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Old 01-07-2023, 09:47 AM
gitarro gitarro is offline
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Default Surprised by the Claxton Malabar

First, a little history...

I have been commissioning and buying and selling guitars for a long time and have gone through quite a few guitars. Fairly early on, I got my hands on a jumbo that was made by a luthier many enthusiasts consider to be probably or at least among the very best in the world. This.guitar influenced me significantly in what I considered to be a world class guitar. What I can remember from it to this day was the best and most profound bass I have ever heard. But it also imprinted a bias towards rosewood and spruce - especially brazilian rosewood and adirondack spruce. As well because of it, I believed that a small guitar could never give the fullness of tonality and sound that were needed.

This understanding was reinforced by many more guitars that I played or owned since then - many of them made by some of the most respected luthiers in the world. A good guitar was at least OM in size and always made of spruce and rosewood, preferably brazilian rosewood.

Turn the clock quite a few years and by now I had tried the guitars of almost all the luthiers whose work I was intrigued by. But there was one luthier whose work I had not played yet - Ed Claxton. I had always heard good things about his work and no one ever had a negative thing to say about him or of the tone of any of his guitars as far as I came across. But it was not easy for me to come across one of his guitars as they were not very frequently on the market and not often at a time when I was able to afford one, or it woukdbe sold beforehand or somethint would occur that would frustrate my chance to try one.

I finally got my hands on a euro spruce and euro maple malabar. I now have a new reference standard for the best guitar i have ever played. Furthermore, it overturns all my guitar prejudices and assumptions. Despite not being made of rosewood, it seems to have the reverb and richness of rosewood. It has among the greatest bloom of any guitar I have ever played. Despite being smaller than an OM and being 12 fret, it has power and volume and fullness of sound. It has directness and a level of instant responsiveness that would be absent from a rosewood guitar. It has the best treble and mid of any guitar I have possibly ever played - suppleness, fatness of fundamental, clarity, warmth, an almost human quality and sorority of timbre. Spmething about its tonality made songs played on it sound nicer to my ear. Despite its size, it has nothing lacking in its bass at all - true, it is not as big as that jumbo so many years ago but at the same time it is not out of proportion with the rest of the tone - now I understand what perfect balance means. The bass is satisfying, deep, totally debunking my prejudices that non rosewood guitars could never deliver a great bass to my ears. Best of all, there is a sense like I am coming home about it that makes it my favourite guitar of all the guitars I have ever tried.

In short, this malabar is as close as it gets to a perfect guitar that I have ever encountered! I never thought I would say this of a small Maple guitar, of all things...
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Last edited by gitarro; 01-07-2023 at 09:57 AM.
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Old 01-07-2023, 09:59 AM
Jimmy Caldwell Jimmy Caldwell is offline
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I first met Ed in 2003 and was immediately impressed by his work. He is a master craftsman and one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. Craftsmanship without equal and sound to match. Congratulations on your guitar, you won’t find a better one.
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Old 01-07-2023, 10:24 AM
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I have never played a Claxton, but I am glad to see your post, not because he needs much publicity as his reputation is well established, but because you have such high praise for a maple guitar.

I am tired of hearing the same old stuff about maple being too bright and can't produce a great guitar. I have played many maple guitars that were incredible and own one that is one of my most enjoyable guitars to play and would never sell (S. Kinnaird OM). Michael Watts' main guitar is a Kostal ModD made from maple.

So congrats on your great find and a wonderful guitar as well as helping to destroy the ignorant stereotype that maple guitars still seem to hold and contributing such positive reviews both for Ed and maple guitars.
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Old 01-07-2023, 10:51 AM
gitarro gitarro is offline
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Originally Posted by TomB'sox View Post
I have never played a Claxton, but I am glad to see your post, not because he needs much publicity as his reputation is well established, but because you have such high praise for a maple guitar.

