The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #16  
Old 05-11-2020, 08:47 AM
islandguitar's Avatar
islandguitar islandguitar is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 6,283
Default

Peter, this should be an amazing and fun experience for you...congrats!

I've done one such build (Doerr) and the collaboration and connections along with learning a whole lot were just wonderful, not to mention the guitar.

Just as an aside, Walnut often gets pared with Redwood here in the US (and elsewhere?) and is known as a killer combination. I think the basics are what your builder has for experience and reaction to this.......and, that there is "redwood" and then there is REDWOOD. A wide variety, but the best redwoods, with great build properties and some of the signature redwoods (Tunnel 13, 14, LS) bring a lot to the table and stand on their own for superior sound qualities.
Just a thought! Will be sure to follow your build!
Fred
__________________
1993 Bourgeois JOM
1967 Martin D12-20
2007 Vines Artisan
2014 Doerr Legacy
2013 Bamburg FSC-
2002 Flammang 000 12 fret
2000 McCollum Grand Auditorium



______________________________
Soundcloud
Spotify
Mike McKee/Fred Bartlett Spotify playlist
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 05-11-2020, 09:23 AM
Wrighty Wrighty is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Itchen Stoke, UK
Posts: 2,136
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by SprintBob View Post
I think that’s a good call on the GA. I had a cedar/EIR Taylor GS a few years ago that I fell in love with the tone but it was just too big to get comfortable playing it. I sold it and recently bought a used SCGC OM/PW in cedar/EIR. It’s a wonderful guitar for fingerstyle with a mellow but rich tone. It’s a nice contrast to my Adi topped guitars. I enjoy having tonewood diversity in my collection especially from luthiers who know how to “work the woods”. When working on a song, I usually have two out on the stands next to me and it makes the playing session more enjoyable swapping back and forth and enjoying the personality each guitar brings out.


I am very similar - I always have at least two guitars out and will often swap between them when working on a piece to see which grabs me. I think a cedar/RW is a nice mix to have for fingerstyle.
__________________
Burguet AC-007 (2003 - Cedar/Rosewood)
Webber OM (2009 - Sitka/Sapele)


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8A...2TVEhWes2Djrig
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 05-11-2020, 09:25 AM
Wrighty Wrighty is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Itchen Stoke, UK
Posts: 2,136
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by islandguitar View Post
Peter, this should be an amazing and fun experience for you...congrats!



I've done one such build (Doerr) and the collaboration and connections along with learning a whole lot were just wonderful, not to mention the guitar.



Just as an aside, Walnut often gets pared with Redwood here in the US (and elsewhere?) and is known as a killer combination. I think the basics are what your builder has for experience and reaction to this.......and, that there is "redwood" and then there is REDWOOD. A wide variety, but the best redwoods, with great build properties and some of the signature redwoods (Tunnel 13, 14, LS) bring a lot to the table and stand on their own for superior sound qualities.

Just a thought! Will be sure to follow your build!

Fred


Thanks Fred - it’s a lot of fun but also a lot of responsibility to get it right!

I have never played redwood - it’s a £400 upgrade for this build but I will certainly consider it.
__________________
Burguet AC-007 (2003 - Cedar/Rosewood)
Webber OM (2009 - Sitka/Sapele)


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8A...2TVEhWes2Djrig
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 05-24-2020, 04:45 AM
Michael Watts Michael Watts is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London UK
Posts: 2,984
Default

Chiming in to say congrats on the build!

I have just spent a happy few days for a McNally OM in Walnut and Adi that I am reviewing for the Guitar Magazine and can say that he obviously knows what he's doing with spruce (which would be my choice anyway) and the upgrade for Euro might make sense to you if that's the sound you're looking for.

All the best

Michael
__________________
www.michaelwattsguitar.com
Album Recording Diary
Skype Lessons
Luthier Stories
YouTube
iTunes
Instagram

Guitars by Jason Kostal, Strings by Elixir, Gefell Mics and a nail buffer.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 05-24-2020, 05:26 AM
Malcolm Kindnes Malcolm Kindnes is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Ireland
Posts: 1,963
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wrighty View Post
Thanks Fred - it’s a lot of fun but also a lot of responsibility to get it right!

I have never played redwood - it’s a £400 upgrade for this build but I will certainly consider it.
I think "redwood" is a big risk unless you can play it first, go with the European spruce. Sorry to be blunt, but I have never played a redwood guitar that I liked.
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 05-24-2020, 02:28 PM
Wrighty Wrighty is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Itchen Stoke, UK
Posts: 2,136
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Watts View Post
Chiming in to say congrats on the build!



I have just spent a happy few days for a McNally OM in Walnut and Adi that I am reviewing for the Guitar Magazine and can say that he obviously knows what he's doing with spruce (which would be my choice anyway) and the upgrade for Euro might make sense to you if that's the sound you're looking for.



