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  #31  
Old 10-18-2021, 08:38 AM
FrankCousins FrankCousins is offline
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Originally Posted by j. Kinnaird View Post
Beautiful woods and most interesting build sequences.
There is a lot of structure on those sides.

In what part of scotland are you presently living?
Fife, north of Edinburgh on way to St Andrews.

Yep the sides are interesting, and i have tried some of Rory's guitars both with and without the full width linings and internal laminate. Seems this really does allow the back to also be quite 'active' with his compression bracing design. I really like what its doing to the tone - very focussed and responsive. I could not explain the physics, but works a treat. ;-) - Will certainly test my playing and demand more accuracy - something I really need to get over far too many ingrained bad habits ;-p

The Madagascan is wood (B&S/fretboard) I acquired quite a few of years ago, for just such an occasion... not sure i could find much like this now in the UK.
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  #32  
Old 10-22-2021, 02:07 AM
FrankCousins FrankCousins is offline
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Visited Rory last night to confirm custom rosette spec. Back and sides are not connected, but all ready to go after top is glued on first, which is why needed to get rosette sorted. Also confirmed the purfling which will be a combo of thin maple/purpleheart and 2mm mad rose ;-)

IMG_3551 by frankscousin, on Flickr

IMG_3555 by frankscousin, on Flickr

And a first pic of the Adirondack top - even colour and tight grain ;-)
IMG_3552 by frankscousin, on Flickr
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  #33  
Old 10-22-2021, 03:09 AM
cmac cmac is offline
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I kind of wish I'd got one of Rory's guitars a few years back when they were half the price and the waiting list for a build slot wasn't so long. Not sure my ability justifies the cost though.
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  #34  
Old 10-22-2021, 03:50 AM
FrankCousins FrankCousins is offline
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Originally Posted by cmac View Post
I kind of wish I'd got one of Rory's guitars a few years back when they were half the price and the waiting list for a build slot wasn't so long. Not sure my ability justifies the cost though.
Ability should never be a barrier or reason not to invest in a quality musical instrument IMHO. Not only are these instruments heirlooms, but also inspire you to play more and get better because they are so good. ;-)

I am not great player, bit of strumming picking but too many bad habits ingrained over to many years mean I am early intermediate at best, but cant read music and so advancing when you are in your 50s has been more difficult - but this acquisition will hopefully see me making more time for practice ad learning new techniques - and hopefully sounding better

I was lucky enough to order a few years ago, and also provide my own woods for back and sides which helped with cost, but I also recognise its not a 'small' investment and i did have to plan/save for several years... If you break it down over 3 years waiting, its actually around £7 a day which was doable... but meant a few daily sacrifices and less visits to coffee shops and pubs ;-)

Last edited by FrankCousins; 10-22-2021 at 04:07 AM.
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  #35  
Old 10-22-2021, 05:06 AM
cmac cmac is offline
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Originally Posted by FrankCousins View Post
Ability should never be a barrier or reason not to invest in a quality musical instrument IMHO. Not only are these instruments heirlooms, but also inspire you to play more and get better because they are so good. ;-)

I am not great player, bit of strumming picking but too many bad habits ingrained over to many years mean I am early intermediate at best, but cant read music and so advancing when you are in your 50s has been more difficult - but this acquisition will hopefully see me making more time for practice ad learning new techniques - and hopefully sounding better

I was lucky enough to order a few years ago, and also provide my own woods for back and sides which helped with cost, but I also recognise its not a 'small' investment and i did have to plan/save for several years... If you break it down over 3 years waiting, its actually around £7 a day which was doable... but meant a few daily sacrifices and less visits to coffee shops and pubs ;-)
My biggest fear would be to spend all that money and invest all that anticipation and then, once the guitar was here, end up thinking "Actually... it hasn't really made any difference."

As it is, I have two Lowdens hanging on the wall so it's not like I'm denying myself access to quality instruments.
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  #36  
Old 10-22-2021, 05:41 AM
FrankCousins FrankCousins is offline
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Originally Posted by cmac View Post
My biggest fear would be to spend all that money and invest all that anticipation and then, once the guitar was here, end up thinking "Actually... it hasn't really made any difference."