I am tired of hearing the same old stuff about maple being too bright and can't produce a great guitar. I have played many maple guitars that were incredible and own one that is one of my most enjoyable guitars to play and would never sell (S. Kinnaird OM). Michael Watts' main guitar is a Kostal ModD made from maple.

So congrats on your great find and a wonderful guitar as well as helping to destroy the ignorant stereotype that maple guitars still seem to hold and contributing such positive reviews both for Ed and maple guitars.
Thank you for your comment. I don't know if my findings apply to all maple guitars and I suspect a huge part of the tone of this guitar is due to Ed Claxton. I have played a much bigger guitsr made of spruce and maple by one of the most foremost luthiers of this age and it is no match for this small malabar tone wise. It is also an important difference that this malabar is made of euro maple which I understand is very different from American maple and which is acrually a sycamore. With tbat caveat in mjnd i fully agree it is not correct to rely on steroetypes and generalistions - any guitar made of any tonewood can be incredible if it is made well.
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Old 01-07-2023, 11:28 AM
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Guitars44me Guitars44me is offline
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Smile Hand built….by a master

Plus one on maple, when done RIGHT

My JK custom is fabulous sounding, and beautiful as well. I believe firmly in 12 frets to the body for TONE

Nice that we can change our minds in our dotage! Hahahaha

Play it in fine health and spirits

Paul
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Old 01-07-2023, 11:35 AM
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Default Not surprised by your Malabar...

First off, congratulations on your find, gitarro!

Second, dude, where are the pics????

I've extolled the charms of my Claxton OM many times on this forum. Since I bought it nearly four years ago, I have had the opportunity to play quite a few guitars owned by friends that were built by some of the world's very best luthiers (Traugott, Kostal, Sands, Baranik, De Jonge, Ryan, Circa, Bown, etc.). In all this time, I have never felt even the slightest tinge of guitar envy, despite the fact that some of those guitars cost many thousands more than what I paid for my Claxton.

Gitarro's description of what sets his Malabar apart from all the rest echoes Janne Suominen's impressions of his own maple Malabar and reflects my experience with my OM. Steve H, another guitar connoisseur and fortunate owner of a Claxton OM, said it best: "It's just right in every single area without bragging about itself."

Each of the guitars in my signature has its own special brand of excellence, but if I had to choose only one, the Claxton would be it, hands down.
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Last edited by Deft Tungsman; 08-27-2023 at 03:06 PM.
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Old 01-07-2023, 12:30 PM
Richard Mott Richard Mott is offline
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Ed is a genuinely wonderful guy who builds perfectly constructed instruments. Craftsmanship is second to none (his rosettes!), with a wonderful, balanced tone and no hand waving. They’re kind of a Zen instrument: Ed’s design and build philosophies don’t chase the latest fashion or exalt the past, they just dial in a beautiful appearance and tremendously versatile sound. I inherited one of his Euro maple guitars and can vouch for all that is said here.
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Old 01-07-2023, 03:13 PM
SuperB23 SuperB23 is online now
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I've really enjoyed the 4 or 5 Claxton guitars I've played as well. Ed builds fine instruments!
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Old 01-08-2023, 02:40 AM
gitarro gitarro is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Caldwell View Post
I first met Ed in 2003 and was immediately impressed by his work. He is a master craftsman and one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. Craftsmanship without equal and sound to match. Congratulations on your guitar, you won’t find a better one.

Claxton's design aesthetic on this malabar is tasteful and elegantl and his wokrmanship is indeed first class in fit and finish.
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Old 01-08-2023, 02:42 AM
gitarro gitarro is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Guitars44me View Post
Plus one on maple, when done RIGHT

My JK custom is fabulous sounding, and beautiful as well. I believe firmly in 12 frets to the body for TONE

Nice that we can change our minds in our dotage! Hahahaha

Play it in fine health and spirits

Paul

I guess sometimes it takes a great guitar to demolish soemstromgly held stereotypes..
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Old 01-08-2023, 02:46 AM
gitarro gitarro is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Deft Tungsman View Post
First off, congratulations on your find, gitarro!