All the best



Michael


Thanks Michael, I did see you were doing that review and look forward to seeing / hearing it.

Did you feel that the guitar was “Irish” sounding and if not how would you describe the tone?
__________________
Burguet AC-007 (2003 - Cedar/Rosewood)
Webber OM (2009 - Sitka/Sapele)


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8A...2TVEhWes2Djrig
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 05-25-2020, 09:01 AM
Michael Watts Michael Watts is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London UK
Posts: 2,984
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wrighty View Post

Did you feel that the guitar was “Irish” sounding and if not how would you describe the tone?
Well it doesn't sound like a Lowden or a McIlroy. There's more of an American voice in there to smooth things over. I won't go into too much detail until the review s published of course...
__________________
www.michaelwattsguitar.com
Album Recording Diary
Skype Lessons
Luthier Stories
YouTube
iTunes
Instagram

Guitars by Jason Kostal, Strings by Elixir, Gefell Mics and a nail buffer.
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 05-26-2020, 05:55 AM
Wrighty Wrighty is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Itchen Stoke, UK
Posts: 2,136
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Watts View Post
Well it doesn't sound like a Lowden or a McIlroy. There's more of an American voice in there to smooth things over. I won't go into too much detail until the review s published of course...


Thanks Michael - I will look forward to reading it when it’s out.
__________________
Burguet AC-007 (2003 - Cedar/Rosewood)
Webber OM (2009 - Sitka/Sapele)


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8A...2TVEhWes2Djrig
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 05-26-2020, 07:25 AM
Dustinfurlow Dustinfurlow is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 2,719
Default

I try to refrain from offering opinions/suggestions on tonewood choices these days (we all have different ears and hands) but I can highly recommend the Euro/Walnut combo if fingerstyle and general versatility is your thing. I also use nails and use a good many tunings, so maybe(hopefully) some half-decent advice to follow....I love the resonant, singing treble you get from high-quality Italian/Swiss/German spruce and the Walnut tends to have great, clear string-separation with full mids for fingerstyle. I think of walnut as mahogany but smells and looks nicer (imo) It doesn't have the abysmal bass and upper-end shimmer of rosewood but I personally think that is a good thing for busier fingerstyle arrangements and especially in front of microphones or for vocal accompaniment.

I received an Alpine/Black Walnut Beneteau Jumbo in July of 2018 and it just keeps getting better and better...I will echo the comment that the Euro spruce starts off just a *tiny* bit tight (which any good spruce guitar will, unless its braced so lightly it may have issues later in it's life) but after just a month it's bass and mids started to blossom and now almost two years later it is a force to be reckoned with.

I have owned quite a few cedar and euro-topped guitars (being an avid fingerstyle player) and I'm personally more comfortable with the versatility of spruce when commissioning these days. If you dial in the setup, string choice, and learn how it behaves you will be really happy with the Euro/Walnut combo I think. The Euro gives you the cutting treble of rosewood but the walnut keeps the mids balanced and sweet like a cedar guitar, just without the extra overtones and
less headroom associated with it.

I have yet to enjoy the privilege of playing a McNally so I can't say if any of these comments have any merit, just my own experience with the woods in retrospect of a good many nice ones I've played.
__________________
Dustin Furlow

-Award-winning songwriter/guitarist, Visual storyteller
-D’Addario, G7th and K&K Sound Artist
-Music on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube: www.youtube.com/dustinfurlow
-New album "Serene" (Oct '23) and tablature
available at www.dustinfurlow.com
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 05-26-2020, 09:04 AM
Wrighty Wrighty is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Itchen Stoke, UK
Posts: 2,136
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dustinfurlow View Post
I try to refrain from offering opinions/suggestions on tonewood choices these days (we all have different ears and hands) but I can highly recommend the Euro/Walnut combo if fingerstyle and general versatility is your thing. I also use nails and use a good many tunings, so maybe(hopefully) some half-decent advice to follow....I love the resonant, singing treble you get from high-quality Italian/Swiss/German spruce and the Walnut tends to have great, clear string-separation with full mids for fingerstyle. I think of walnut as mahogany but smells and looks nicer (imo) It doesn't have the abysmal bass and upper-end shimmer of rosewood but I personally think that is a good thing for busier fingerstyle arrangements and especially in front of microphones or for vocal accompaniment.

I received an Alpine/Black Walnut Beneteau Jumbo in July of 2018 and it just keeps getting better and better...I will echo the comment that the Euro spruce starts off just a *tiny* bit tight (which any good spruce guitar will, unless its braced so lightly it may have issues later in it's life) but after just a month it's bass and mids started to blossom and now almost two years later it is a force to be reckoned with.

