Build Thread: Jason Kostal Modified Dread AND OM

[Welshboy]

Originally Posted by Michael Watts

Those that have had a peek at Jason's wood stash will agree that anything found within is very high quality indeed...

And it may soon be time for me to have another rummage in it too...

saw some slab-sawn ziricote that took my fancy...

If it's the one in Steveh's photo, I've had my eye on that one too!

[Welshboy]

Should be a fantastic guitar, Steve.

[steveh]

Originally Posted by Welshboy

Should be a fantastic guitar, Steve.

Thanks Rich.

You never know. Yes, it should be a great guitar, and I'm sure it will be, but it's very different commissioning a guitar as opposed to playing one, deciding that its great, and parting with the cash. You never know until you've played it. It's a gamble I think. Getting a really great builder like Jason diminishes the chances of the guitar being disappointing, but it's still a gamble. This is wood we're talking about; it's inherently unpredictable. In many ways, in a perverse and masochistic sense, that's what's so exciting about the process! I'm sure you know what I'm talking about having commissioned guitars yourself.

Genuinely, I've had nightmares about opening the case, playing it, and it's just not right. Commissioning a guitar, as we all know, takes many many months, and the anticipation is excruciating.

To be fair, I've only been disappointed once and that was many many years ago (approx 28 IIRC), with an electric guitar, with a relatively inexperienced builder. He was a really nice guy but just hadn't been 'round the block enough times. Couple that with a buyer who is obsessive-compulsive (that's why we commission these things - we want them to be EXACTLY right), and the whole saga had an unhappy ending.

This one won't.

Cheers,
Steve

[Welshboy]

Originally Posted by steveh

Thanks Rich.

You never know. Yes, it should be a great guitar, and I'm sure it will be, but it's very different commissioning a guitar as opposed to playing one, deciding that its great, and parting with the cash. You never know until you've played it. It's a gamble I think. Getting a really great builder like Jason diminishes the chances of the guitar being disappointing, but it's still a gamble. This is wood we're talking about; it's inherently unpredictable. In many ways, in a perverse and masochistic sense, that's what's so exciting about the process! I'm sure you know what I'm talking about having commissioned guitars yourself.

Genuinely, I've had nightmares about opening the case, playing it, and it's just not right. Commissioning a guitar, as we all know, takes many many months, and the anticipation is excruciating.

To be fair, I've only been disappointed once and that was many many years ago (approx 28 IIRC), with an electric guitar, with a relatively inexperienced builder. He was a really nice guy but just hadn't been 'round the block enough times. Couple that with a buyer who is obsessive-compulsive (that's why we commission these things - we want them to be EXACTLY right), and the whole saga had an unhappy ending.

This one won't.

Cheers,
Steve

I know what you mean, Steve. It's always a little tense, opening the case and playing a custom guitar for the first time. I don't think I've ever been disappointed, but I have been underwhelmed. However, I've stuck with them and theyve always delivered, some more quickly than others.

This Mod D in ABW should be great. In general I think ABW is best suited to larger bodied guitars, something Jason feels quite strongly too, I think. I have a Baranik Meridian coming in ABW - also very exciting

[steveh]

Originally Posted by Welshboy

In general I think ABW is best suited to larger bodied guitars, something Jason feels quite strongly too, I think. I have a Baranik Meridian coming in ABW - also very exciting

Yes - That is exactly what Jason said to me when I was specc'ing the two guitars - He said that the MD would make the best use of ABW simply because it is larger, and to use something else for the OM.

Baranik Meridian - exciting! What's your ETA on that? Do you have a build thread here?

Cheers,
Steve

[Trevor M]

Hi Steve,

There is a two part article due in Acoustic Magazine, covering Richard's conversations with Mike Baranik to get to the spec (done) and then the build.

The build is due to start towards the end of the year. I am really looking forward to this.

[Welshboy]

Originally Posted by steveh

Yes - That is exactly what Jason said to me when I was specc'ing the two guitars - He said that the MD would make the best use of ABW simply because it is larger, and to use something else for the OM.

Baranik Meridian - exciting! What's your ETA on that? Do you have a build thread here?

Cheers,
Steve

Hi Steve

As Trevor says, I believe that there will be a build thread. I'm grateful to Mike for offering me some really good wood and accomodating a custom neck profile. I'm gradually thinning out my collection (I never intended to collect anyway!) and focussing on fewer guitars that are really special. Having said that, the temptation of Matsuda, Hamblin, Sheppard, Kostal, Sobell and others may well see me change my mind on that "never intended to collect" thing, though with a daughter heading for university in a couple of years' time there may be one or two constraints!

[steveh]

Originally Posted by Welshboy

Hi Steve
I'm gradually thinning out my collection (I never intended to collect anyway!) and focussing on fewer guitars that are really special.

Ha ha - Yes. Rather been there myself. I'm afraid it's like being an alcoholic - you just have to admit the truth to yourself!

For me the whole thing is rather "sinusoidal" - One year I think I'll get lots of guitars to ring the changes; the next I want to thin the herd. The next I want more guitars. And so it goes on.

To be fair, I had loads of electrics at one time and I have had 3 for several years and kept it at that.

At the moment I am definitely in "thin the herd" mode for my steel-strings. As you know, I had some pretty lovely guitars but, for whatever reason, I decided to thin it down to two guitars - an OM and a dread, and chose Jason to make those two. I am very, very interested in nylon strings these days so it makes no sense to have lots of steel-string guitars around. 80% of my playing is now nylon-string. I have no doubt that will change when this MD arrives - I already know the tunes I will be learning on it.

