New Howard Klepper Advanced Jumbo in black walnut build project - Page 8

Glennwillow · #**106** 01-30-2011, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Well, we'll see. When it comes to recording, my perfectionist tendencies move right up to the front, and it's quite literally painful for me to put out anything that I consider second rate and make it public.

So no promises there. Maybe Howard has a good local player or two in the Santa Rosa area who can play a demo or two for the camera before he ships the guitar up to me here.

whm

Hi Wade,

Yes, I know how that happens when that red light comes on.

Still, this has been such an interesting and fascinating thread and Howard has been so generous with his time and photos that I'm sure many of us are quite anxious to hear this guitar played in it's finished form.

Howard's comments about the tap sounds are certainly encouraging, but his point that this is not yet a finished guitar is well taken, too.

You have to be pretty antsy to get your hands on this finished instrument. I bet it will be fantastic!

- Glenn

Wade Hampton · #**107** 01-31-2011, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

Hi Wade,

Yes, I know how that happens when that red light comes on.

Well, it's not the "deer in the headlights" anxiety attack that lots of perfectly good musicians experience when recording - I know how to take that studio anxiousness and turn it around and use it as a source of performance energy.

But in my case it's a matter of not wanting to spend the time and money on a high grade recording, particularly when there's absolutely no control on how it will be listened to on various computers. I'm not afraid of recording, but I'm not casual about it, either - to me it's a serious art all its own.

I've already told Howard to hang onto the guitar until the weather up here warms up enough to safely ship it. So between finishing the instrument and boxing it up and shipping it, he'll have some time to take it around and show it to some friends in the business. Howard's also got some fine local players there in his area with good recording setups that he can take the guitar to get a few samples recorded.

Not only am I cool with that arrangement, I suggested it. So eventually there will be soundclips of that guitar being played, but chances are that they just won't happen to be me playing it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

Still, this has been such an interesting and fascinating thread and Howard has been so generous with his time and photos that I'm sure many of us are quite anxious to hear this guitar played in it's finished form.

Howard's comments about the tap sounds are certainly encouraging, but his point that this is not yet a finished guitar is well taken, too.

You have to be pretty antsy to get your hands on this finished instrument. I bet it will be fantastic!

- Glenn

Well, of COURSE I'm eager to get my hands on it. But this is not my first time ordering a custom instrument, so I know that dealing with the wait is just part of the deal!

Thanks for your interest.

Wade Hampton Miller

Howard Klepper · #**108** 02-02-2011, 03:14 PM

I've sunburst the top, and shaded the neck. Gibson often did a kind of "half burst" on just the lower part of the neck. I decided to emulate that.

It's very hard to photograph a sunburst. The color varies in every light, and the camera often picks it up differently from the eye. There also is a problem with specular glare; probably a polaroid filter would help, but I don't have one for this camera. The colors here are fairly accurate; I picked up some reflections of stuff on the bench, though.

The photo of the neck is accurate except it looks more purple at the bottom than the guitar--because it is reflecting blue from the sky.

Rod True · #**109** 02-02-2011, 04:00 PM

Oh my! That is really looking nice Howard!

jperryrocks · #**110** 02-02-2011, 07:04 PM

I'm really diggin the 'burst. That light to medium brown looks great.

Rollie · #**111** 02-04-2011, 04:33 PM

Nice burst ..Howard..You do got some skills goin on ...

Wade Hampton · #**112** 02-04-2011, 09:04 PM

It's difficult to watch the progress on this guitar knowing full well that more time will pass before I get my chance to get my hands on it!

This is the first time I've had a guitar built in full view of the world, so to speak, watching this build thread as the work progresses. And I've got to say that it's a mixed blessing - I'm jazzed by the photos and the discussion that they generate, but it also keeps me on tenterhooks regarding the whole project.

But it's an okay trade-off, to say the very least. It's just much more to the forefront of my consciousness than most custom instruments that I've ordered prior to this.

NIce sunburst, Howard.

Wade

GuitarFundi · #**113** 02-04-2011, 09:10 PM

I agree, put her together and lets hear her NOW!

Wade I hope your practicing because we are gonna expect alot, LOL ;-)

Wade Hampton · #**114** 02-04-2011, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuitarFundi

Wade I hope your practicing because we are gonna expect alot, LOL ;-)

Uh oh - and you're from Texas, so you're probably prepared to pull out your sixguns and start firing towards my feet to make me dance if I don't meet your musical expectations!

Simmer down, hoss, simmer down...

Actually, I'm sure I'll be playing all sorts of emphatic chord progressions and flat-out flatpicked hillbilly melodies on the guitar once I get my mitts on it. It's not going to die of boredom or loneliness, that's a promise.

What's really going to be fun is playing it up against my rosewood Gibson Advanced Jumbo, my rosewood 000-42 and my black walnut Larrivée OM-03W. I really like the tonal contrast that walnut offers when played side by side with similar rosewood instruments. Black walnut is such a terrific tonewood I'm surprised more people haven't gotten hip to it yet, frankly.

whm

Scholar · #**115** 02-05-2011, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

. . .

What's really going to be fun is playing it up against my rosewood Gibson Advanced Jumbo, my rosewood 000-42 and my black walnut Larrivée OM-03W. I really like the tonal contrast that walnut offers when played side by side with similar rosewood instruments. Black walnut is such a terrific tonewood I'm surprised more people haven't gotten hip to it yet, frankly.

whm

If what I've heard about Howard's guitars is even halfway to being true, it ain't gonna be much of a contest when your new black walnut beauty goes up against those other fine geetars...

Wade Hampton · #**116** 02-05-2011, 11:27 AM

Well, it's not about anything being a "contest," it'll just be a comparison. The guitars I mentioned are all superb instruments. My 000-42 is a handbuilt, custom made for me by Scott Baxendale, but the other two I mentioned are also absolutely topnotch instruments, even though they got built in factories.

Sometimes the stars align properly and the assembly lines produce extraordinary-sounding guitars, and these two qualify as that.

In any event, yes, I expect that this Klepper KJ will be a very, very fine guitar.

whm

Cornerstone Guitars · #**117** 02-05-2011, 12:21 PM

Coming along real nice Howard!

GuitarFundi · #**118** 02-05-2011, 02:02 PM

Don't worry Wade I shoot better than I play your feet will be safe

In all seriousness if I had such a nice guitar it would only sound great when I had guests over to play it great

Kitchen Guitars · #**119** 02-06-2011, 06:40 AM

Man, Howard. She's looking beautiful.

Bruce Sexauer · #**120** 02-07-2011, 10:54 AM

I returned yesterday from my trip to New Zealand on which I hand delivered my latest Arch-Top guitar (Raves!) and received the most incredible hospitality. Looks like a visit to Howard's workshop might be in order soon. I am just going into finish on my latest two pieces and it will be easy to tear out the time this week. This AJish is looking great and I doubt it will be a struggle to find something nice to say about it.