Second, dude, where are the pics????

I've extolled the charms of my Claxton OM many times on this forum. Since I bought it nearly four years ago, I have had the opportunity to play quite a few guitars owned by friends that were built by some of the world's very best luthiers (Traugott, Kostal, Sands, Baranik, De Jonge, Ryan, Circa, Bown, etc.). In all this time, I have never felt even the slightest tinge of guitar envy, despite the fact that some of those guitars cost many thousands more than what I paid for my Claxton.

Gitarro's description of what sets his Malabar apart from all the rest echoes Janne Suominen's impressions of his own maple Malabar and reflects my experience with my OM. Steve Halligan, another guitar connoisseur and fortunate owner of a Claxton OM, said it best: "It's just right in every single area without bragging about itself."

Each of the guitars in my signature has its own special brand of excellence, but if I had to choose only one, the Claxton would be it, hands down.
Ironically I had the chance to buy your walnut claxton before you got it but demurred at the last minute. Given how much you love it now and what a good fit this one is for me, I believe that turned out the perfect way for both of us!

Your posts on your guitar have been one of the biggest spurs to prod me into continuing to look yo try a claxton, so thanks for sharing your good experiences with your claxton guitar.u
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Old 01-08-2023, 02:49 AM
gitarro gitarro is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Mott View Post
Ed is a genuinely wonderful guy who builds perfectly constructed instruments. Craftsmanship is second to none (his rosettes!), with a wonderful, balanced tone and no hand waving. They’re kind of a Zen instrument: Ed’s design and build philosophies don’t chase the latest fashion or exalt the past, they just dial in a beautiful appearance and tremendously versatile sound. I inherited one of his Euro maple guitars and can vouch for all that is said here.
Thanks Richard for your post. You don't post as often, but you always post insightfully on this forum and pointed me first to isaac Jane's guitars and then to Claxton Guitars, so thank you also for that! In addition congrats on the maple claxton that you inherited thoigh my condolences for the bereavement rhat inheriting no doubt entailed...is it a malabar also or is it an EM?
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Last edited by gitarro; 01-08-2023 at 05:08 AM.
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Old 01-08-2023, 02:51 AM
gitarro gitarro is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Mott View Post
Ed is a genuinely wonderful guy who builds perfectly constructed instruments. Craftsmanship is second to none (his rosettes!), with a wonderful, balanced tone and no hand waving. They’re kind of a Zen instrument: Ed’s design and build philosophies don’t chase the latest fashion or exalt the past, they just dial in a beautiful appearance and tremendously versatile sound. I inherited one of his Euro maple guitars and can vouch for all that is said here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperB23 View Post
I've really enjoyed the 4 or 5 Claxton guitars I've played as well. Ed builds fine instruments!
Thanks superb23 your comments on the video you posted of that malabar were also very helpful.
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Old 01-08-2023, 03:14 AM
Dogma Dogma is offline
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A bit of botanical geekdom to go with the guitar geekdom:
There are two European Maple species commonly used for woodworking and instruments:
Acer pseudoplatanus common name: Sycamore Maple
Acer platanoides, common name: Norway Maple

I believe the one used for most guitars is A. pseudoplatanus.
While the species designations of both Euro maples reference the genus Platanus - which is the genus of Sycamores - they are both true maples as their genus name suggests.
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Old 01-08-2023, 07:52 AM
gitarro gitarro is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dogma View Post
A bit of botanical geekdom to go with the guitar geekdom:
There are two European Maple species commonly used for woodworking and instruments:
Acer pseudoplatanus common name: Sycamore Maple
Acer platanoides, common name: Norway Maple

I believe the one used for most guitars is A. pseudoplatanus.
While the species designations of both Euro maples reference the genus Platanus - which is the genus of Sycamores - they are both true maples as their genus name suggests.
Is there any tonal difference between those two types of euro maple? Is acer pseudoplatanus the type normally used for viilknd?
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