#31
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I'm not saying there is anything wrong with these guitars, but you have to be careful of the lesser known brands that are spoken of here. The internet is a funny place. You could have 4 or 5 laptop/desktops in one small shop and have a few people create multiple email addresses (one on each computer a piece) and multiple user names here. Discussions of a certain guitar by what appeared to be 20-30 random people would actually just be 4 or 5 - all who work for the guitar builder. I'm not saying that's what happened here, but I'm always wary of a suddenly "new" guitar builder with people promoting it left and right.
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Barry Youtube! My SoundCloud page Avalon L-320C, Guild D-120, Martin D-16GT, McIlroy A20, Pellerin SJ CW Cordobas - C5, Fusion 12 Orchestra, C12, Stage Traditional Alvarez AP66SB, Seagull Folk Aria {Johann Logy}: |
#32
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In Iris’s defense, Dale Fairbanks and Adam Buchwald are both well established builders with good reputations. It’s a new brand, yes, but there is experience and a record of quality behind it. I think that’s worth something. |
#33
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Iris Guitars
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- Moderator hat is ON - Tbman - this is true in part, but as far as the AGF is concerned, the moderating team keeps pretty close track of these things. We are very thorough in our vetting of new users. And you can be assured that our team knows the AGF users very well. When issues do occur, such as 'pumping', it is taken care of quietly and you are likely not have even noticed the ripple. We do a lot of editing and deleting 'behind the scenes'. I know Dale Fairbanks personally and can assure you that there is no subterfuge here. The Iris line is a collection of nicely built, great sounding guitars that deserve all of the recognition they are getting. Rick - AGF Moderator
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”Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet” Last edited by srick; 11-23-2022 at 08:37 AM. Reason: My typing errors and my fingerstyle abilities have a lot in common. |
#34
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In creating Iris, Adam was addressing the fact that Circle Strings (and other similar-quality custom guitars) start at $8k+, and are out of reach of many working musicians and guitar enthusiasts. As srick noted above they streamlined processes, simplified designs and used more economical appointments (such as Golden Age tuners) to bring the base price for a customizable guitar under $3k. When you look at the quality of the construction of their guitars, you can see that the guitars share a lineage with guitars costing 3x as much. Last edited by sinistral; 11-24-2022 at 06:29 AM. |
#35
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I expect I'll be keeping this for the long run. I'd guess all its
collectability has been drained away by all the patch-ups it has had. It is a terrific guitar though. I've traded away a couple of D-28s. I traded my Iris for a D-18. I'd trade the D-18 for some other tasty guitar on a whim. I don't have the money or the space to have a houseful of guitars like some of y'all, but I like changing them around. I think my Iris was a fine guitar. I bet the other three people on this board who have owned it think so too ... -Mike |
#36
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I have no experience with Iris Guitars but it sure seems like part of their plan was not only to fill a niche but seriously vie for the ugliest headstock award. If the guitar tone is sublime then it can be forgiven but for my sense of aesthetics, it is truly cringe worthy. :-)
Best, Jayne |
#37
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I think many of us can speak of similar events, with a variety if goods, not just guitars. Did the makers run out of steam or money? Were they shysters? Did they just decide they could not compete? Maybe they retired? But all this buzz.... then silence. How much of our lives are run by algorithms in ways we do not know or understand?
