A new Journey in Life, a new guitar, a new Kostal! Brazilian/German ??? - Page 9

ericcsong · #**121** 01-02-2014, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericcsong

I've been asked by a few via pm to try to write about the experience here. What did I think and how did the guitars compare, etc.....

I think the first time I played a Somogyi, I wanted to sell all that I had to try to attain one. After a few weeks of thinking I have to have this one guitar, and after many hours of thinking which guitars I had to let go of, my Ryan Cathedral was up for sale, along with a few others. We tend to have those WOW moments when we have to get rid of things to attain the new item (guitar in this case).

Now I have played a few Traugotts over the years, but when I played one of Jeff's newer builds, I had that WOW moment again. I wanted to sell a few guitars to attain that one guitar!

Whenever I have those WOW moments, I think to myself, man, does this guitar do everything well! When playing the newer Traugott, I was thinking to myself the same thing. This guitar can really do everything. And it really does sound and play better than most guitars I've had my hands on.

I called Jeff and had some good conversation with him and continued dreaming of one day owning a Traugott (and I still do believe I will own one some day). But then I restrung one of my favorite guitars and couldn't put it down! I thought to myself, that other holy grail certainly can do many things great, but this particular guitar in my hands can do those few things better! Then I played another guitar and that guitar could do a few things better.....

So coming to this place to play four world class guitars and a few others in the room, there wasn't as much WOW as the first time I played one of them. Why? Because they all do certain things so well.

My friend after playing his Traugotts picked up my Modified D and said, wow, this is definitely from the Somogyi camp (it had that haunting bass). Afterwards, he picked up the 00 and said I really like this one better! It was more focused, had fattier trebles, and more like his Traugotts. So it would make sense that since he had two Traugotts, he would like the one more similar to them.

To me, I love that bass! The Modified Dread has that haunting Somogyi bass that I crave so much and it has so much more. As stated earlier, Jason Kostal said his 00 is just a different guitar. Everything from the dome to the scale to the bridge placement to the break angle, just a different guitar. And a different guitar brings a different element to the mix. Good thing I have a smaller body Kostal coming soon!

So at the end of the day, be happy with what you have because each guitar brings something different to the table

This isn't saying don't seek other guitars because they might just do a particular thing a little bit better

gregc · #**122** 01-02-2014, 11:30 PM

You are one lucky dog, my friend! I'm enjoying your ride!

steveh · #**123** 01-05-2014, 05:19 AM

Yep - two very different builders but similar in that they ain't cheap, have long wait lists (especially Jason), and both build great guitars.

I've only played one Traugott but it was/is one of the most impressive guitars I've ever had in my hands, indeed probably the most impressive. Not much it couldn't do and balance, poise, clarity and complexity to die for. Very articulate. However, it doesn't do that huge, huge MD bottom-end, but then nothing else I've heard does - you have to have an MD for that and then there are compromises in other areas - these are BIG guitars which means they are a handful and the treble response perhaps suffers a touch in comparison to their smaller brethren.

In the end, I realised no one guitar can do it all and so shot for an MD and a smaller guitar. It's telling that when I asked Jason to build me a smaller guitar I handed him this and asked him to build me one that sounds the same:

Now, the truth is Jeff builds guitars that sound like Traugott's and Jason build guitars that sound like Kostals; I'm not really expecting the Kostal OM that I have coming (in 4 weeks; yippee!) to sound like a Traugott. They both inhabit the ultra-refined American guitar soundspace but, within that, bring different things to the table.

The only real downside to Jeff's guitars is the price of entry which is, as we all know, excruciating and, ultimately, the only reason why I decided to move mine.

Cheers,
Steve

Billy Boy · #**124** 01-10-2014, 02:58 PM

What a GREAT picture...a new Kostal MD in hand...and listening to Jason play a Traugott...though, whatever is in his hands will sound great...that boy can just flat out play...and I love the converses...congratulation on your upcoming new arrival...I'm looking forward to hearing some audio clips of your OM when you receive it...several of us who have Jason's MD are looking forward to our OM builds...great guitars from a great guy...

ericcsong · #**125** 03-05-2014, 09:31 AM

here is a video playing the Kostal 00 in this thread:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXV38DKsXhc

fountainhead · #**126** 03-05-2014, 05:06 PM

Amazing how stellar this guitar sounds in DADGAD!!!! Jason is such a talent!

steveh · #**127** 03-08-2014, 05:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fountainhead

Amazing how stellar this guitar sounds in DADGAD!!!! Jason is such a talent!

