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Old 05-23-2018, 06:40 PM
silverspear silverspear is offline
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Default Avalon Redwood-EIR Build

I have finally dipped my hands into my first custom order, after some planning and saving for it for 2+ years.. So pardon me for the amateurish excitement over getting a customized guitar!

Of course, being my first time, I am not ordering anything lavish, but decided to go with a builder that I think will be able to build a guitar that suits my playing style. After some discussion with Avalon, and in order to meet my meager budget, we've decided on keeping to the basic configuration, without any extra appointments, and my only real "customization" per say will be the choice of woods for this build. Even though I'm keeping to their standard range of tonewoods on offer (Nothing mastergrade), I've been assured that it will sound good nevertheless!

My favourite top wood has been Cedar for some time (due to it's warmth are responsiveness when doing fingerstyle), and this round I wanted to go with something brighter, but hopefully still keep some warmth. Initially the plan with Avalon was to use sitka and EIR.. but somehow I was prodded by my inner voice to ask them if he would be able to offer me Redwood, despite it being a basic lineup.. And very graciously, the builder agreed to let me use redwood for my order!

Thus my agreed order with the builder will be as such:
Jumbo size
California Redwood Top
EIR Back and Sides
Smaller nut width of 1 11/16"

(The 1 11/16" nut width was the first reason why I explored a custom order actually, I just prefer a thinner nut width to do thumb-over playing.)

The build will take about 8 weeks, and it has already started for some time, but I will post pictures as and when I get it from the builder.

This will just be a simple thread to share my simple excitement with all who are interested. Hope you guys enjoy it!

Last edited by silverspear; 05-23-2018 at 06:52 PM.
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Old 05-23-2018, 06:41 PM
silverspear silverspear is offline
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Default Week 0 - Wood Selection

First up was the top wood selection. Redwood.

The Avalon boss (I shall call him Boss from now on), Boss gave me 3 redwood tops to choose from. Boss assured me too that all 3 pieces are from the same flitch, and all 3 are nice and stiff, and therefore my choice will be purely down to aesthetics. Therefore from the 3 I decided on 1 that has the most interesting look (like an arrow pointing down):



A week later, it was time to choose to EIR. This time I was given 6 sets to choose from! And once again Boss told me that all 6 have more or less the same tap tone and stiffness, and therefore it's down to aesthetics again.

There were some really nice and straight grained sets to choose from, but I decided that since I'm doing a custom order, why not go for something that's to my visual taste? I tarried for awhile about the "good guitar has straight and tight grains" belief, but in the end I decided against it and trust the builder that if he says all sound good, then I will trust him to make the best guitar out of it, even if the grain is not visually straight.

Thus, I went with this really beautiful Stumpwood-looking EIR.. I've never seen EIR flare at the bottom like this! (I think many dealers will probably avoid custom ordering a guitar with this wood, as it might not sell very well in the stores, me thinks..) But I love it! Here it goes, pictures..

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Old 05-23-2018, 06:44 PM
silverspear silverspear is offline
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Default Week 1-4

Well, the build has started! Boss gave me a view of the rough cut of the top and back. Looks lovely, I must say!







2 weeks later:
The soundbox has been closed, and the pearwood bindings are visually matched to the top... I'm so happy that the color of the bindings match the redwood top so well.




4 weeks later:

The soundbox has been closed and completed! Some nice poses of the soundbox from the boss:









A Straight shot of the back:










4.5 Weeks Later:

Let's look at the neck making process! Got some awesome pics from the boss to share.



First, he showed me how necks are being made from 1 solid laminate block. Here's a laminated wood block with the truss rod slot already routed:




2 Necks are made from 1 block; Here's how 1 neck will be carved from the block:






Here's how 2 necks will be positioned if it was still part of the block:





Here's a shot of the 2 necks from the block.. one of which will be my guitar neck!







Last edited by silverspear; 07-28-2018 at 08:20 AM.
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  #4  
Old 05-23-2018, 06:46 PM
silverspear silverspear is offline
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Default Week 5-8

Week 6:

It's time for an update! The next stage is in progress, and the neck is fitted to the soundbox.. Things are looking really good now..