I have owned quite a few cedar and euro-topped guitars (being an avid fingerstyle player) and I'm personally more comfortable with the versatility of spruce when commissioning these days. If you dial in the setup, string choice, and learn how it behaves you will be really happy with the Euro/Walnut combo I think. The Euro gives you the cutting treble of rosewood but the walnut keeps the mids balanced and sweet like a cedar guitar, just without the extra overtones and
less headroom associated with it.

I have yet to enjoy the privilege of playing a McNally so I can't say if any of these comments have any merit, just my own experience with the woods in retrospect of a good many nice ones I've played.


Thanks very much for the input Dustin - very much in line with my thinking so far so really helpful.

I don’t think I realised until recently just what it is about my spruce/RW OM that doesn’t quite gel - but it’s the lack of clarity in the lower registers, it just gets a bit muddy sometimes. I do however love it’s sweet trebles.
__________________
Burguet AC-007 (2003 - Cedar/Rosewood)
Webber OM (2009 - Sitka/Sapele)


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8A...2TVEhWes2Djrig
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 05-26-2020, 10:02 AM
Dustinfurlow Dustinfurlow is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 2,719
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wrighty View Post
Thanks very much for the input Dustin - very much in line with my thinking so far so really helpful.

I don’t think I realised until recently just what it is about my spruce/RW OM that doesn’t quite gel - but it’s the lack of clarity in the lower registers, it just gets a bit muddy sometimes. I do however love it’s sweet trebles.
Yes, I for the longest time thought that to get a great sounding treble you needed to have a rosewood back guitar but have found the top plays an equal part. Good quality Swiss and Italian always seem to knock melodies out of the park for me. I'm excited to see your McNally come together, been following his work for awhile.
__________________
Dustin Furlow

-Award-winning songwriter/guitarist, Visual storyteller
-D’Addario, G7th and K&K Sound Artist
-Music on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube: www.youtube.com/dustinfurlow
-New album "Serene" (Oct '23) and tablature
available at www.dustinfurlow.com
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 05-26-2020, 12:05 PM
mikealpine's Avatar
mikealpine mikealpine is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 6,107
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wrighty View Post
Thanks Fred - it’s a lot of fun but also a lot of responsibility to get it right!

I have never played redwood - it’s a £400 upgrade for this build but I will certainly consider it.
If I were to buy a Furch, it would be the G23. And probably cedar-topped. I played one that was really special and almost bought it, but was on a mission for something else at the time.

Redwood was my first thought, too. Obviously you have to check with your builder, but Redwood/Walnut should be lovely; warm, yet clear and with headroom. I'm also a fan of bevels to make a larger guitar feel more comfortable. They might push the budget too far, but it's an option. Good luck!
__________________
---------------------------------------

2013 Joel Stehr Dreadnought - Carpathian/Malaysian BW
2014 RainSong H-OM1000N2
2017 Rainsong BI-WS1000N2
2013 Chris Ensor Concert - Port Orford Cedar/Wenge
1980ish Takamine EF363 complete with irreplaceable memories
A bunch of electrics (too many!!)
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 05-26-2020, 01:38 PM
Wrighty Wrighty is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Itchen Stoke, UK
Posts: 2,136
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mikealpine View Post
If I were to buy a Furch, it would be the G23. And probably cedar-topped. I played one that was really special and almost bought it, but was on a mission for something else at the time.



Redwood was my first thought, too. Obviously you have to check with your builder, but Redwood/Walnut should be lovely; warm, yet clear and with headroom. I'm also a fan of bevels to make a larger guitar feel more comfortable. They might push the budget too far, but it's an option. Good luck!


Thanks Mike - I love my Furch G23 and have come to appreciate that it is definitely their sweet spot.

I am going to have to think these wood choices through carefully, but I have some time to do so while I scrape together the pennies..
__________________
Burguet AC-007 (2003 - Cedar/Rosewood)
Webber OM (2009 - Sitka/Sapele)


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8A...2TVEhWes2Djrig
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 05-26-2020, 02:28 PM
TBman's Avatar
TBman TBman is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 35,828
Default

Peter, this is great. I'm looking forward to your updates on your wood selections and the build process. Congrats!
__________________
Barry

Sad Moments {Marianne Vedral cover}:


My SoundCloud page

Some steel strings, some nylon.
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 05-26-2020, 03:30 PM
Wrighty Wrighty is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Itchen Stoke, UK
Posts: 2,136
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TBman View Post
Peter, this is great. I'm looking forward to your updates on your wood selections and the build process. Congrats!


Thanks Barry - but I am not quite there yet..

Funds would require some sales to be made and those are not easy decisions..
__________________
Burguet AC-007 (2003 - Cedar/Rosewood)
Webber OM (2009 - Sitka/Sapele)


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8A...2TVEhWes2Djrig
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:55 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=