Yes - it sounds fabulous, no doubt helped considerably by Mr Young's talent for both playing and recording guitar.

...but, I still keep coming back to why not get an OM instead? The OO has to give ground to the OM when it comes to bottom end response - that's obvious - so what would you be gaining in treble response/fatness from the OO? I have to say, that might be very possible given what I can hear in the vid. I'd love to spend a few hours comparing this guitar with my Kostal OM to see what I'm losing on the swings vs. gaining on the roundabout.

My Kostal OM has mesmerised me from the second I picked it up - it seems to me to have the very best combination of all sonic attributes, and I guess that's predictable - it's neither too big nor too small.

Such wonderful choices; Jason is a very, very talented builder.

Cheers,
Steve

cogito · #**128** 03-09-2014, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveh

Yes - it sounds fabulous, no doubt helped considerably by Mr Young's talent for both playing and recording guitar.

...but, I still keep coming back to why not get an OM instead? The OO has to give ground to the OM when it comes to bottom end response - that's obvious - so what would you be gaining in treble response/fatness from the OO? I have to say, that might be very possible given what I can hear in the vid. I'd love to spend a few hours comparing this guitar with my Kostal OM to see what I'm losing on the swings vs. gaining on the roundabout.

My Kostal OM has mesmerised me from the second I picked it up - it seems to me to have the very best combination of all sonic attributes, and I guess that's predictable - it's neither too big nor too small.

Such wonderful choices; Jason is a very, very talented builder.

Cheers,
Steve

All of the Kostals (OO, OM, and MD) I've heard recorded sound extraordinary to me. Your point about the OM providing a kind of golden mean between the others is well taken. But there may be some legitimate reasons for going a different route. Some might go for the OO because they find the smaller body and shorter scale more comfortable. Or some might just be looking for diversification if they already have one or more exceptional OM size guitars. The latter would be my excuse, though given the particulars of my tastes and technique (and having heard the depths of the MD) I am most intrigued by the seemingly elusive but no doubt epic Kostal Jumbo.

JJI · #**129** 03-09-2015, 11:58 PM

this is a wonderful thread.

ericcsong · #**130** 05-19-2015, 12:33 PM

This guitar has been delayed for quite some time, but good news is that it IS coming this year

Marcus Wong · #**131** 05-19-2015, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericcsong

This guitar has been delayed for quite some time, but good news is that it IS coming this year

You're kidding.....that braz is just ridiculous. And I can just imagine Jason's aesthetics complimenting that straight grain so perfectly.

Rainbow · #**132** 05-19-2015, 07:22 PM

You need a new thread to start the whole build rumbling again Eric....

Any story to go with this wonderful build?

steveh · #**133** 05-20-2015, 10:55 AM

Hey, great to see this is underway Eric. Lazarus lives!

Is that really BRW - looks so straight and quartered it just HAS to build a fabulous sounding guitar.

I see the OM won out over the OO. I'm hoping to get my hands on one of Jason's OO models in the next week or so so I can hear what the fuss is about first hand.

Cheers,
Steve

rgregg48 · #**134** 05-20-2015, 02:42 PM

Face facts Eric, it will never end,, you will commissioning
Guitars forever..
Nothing wrong with that..
Rick

Rainbow · #**135** 05-20-2015, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveh

Hey, great to see this is underway Eric. Lazarus lives!

Is that really BRW - looks so straight and quartered it just HAS to build a fabulous sounding guitar.

I see the OM won out over the OO. I'm hoping to get my hands on one of Jason's OO models in the next week or so so I can hear what the fuss is about first hand.

Cheers,
Steve

Steve , could u do a detailed review of the 00 once u lay your hands on it?