As it is, I have two Lowdens hanging on the wall so it's not like I'm denying myself access to quality instruments.
I understand the fear... its very real ;-0 - but there does need to be trust in the builder and I know Rory will get it right. You are paying for that personal attention and the expertise of getting something unique to your needs

Must admit, I like Lowdens to, but they are not that cheap anymore either for the higher spec/tone woods... an early O25c was one of my 'ones I should have bought' back in 1989...
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  #37  
Old 10-22-2021, 09:54 AM
Nemoman Nemoman is offline
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All the woods look magical on this guitar!
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  #38  
Old 10-24-2021, 06:19 PM
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Hello fellow Fifer! Guitar is looking wonderful, love the back wood choice.

You ever play Kirkcaldy Folk Club open session? If so we may well have met.
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  #39  
Old 10-25-2021, 04:44 AM
FrankCousins FrankCousins is offline
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Originally Posted by foxo View Post
Hello fellow Fifer! Guitar is looking wonderful, love the back wood choice.

You ever play Kirkcaldy Folk Club open session? If so we may well have met.
Hi
Nope, not been.. yet. Not played live for a couple of years now, as never seem to have the time, but hoping to start again soon - looking for a few fellow conspirators as always enjoyed playing as with others more than solo.

May well need to to check it out some time!

Cheers

Frank
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  #40  
Old 10-27-2021, 03:25 PM
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Simply outstanding Frank.
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  #41  
Old 11-05-2021, 12:29 PM
FrankCousins FrankCousins is offline
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Well its getting serious now ;-) A bit of a forced departure on my friend Rory... he called it pink shell dinner, a shell fish reference to the added bling in the rosette - I think it cause pain

Very thin zipflex pink paua abalone That i had acquired more than 10 years ago when this could still be shipped direct from Mr Ryan in the US.

Thought it would work well with the purple heart purfling. The sand fade burl will lighten when sanded to show its beauty ;-)

253061358_1425523001175859_8597504692009940918_n by frankscousin, on Flickr

251300857_406270744505206_5506326870287978897_n by frankscousin, on Flickr
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  #42  
Old 11-06-2021, 03:42 AM
MThomson MThomson is offline
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Bling on a Taran!!! This is what I love about the bespoke build thing. You really get the guitar that suits you. I'm sure Rory will be doing his best to make the abalone look understated. Must be nice to see the ideas taking shape now.
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  #43  
Old 11-06-2021, 06:26 AM
FrankCousins FrankCousins is offline
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Originally Posted by MThomson View Post
Bling on a Taran!!! This is what I love about the bespoke build thing. You really get the guitar that suits you. I'm sure Rory will be doing his best to make the abalone look understated. Must be nice to see the ideas taking shape now.
If he had his way, I think he would bury it under some black paint

It took a bit of persuading, which i can understand as Taran is quite 'non-bling' (although i will have to give him a ribbing about the 'real gold' logo which is about a 'Liberace' as Rory gets! ) lols

We have been talking about guitars for 10 years plus and as mentioned in the OP, I have seen his aesthetic evolve from very clean and plain with obvious Sobell influences, through to stunning use of burls that characterise his instruments today. I did not want to to disrupt this, so have the burl in all the usual places, but we simply swapped out the centre rosette ring for a 1mm abalone sandwiched between two purple heart purflings and i think its going to look great, without being too 'Liberace' ;-)

I am sure if Rory thought it was too much of a departure, he would have said ... haha
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  #44  
Old 11-09-2021, 09:31 AM
FrankCousins FrankCousins is offline
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Better view of rosette now with sound hole binding in Mad Rose... bring on the bling ;-)

254410135_229112819319299_79455638247570285_n by frankscousin, on Flickr
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  #45  
Old 11-16-2021, 09:12 AM
FrankCousins FrankCousins is offline
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Top goes on....

258174217_306267181250223_361595891948243611_n by frankscousin, on Flickr

257470984_652055052466233_1552367526959066585_n by frankscousin, on Flickr

After some top secret whittling to tune the top, the box is now closed ;-)

Binding starts tomorrow
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