him this morning, and he confirmed he assented to his SJ being studied by Kevin, who he considers a friend. Yet another great example of Jim’s generosity in sharing with his peers in the guitar world. And cool part of this instrument’s story.

Lovely guitar. GLWTS!

foosball · #10 08-27-2018, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carmel Cedar

I asked Jim Olson about this story while visiting with him this morning, and he confirmed he assented to his SJ being studied by Kevin, who he considers a friend. Yet another great example of Jim’s generosity in sharing with his peers in the guitar world. And cool part of this instrument’s story.

Lovely guitar. GLWTS!

Since I started building guitars and having hung around Luthiers for many years, it is amazing how generous they are with each other with their time and ideas. It is always a learning process and new ideas to make guitars better are always floating around.

foosball · #11 08-31-2018, 02:40 PM

Memorial Weekend bump

foosball · #12 09-07-2018, 02:00 PM

I am making a bump. I'll consider any reasonable offers as I don't want this going back to my brothers home. It deserves a good to be taken care of.

Jeff

Nit that my brother would abuse it, his home is not the right climate.

foosball · #13 09-15-2018, 11:57 AM

Price reduction to $7,900 shipped to lower 48. Paypal negotiable.

foosball · #14 09-23-2018, 10:41 AM

Sunday bump for my brother

planetbrian · #15 09-25-2018, 04:43 PM

I have been fortunate enough to play any instrument in Jeff's collection, as we have been good friends for many years. This is a great guitar. It gets attention on the wall hangar, and the voice is beautiful. As with several of the guitars Jeff has sold I the past... If I had the financial resources they would just move over to my music room.