Edwinson Consort Arrived

[hnuuhiwa]

Today the USPS delivered to my office a much anticipated pre-owned Edwinson Consort from Guitar Emporium. Here's what Stephen had to say about this Consort;

It's been a long time since I've seen this guitar, and now I'm remembering why it was such a favorite of mine when I still had it. I have some observations I'd like to share with you as you anticipate its arrival...

This is my 13th guitar. (I've built 23 more since then.) This Consort is the first one I made with -

1) the venetian cutaway,
2) the Talon 6.3 bridge,
3) the Pagoda slotted headstock, and
4) the sound port with slider.

So in many ways, this is a prototype guitar, much as is Paul's Siren, and JR's Falcon.

The finish on this guitar is very thin, which I think is one reason why it has such a clear, airy voice. This guitar has loads of tone. I used to tune it down to C-and-D based tunings, and it sounds best in that range. This guitar loves slack key! The scale length is 25.375, and I recall that it plays very clean with standard light gauge 12's, with dropped tunings.

There are some small, insignificant dings on it, but it's been well kept, and is a tight ship.

The neck on this one is California Walnut, and I finished it with Tru-Oil, a gunstock oil varnish. The rest of the guitar is done in McFadden's Nitrocellulose.



The Consort is an Indian Rosewood / Bearclaw Spruce with curly koa bindings, red purfling lines and Stephen's trademark multi-piece rosettes.

Here are some of the obligatory pictures for those of you that are waiting for the "guitar porn"!











My initial impression is that this guitar has very elegant lines and a satisfyingly comfortable OM'ish size under my arm.

The action is set perfectly (Stephen did a "tune-up" on it before Robb at Guitar Emporium sent it over) so it is very easy playing, and it has a great mid-range brightness. The sustain is excellent, and string separation is clear.

Many of you who know me here on the AGF, know that I'm not much of a spruce top aficionado, and am more of a sinker redwood addict, so one might be asking "Why did you get this guitar then, Hen?". I'll answer that question after I post a few more pics...

[pg60]

I'ts a beauty Hen! Gorgeous rosette and the koa binding/backstrip looks great with the EIR.

[Taylorplayer]

Hen:

That's a truly fine looking and very classy build - congrats!

T/P

[hnuuhiwa]

Thanks Paul & TaylorPlayer....


Here are some other pics to enjoy

THE TALON BRIDGE



THE HEEL CAP - the herringbone effect is from individual wood pieces with the grain alternating used to form the cap...(sorry for the glare)



A COUPLE BACK SHOTS (back and headstock)



A COUPLE ROSETTE AND FRETBOARD END SHOTS



FRONT HEADSTOCK WITH GOTOH TUNERS AND A SIDE SHOT WITH THE SOUNDPORT CLOSED



I know I'll have fun enjoying this guitar, but as for the question regarding why I decided to get a spruce topped guitar in the first place......Incidentally, this Consort is affectionately known by Steve and I as the "Placeholder"

I have never tried one of Steve's guitars before, but have been in e-mail conversation with him since J.R. introduced the Falcon to the AGF.

In that time I've gotten very comfortable with Steve and was contemplating having him build a guitar for me. I did, however, want to try one of his guitars before I went forward with a build, just to confirm some of the assumptions I was making. When I came across this Consort on the Guitar Emporium website, I contacted Robb about it, checked with Steve and decided to purchase it so that I would be able to have a "hands-on" experience with an Edwinson Consort. Yes..I know, that's a pretty drastic step to take to try out a guitar...

Anyway, my plan was (and is) to have Steve build me a Consort and use the Placeholder to help guide my specifications. Also, while the Consort was being built, I would be able to enjoy the Placeholder and get even more familiar with Steve's creation.

I have decided to move forward with Steve on a Mac Eb/Sinker Redwood Consort build (the decision was easy once the Placeholder arrived, as it pretty much confirmed my assumptions/expectations) and in the meantime I'll be enjoying the Placeholder. Once my Consort is close to completion, I'll be looking to sell the Placeholder, as I will then have my Sinker Redwood Edwinson

Anyway, if anyone wants to put "dibs" on the Placeholder ahead of time, just PM me and let me know. I'll be sure to contact you first when I'm ready to sell her (in 3-4 months)!

Aloha,

Hen

[Acoustom]

Hi Hen,
That is a wonderful looking guitar! I like the lines, very classy, and the talon bridge gives it a look of distinction. I'd love to hear your impressions of how the soundport changes the sound of the guitar. You'll have a great opportunity to A/B a guitar with and without a soundport.......so to speak. Enjoy your new acquisition. Tom

[riorider]

Nice score, Hen! Looking forward to the maceb / rw build as well!

Phil

[J.R. Rogers]

Hen,
Thanks for sharing that. Absolutely stunning guitar. Steve's attention to detail speaks for itself. I love the heelcap, especially and his use of the bright red coloring in the perfling and around the rosette.. Very tasteful. Congrats on the build! Please keep us posted.




