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#46
08-01-2011, 04:52 PM
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Check out my friend's most recent pictures. There is nothing like an Olson well, except THREE Olsons!...
     more to come... 
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#47
08-01-2011, 04:53 PM
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Enjoy...
      
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#48
08-01-2011, 04:54 PM
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...
   
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#49
08-02-2011, 07:06 AM
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Wow - those are some amazing guitars. I REALLY like the middle neck of the three. The front and back plates on the headstock are stunning! What is the neck wood that is so dark?
Never been a fan of dreadnaught guitars - and never been a fan of bear claw spruce - so I'm glad both of those are on the same guitar (LOL). I would gladly take either of the other two guitars! Wish I could spend a few days in the shop with Jim and just sit quietly in the corner and watch and take notes. What dream that would be!
__________________
Paul Burner BURNER GUITARS THE WHEEZETONES BAND Building one-off acoustic guitars since 2008
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#50
08-02-2011, 07:33 AM
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A Brazilian Olson SJ is my dream guitar.
That dread looks very similar to an SJ I build two years ago. Even the rostte is the same. Looks just as good here.
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#51
08-02-2011, 11:14 AM
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Quote:
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#52
08-02-2011, 03:14 PM
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Quote:
http://guitargal.com/content/sharp-g...j-tiger-myrtle What did it sound like?
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#53
08-02-2011, 03:47 PM
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Quote:
Thanks for the kind words. 
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#54
08-02-2011, 04:40 PM
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I understand that the dark neck you are asking about is Brazilian rosewood, one of about 6 guitars Jim Olson has ever built with a Brazilian rosewood neck. I understand that is rare to find a piece of Brazilian rosewood that is of sufficient size and quality that it will work for a neck, but that it's sonic properties are exceptional. Brazilian rosewood has been described as having a sonic ping when rapped, almost like that of glass. The headplates are certainly that rare "holy grail" Brazilian rosewood, like that of the set of Brazilian for the back. Just amazing!
The bearclaw sitka spruce was chosen because it was of exceptional piece of old sitka that was figured in many ways, like that of Tiger Myrtle, but also because of its exceptional stiffness. This guitar is going to be truly amazing. Having played a Olson dread, I can tell you that they are the finest dread I have ever played! I understand that Mr. Olson is not currently taking orders or deposits.... these may be the last custom batch of Olsons you see. So fortunate to be included in the class of 2011! Will continue to provide you with updates.
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#55
08-02-2011, 05:39 PM
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Quote:
  Beautiful guitars... Congrats.
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#56
08-02-2011, 06:49 PM
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Quote:
Whether the Brazilian rosewood will add any sonic advantages to the mix remains to be demonstrated, naturally, but one thing it will indisputably add is quite a bit of weight. I owned a handbuilt Mark Stanley archtop guitar that had its back, sides and neck made from Indian rosewood. The rosewood neck clearly added a great deal of sustain, which was very cool to find in an archtop guitar. But the weight it added was quite significant and very, very noticeable. I got used to it soon enough, but whenever anyone else would pick up that guitar to play it for the first time, the neck would plummet towards the floor before they corrected their orientation and pulled it back up. I always warned them first, but none of them really understood how different a rosewood guitar neck made things until they experienced it for themselves. Rosewood necks are quite a bit heavier than mahogany, no way around it, so that will inevitably have an impact on the physical balance of this new Olson, and probably affect the vibration of the rest of the guitar in subtle ways, as well. Wade Hampton Miller
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#57
08-02-2011, 07:53 PM
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Mr. Hampton:
Thanks for your comments. The Brazilian rosewood neck on my friends matching Olson dread that he already has (and I have played) is exceedingly well balanced and the weight isn't much of a noticeable factor. Olson's have a fairly lean neck that consists of two maple plys so it isn't solid rosewood. Further, the guitars themselves are well balanced. An interesting side note... James Taylor's very first Olson has... a rosewood neck. I think he has worked it out nicely. One other side note on the sonic impact of the Brazilian rosewood neck... even according to Kevin Ryan, James Olson is the only one who builds a dovetail neck the right way... it's hammer tight.. with no space between the dovetail and the neck block... that perfect marriage enhances the unity of the neck and the body which seems to logically make for the most efficient transmission of sound. The matching Brazilian dread is absolutely stunning. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts.
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#58
08-02-2011, 08:23 PM
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Quote:
 I love Jim and his guitars and actually have an adi/hog SJ in the same batch, but that's a mighty bold statement..... especially considering some of the company we are in here on this forum. And Kevin Ryan is some sort of all knowing/all seeing guitar prophet or something.... like Kevin has personally inspected enough dovetail neck joints of the top 50 builders to actually make this claim??? I'm honestly not trying to be argumentative, but I'm not drinking the kool-aid on this one. There are a lot of great builders in the same league as Jim that make fantastic instruments and I have a hard time believing none of them know how to make a proper dovetail neck joint.
__________________
We can share the woman, we can share the wine... _____________________ Suggestions 1:1 Slackers 1:51-52 FSM
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#59
08-03-2011, 03:55 AM
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Neck Joint
Yes and Ralph Bown and Andy Manson build with no neck joints so they must be better still?
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#60
08-03-2011, 03:59 AM
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Well, Kevin Ryan is a great admirer of Jim Olson and of Jim's guitars. The way I would interpret that remark is as an enthusiastic comment from Kevin about the astonishing precision of Jim's dovetails rather than as an all-encompassing authoritative statement that is completely, factually, verifiably 100% correct.
If others want to interpret that remark as meaning that nobody else building guitars with dovetail neck joints is doing them correctly or as well, and honestly believe that, that's their choice. But it's a rather foolish choice. Wade Hampton Miller
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