One of the problems is that guitars are rather lovely things, and a new one helps get the creative juices flowing again. Also, they are a lot cheaper than some other hobbies (cars for one!) and don't depreciate as much, so it's all too easy to justify another when you don't really "need" it: I bought a Forster and a Taran simply because they were being offered at prices that were just too tempting to resist. I still have the Taran (lovely guitar) and a pal of mine sold his Sobell to buy my Forster, and is now thinking what to get with the difference (probably a Bown OM although he came very, very close to getting a guitar off Jason as well).

The bottom line is that playing guitar is my no. 1 hobby by a long way. I try to play every day. For me, that easily justifies having some nice instruments. I am sure it is the same for you Richard, and for many on this Board. Chopping and changing them is part of the fun of that hobby.

Anyway. That's enough of Alcoholics Anonymous. I will be getting some more pics of Jason within the next few hours and will post an update.

Cheers,
Steve

[Welshboy]

Hi Steve

Yeah, my experience is sinusoidal too, though with a fairly long wavelength. Actually, different parts of my littel collection have different wavelengths, so maybe I should sort it out with some sort of Fourier analysis.....Ok, I think I've pushed that particlular metaphor beyond the limits of samity!

So are you parting with all your guitars - Sobell, Traugott, everything?!

I'm slowly building up to parting with more, but for now the Lowden is traumatic enough!

[jonnymosco]

If you weigh it up, it makes sense to offload a few 'good' guitars to buy a 'great' one.

A year ago I sold my Lowden O25, a Kohno and a handmade resonator (by an unknown maker) to fund my Kostal commission; my wife is very happy I've decluttered and that I've used guitars to fund a guitar. Sadly not 'one in - one out' though.

It's all Steve's fault for introducing me to Kostal guitars and inspiring me to order one, his enthusiasm is contagious. I'm really glad I've done everything I can to make owning one a reality, but I wouldn't go so far as selling my Sobell (it's really opening up now and starting to be an outstanding guitar... why would I sell it on and let someone else benefit from my 'playing in'?).

Looking forward to the new build pics Steve.

Jonny

[steveh]

Originally Posted by Welshboy

So are you parting with all your guitars - Sobell, Traugott, everything?!

In a word, "yes". The Sobell and Bown have gone. I still have the Traugott. I've recently felt uncomfortable having the Traugott because it's a painfully expensive guitar and I bought it when the economy was a long way from where it is now; my own circumstances have changed a lot.

However, it is overall the best acoustic I've heard. It has a unique (to me anyway) combination of power, warmth, clarity, separation, complexity, and responsiveness. I've never heard a guitar with quite such clarity and warmth combined together. It's the one that Tony McManus recorded on his "Maker's Mark" CD. He had 4 Traugotts at DG to chose from, and this was his pick. However, these days I would prefer something cheaper! This is especially the case because I am playing so much nylon string stuff these days.

Jason has promised to make me a guitar just as good, albeit different. I won't be moving the Traugott on until I am satisfied I can live with its replacement...We shall see.

Cheers,
Steve

[Welshboy]

Originally Posted by steveh

In a word, "yes". The Sobell and Bown have gone. I still have the Traugott. I've recently felt uncomfortable having the Traugott because it's a painfully expensive guitar and I bought it when the economy was a long way from where it is now; my own circumstances have changed a lot.

However, it is overall the best acoustic I've heard. It has a unique (to me anyway) combination of power, warmth, clarity, separation, complexity, and responsiveness. I've never heard a guitar with quite such clarity and warmth combined together. It's the one that Tony McManus recorded on his "Maker's Mark" CD. He had 4 Traugotts at DG to chose from, and this was his pick. However, these days I would prefer something cheaper! This is especially the case because I am playing so much nylon string stuff these days.

Jason has promised to make me a guitar just as good, albeit different. I won't be moving the Traugott on until I am satisfied I can live with its replacement...We shall see.

Cheers,
Steve

Traugott's are eye-wateringly expensive, but have an incredible reputation.

I alomost put my Sobell up for sale, but, in the end, I just couldn't part with it, even though the neck is a little wide for me. It sounds so good. Stefan loves this particular guitar, he still think it's one of his best NWs.

I never thought I'd part with my Lowden 25th Anniversary, but it's up for sale now. It's great, but I just think that there are other guitars that suit me better. Jason's OM really does seem to tick a lot of boxes for my ideal build, pretty much all of them, in fact.

I'd love a good nylon string gutiar, but I can't get on with the necks of classical guitars. Perhaps I could find someone to build me one with a narrower neck. So many guitars, so little time (and money!):

[Welshboy]

Originally Posted by jonnymosco

I wouldn't go so far as selling my Sobell (it's really opening up now and starting to be an outstanding guitar... why would I sell it on and let someone else benefit from my 'playing in'?).

Jonny

I feel the same about my Sobell too. A Kostal OM would make me even happier though!

[jonnymosco]

Originally Posted by Welshboy

A Kostal OM would make me even happier though!

What led you to order an OM and not a Mod-D (if you don't mind my asking)? Was it the size? Or more the sound. I've not had an opportunity to play one of Jason's OMs unfortunately.

It will be great to hear both of Steve's commissions back to back.

[Just to go off topic momentarily... The guitar world is a small one - Stefan spoke to me about the interview you were planning to do with him, a few years back. Did that ever happen?]

Jonny

[steveh]

Hi Guys - Latest pics coming:

After the back bracing is glued on the go-bar deck the entire back is cleaned with alcohol to prepare it for the shellac.

The back bracing is mahogany, hand chiselled (Japanese Tsai and two cherries chisels pictured) and the struts are rounded with finger planes (usually used by arch-top builders).





A single coat of 1/4lb cut shellac is sprayed (for consistency) onto the back:



The label and Wax seal are then applied:





Cheers,
Steve