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The Bard Rocks Fay OM Sinker Redwood/Tiger Myrtle Sexauer L00 Adk/Magnolia For Sale Hatcher Jumbo Bearclaw/"Bacon" Padauk Goodall Jumbo POC/flamed Mahogany Appollonio 12 POC/Myrtle MJ Franks Resonator, all Australian Blackwood Goodman J45 Lutz/fiddleback Mahogany Blackbird "Lucky 13" - carbon fiber '31 National Duolian + many other stringed instruments. |
#38
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Barry Youtube! My SoundCloud page Avalon L-320C, Guild D-120, Martin D-16GT, McIlroy A20, Pellerin SJ CW Cordobas - C5, Fusion 12 Orchestra, C12, Stage Traditional Alvarez AP66SB, Seagull Folk Aria {Johann Logy}: |
#39
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I'm sure all of the possibilities you mention are the answer to the question. To make it, you need to constantly push and you can't treat your business as a hobby. But I know you know this, because you run a small business too. Rick
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”Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet” Last edited by srick; 11-23-2022 at 12:56 PM. |
#40
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Fast forward to recently and I've been doing a deep dive on all things IRIS and the possibility of doing a full custom order to get ALL things I think I would want. I can't get that huge tone out of my head. Some other things I like about the IRIS guitars offerings is the banjo tuners and their relic finishes. They offer the banjo tuners stock on the DE model. At first I thought they looked stupid but then I tried them and they are SO smooth. Plus, I like the fact that they point back like slotted headstock tuners (easier to operate when wearing/playing the guitar) while having the benefit of being on a paddle headstock for slightly easier and faster string changes. Win-win. Downside, they are a pricey upcharge ($360) if one was to have them added to a non-DE model. More on this in a minute. As for the relic finish options, like many companies that offer this they do different levels. One level is just an aged binding and checked finish. On the burst models these two features make for a really good looking guitar if you're into that sort of thing. I like the look. I do wonder if that checked finish (which can only be achieved on a thicker finish, I assume) would come at the cost of some of that great tone on the (again assumed) thinner and satin/matte finish stock models. The cost of this upgrade would be $500. EIR back and sides adds another $250 and an Adi top another $150. Add the $360 for the banjo tuners and you're now up to nearly $4k which puts a lot of other guitar brands on the table. And this might not be the cannon-like, tone love affair of that one I played down around $3k. The final piece of the puzzle for me is that current build time wait is 11-12 months. So that pretty much kills off any interest I would have in a full custom build. I feel I'd be better off finding a new or used DF (my preferred model) and then just add the admittedly expensive banjo tuners (or some other tuner) to replace the generally panned three on a plate vintage stock ones.
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Call me Scott Cole Clark Angel 2 Thin Line | Emerald X7 Custom Woody | IRIS DF in sinker mahogany Methos1979: (Almost) Every guitar-related review I've written on AGF! Scott & Donna Music |
#41
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The headstock logo has grown on me and don't bother me now, besides, you can't see it when playing it.
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John |
#42
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Iris has a lot of dealers including the store that Adam Buchwald has opened in Burlington, VT. So, yes, they are about a year behind on orders. I don’t think they have a ton of employees and they do make other guitars there, including Fairbanks.
These were supposed to be off the rack guitars with few options. I think he should stick to that model and leave the customizations for the higher level brands.
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Sorry, no longer suffering fools |
#43
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Scott - as the owner of Fairbanks 35, I can second that. Dale really knows how to make his guitars bark and growl! Plus, Adam doesn't talk about it much, but some years ago, his Allied Luthiery business purchased a large stock of impressive tone woods - most of it 40 years older or more. A lot of this is being used in the Iris Guitars (I'm pretty sure)
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And wait a second - I thought you had sworn off expensive custom guitars! BTW - these two guys (Leo Kottke and Mike Gordon) really like Fairbanks\Circle\Iris guitars kottke and gordon.jpg That's mine on the right (you can see the Rickard tuners), and FredSJ200's on the left.
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”Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet” Last edited by srick; 11-23-2022 at 12:57 PM. |
#44
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You're not wrong! Hence my trepidation at going the full custom route. Sure, way cheaper than even a used Froggy Bottom but more than I really should spend. What was nice about the IRIS guitars initially was the decent prices. After selling the Froggy Bottom the plan was to eventually grab something all-wood down around the $2k range, maybe something road-worn with mojo and great tone. Think used D-18 or something along those lines. Before inflation and backlog a new IRIS would have been in that ballpark. But now they are creeping up, or so it seems. I'm going to keep my eye out and play some more as I run into them in the wild. Won't be buying anything until 2023 anyway for the write-off for the duo!!
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Call me Scott Cole Clark Angel 2 Thin Line | Emerald X7 Custom Woody | IRIS DF in sinker mahogany Methos1979: (Almost) Every guitar-related review I've written on AGF! Scott & Donna Music |
#45
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But I'd still like to get my hands on one of those MS models. |