JR

[J.R. Rogers]

Trading Musician had a similar guitar in stock but it looks like someone just snatched it up. It had a Cedar top and Acacia back and sides.

[hnuuhiwa]

Originally Posted by A027298

Hi Hen,
That is a wonderful looking guitar! I like the lines, very classy, and the talon bridge gives it a look of distinction. I'd love to hear your impressions of how the soundport changes the sound of the guitar. You'll have a great opportunity to A/B a guitar with and without a soundport.......so to speak. Enjoy your new acquisition. Tom

Thanks Tom - your Stehr is looking great! As for the soundport on the Consort, it's pretty much what one would expect. The soundport enhances the player experience, so with it closed you don't have that capability to monitor. As for the listener, I don't believe that there is any noticeable difference. I'll keep testing this out, but for the short time I've had her, this is my initial impression.

Aloha - Hen

[hnuuhiwa]

Originally Posted by riorider

Nice score, Hen! Looking forward to the maceb / rw build as well!

Phil

Thanks Phil....it's been fun watching yours come along too!

[hnuuhiwa]

Originally Posted by J.R. Rogers

Trading Musician had a similar guitar in stock but it looks like someone just snatched it up. It had a Cedar top and Acacia back and sides.

Hey JR, I think that one is an earlier model, before Steve went to the Pagoda style headstock, and the current Talon bridge. Still a nice looking guitar nonetheless...Aloha, Hen

[theEdwinson]

I have decided to move forward with Steve on a Mac Eb/Sinker Redwood Consort build (the decision was easy once the Placeholder arrived, as it pretty much confirmed my assumptions/expectations) and in the meantime I'll be enjoying the Placeholder. Once my Consort is close to completion, I'll be looking to sell the Placeholder, as I will then have my Sinker Redwood Edwinson

Anyway, if anyone wants to put "dibs" on the Placeholder ahead of time, just PM me and let me know. I'll be sure to contact you first when I'm ready to sell her (in 3-4 months)!

Aloha,

Hen

Aloha, Henderson! I just wrapped up in the shop for the night (er, morning) and discovered your email, and then this post. I'm so glad the guitar arrived in good shape. Took about a whole week to get there, huh?

You know, if I strike a rich vein of ore between now and when your Macassar/Sinker guitar is done, I've more than half a mind to buy this guitar back from you. But then, the romance of the journey should continue...

I built this guitar when I still had a "real" job, with a long time employer that was slowly, agonizingly headed for oblivion. Up till then, I was building about three guitars per year in my spare time. I had the Placeholder Consort here in the house for about ten months after I finished building it, and it became my favorite of all the ones I'd built. If my employer hadn't gone out of business, I would have hung on to this guitar for the long term.

As it turned out, in February 2008, the ax finally fell, and my tether to the weekly paycheck was severed. I'd accumulated a number of guitars after eight years of weekend luthing, and undertook to test their marketability. I took the placeholder guitar down to the Guitar Emporium, unannounced, and introduced myself to Robb, the owner, as a local unknown luthier. He'd seen my kind before, and looked at me archly. But he was kind enough to open the case and have a look. After ten minutes of close scrutiny, and running it through a few tunes, Rob looked at me and said, "Who the hell are you, and where have you been hiding?"
Cut to the chase, he took every guitar I had on consignment, and sold them all before the end of summer. That's how it all started for me, actually making enough money to live on, as a luthier!

So Hen, the placeholder has some nice history already. It's the guitar I used to make a first impression on the marketplace. You're it's second owner, and there are destined to be more. Should we call this the "Consort Nomad" or maybe the "Consort Drifter"? Wait! How about "Ronin"?
I have to say, I'm thrilled, because this guitar seems destined to become my most well traveled emissary, and it will have a storied life. It has a certain romance to it. I'm particularly happy, Hen, that your are her Master and teacher now.

And thanks to you, I now have an opportunity to build a guitar I've been dreaming about for a long time. That Macassar ebony, with that Sinker top that you sent--Whoo! Yeah...!
So enjoy, my friend. Mahalo, Sensei, You really made my day. I'll email soon.
The Best to everybody... Steve

[theEdwinson]

Originally Posted by J.R. Rogers

Trading Musician had a similar guitar in stock but it looks like someone just snatched it up. It had a Cedar top and Acacia back and sides.

This guitar is now owned by the mystifyingly lovely Shannon Stephens, who lives nearby here. Shannon's songs are testaments in poetry to the human condition, and her voice is a brook of honey and a breeze of jasmine. A rare talent.
She fell in love with this guitar I made. That's say'n somethin.

[cpabolting]

Very nice guitars!

[drcmusic7]

Congrats, Hen! Hope you enjoy the new guitar and I can't wait to see photos of your new build.

Kindly,
Danny