Week 8:

Pics of my guitar in the sprayshop:











And.. the fitting of the bridge!





Week 9 (Final Week):

Studio Pictures are in! Guitar is finished, and waiting installation of pickup, setup, and it'll be ready for shipping! Thanks everyone for following this thread!












Last edited by silverspear; 09-01-2018 at 09:29 AM.
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Old 05-23-2018, 06:48 PM
silverspear silverspear is offline
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Default NGD

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Old 05-23-2018, 06:48 PM
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BrunoBlack BrunoBlack is offline
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Very cool. This will be fun!
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Old 05-25-2018, 07:17 AM
silverspear silverspear is offline
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updated with week 1 pictures!
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Old 05-25-2018, 09:45 AM
grosskate grosskate is offline
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Very nice EIR set, I like it a lot !

Avalon are really cool guys, and always seek to help and deliver a guitar that would meet your expectation. I'm waiting for my special guitar to arrive soon.

A very special Avalon, sinker redwood + Ziricote, Fan Fret. A beauty. I' ll post a building thread soon.

Congratulation !
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Avalon Custom Auditorium Fan Fret Sinker Redwood/Ziricote
Furch 34 SR Stahl (custom) - Sitka/EIR
Classical Hanika 58CF - Alpine/Cocobolo
Yamaha LS16 - Engel/EIR
Alvarez MSD1 - Cedar/Mahogany
Breedlove C25 - Cedar/Mahogany
K-Country 1975 - Sitka/Mahogany
upcoming :
Michaud Made OM-R - ARW/ Swiss "moon"
Astrand A-OM - MRW - Euro Bearclaw
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  #9  
Old 05-25-2018, 08:30 PM
silverspear silverspear is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grosskate View Post
Very nice EIR set, I like it a lot !

Avalon are really cool guys, and always seek to help and deliver a guitar that would meet your expectation. I'm waiting for my special guitar to arrive soon.

A very special Avalon, sinker redwood + Ziricote, Fan Fret. A beauty. I' ll post a building thread soon.

Congratulation !
Wow! congratulations on your upcoming arrival! your wood combination sounds fabulous!

from my understanding, neither Goodall nor Avalon does sinker redwood. did they make an exception for your case?
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Old 05-29-2018, 03:09 AM
grosskate grosskate is offline
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Well, they allowed me to source the wood myself, so did I with the Ziricote set and the very nice and dark sinker redwood.

I wasn't sure of the sinker quality, but they told me it was very, very nice and stiff set upon arrival.
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Avalon Custom Auditorium Fan Fret Sinker Redwood/Ziricote
Furch 34 SR Stahl (custom) - Sitka/EIR
Classical Hanika 58CF - Alpine/Cocobolo
Yamaha LS16 - Engel/EIR
Alvarez MSD1 - Cedar/Mahogany
Breedlove C25 - Cedar/Mahogany
K-Country 1975 - Sitka/Mahogany
upcoming :
Michaud Made OM-R - ARW/ Swiss "moon"
Astrand A-OM - MRW - Euro Bearclaw
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  #11  
Old 05-29-2018, 05:02 AM
silverspear silverspear is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grosskate View Post
Well, they allowed me to source the wood myself, so did I with the Ziricote set and the very nice and dark sinker redwood.

I wasn't sure of the sinker quality, but they told me it was very, very nice and stiff set upon arrival.
wow, that sounds awesome... can't wait to see your build thread!
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  #12  
Old 05-29-2018, 10:22 AM
Stevied63 Stevied63 is offline
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Very nice build!!
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  #13  
Old 06-05-2018, 07:17 PM
silverspear silverspear is offline
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The soundbox has been closed, and the pearwood bindings are visually matched to the top... I'm so happy that the color of the bindings match the redwood top so well.


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  #14  
Old 06-17-2018, 07:00 PM
silverspear silverspear is offline
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The soundbox has been closed and completed! Some nice poses of the soundbox from the boss:









A Straight shot of the back:






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  #15  
Old 06-17-2018, 07:36 PM
Jamiejoon Jamiejoon is offline
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I think the EIR looks very cool. Guitar's looking great!
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