Healdsburg find #3 - Aaron Andrews 'Eclipse'

J.R. Rogers · #1 08-30-2009, 05:28 PM

Then the first note sounds
A spring of cold clear water
Gushes forth, a river

Sitka spruce. Partridgewood body. Oval soundhole. Cast Bronze Tailpiece.

Luthier Aaron Andrews created this beautiful and unique instrument to showcase his work at the 2009 Healdsburg guitar show. This guitar is the Eclipse model and the first in a series from this young Seattle-based luthier. Aaron Andrews is creating these beautiful guitars one at a time, by hand in his shop. This particular acoustic guitar features a hand-carved sitka spruce arched top and oval soundhole, atop a Partridgewood body with mahogany neck. The tailpiece is made of bronze. Looking inside, one might notice how Aaron has braced the back of the guitar with x-bracing similar to the top. According to Aaron, much work went into the voicing of this guitar. A quick strum and you realize you're playing something special. This guitar has a very unique tonal character and natural resonance and reverb from the body. Individual notes are clear and bell-like, making this a great fingerstyle guitar. Strummed, the guitar can take a hard pick attack and compress nicely without thinning out or overdriving. But the real magic is when you back off and let the individual notes of a chord ring true. Words seem inadequate to describe the sound of this guitar. There was some kind of magic dust sprinkled into this instrument while it was being built. I'm sure of it.

JR

D. Churchland · #2 08-30-2009, 06:18 PM

Now that's the kind of look i really like! very clean and very cool JR!

Backpocketnj · #3 08-30-2009, 06:41 PM

I like the designed of the headstock. Simple, yet very tasteful to me.

J.R. Rogers · #4 08-30-2009, 06:46 PM

Thanks! One of the coolest thing visually about this guitar is the arched top. ...But that's proven fairly difficult to capture with a camera. I'll keep trying.

JR

mmmaak · #5 08-30-2009, 06:55 PM

Marvellous!!

But, what happens when the wood "saddle" starts to wear? Will the entire bridge have to be replaced?

Bob1131 · #6 08-30-2009, 07:08 PM

Now THAT is a beautiful guitar!!! I love the simple elegance of it. I'll bet it sounds great! It appears that Andrews has employed some classic design elements of violins and cellos, which makes sense to me; if it works for other stringed instruments, why not guitars? I wonder why we don't see more acoustic guitars with those elements?

J.R. Rogers · #7 08-30-2009, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob1131

Now THAT is a beautiful guitar!!! I love the simple elegance of it. I'll bet it sounds great! It appears that Andrews has employed some classic design elements of violins and cellos, which makes sense to me; if it works for other stringed instruments, why not guitars? I wonder why we don't see more acoustic guitars with those elements?

I agree... Here's another guitar that he had at the show:

JR

J.R. Rogers · #8 08-30-2009, 07:55 PM

And this one....

This guitar went with one of our sponsors to the UK - Acoustic Music Co UK. See this post.

JR

riorider · #9 08-30-2009, 08:09 PM

Now that's a stunner! Actually, of course, all three. But that last with the wood tailpiece -- almost "Dali-like" the way it pours over the top to the side!

Some interesting work. Is the bridge free-standing like any of the violin family? Or glued down - I would expect. I guess a bone or other saddle could be inset in that bridge.

Thanks for sharing these pics, JR. I was at HGF but had to focus on just a few or I got overwhelmed!!

rr/Phil

blue-wily-fox · #10 08-30-2009, 08:12 PM

J.R....I met you at the John How booth......I know you got that JH, but I didn't know you got an AA also!!!???? I must say, you have great taste. I was also VERY impressed with Aaron's work and the unique sounds he was eeking out of his instruments......just beautiful.....DUUUUDE.....that is a GREAT guitar....congratulations...

nodehopper · #11 08-30-2009, 08:43 PM

JR....are we twin sons of different mothers??

I left Healdsburg and I would have rated my top two builders as John How and Aaron Andrews. They both made instruments with superb tone that were equal parts solid tradition and modern sensibilities.

I bought the How, but those arch tops of Aarons ....WOW....and you got one of each .....you dog you !!!

theotigno · #12 08-30-2009, 11:50 PM

Wow! Congrats on the gorgeous guitar!

surfoxy · #13 08-31-2009, 12:47 AM

Awesome! I thought Aaron had some of the most beautiful guitars at the show.

mmmaak · #14 08-31-2009, 01:11 AM

So, can anyone fill me in on the "saddle" wear issue I asked about earlier?

Michael Watts · #15 08-31-2009, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.R. Rogers

And this one....

This guitar went with one of our sponsors to the UK - Acoustic Music Co UK. See this post.

JR

Yes indeed, Trevor couldn't resist and who can blame him??!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmmaak

So, can anyone fill me in on the "saddle" wear issue I asked about earlier?

I don't see any reason to worry about that. We also specialise in single luthier/small workshop mandolins and have yet to see tailpieces with exceptional wear, even in 100 year old Gibsons.