#1
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New Build: Deep-bodied OM - Swannell Guitars (UK)
Hello!
I’m new round these parts but have gratefully lurked in the past! I’m having an instrument made by Jamie Swannell of Swannell Guitars (UK) and I thought it would be fun to record the progress of what I think will be a pretty special instrument. Jamie and I went to university together where we occasionally beer-jammed on guitar and talked nonsense about British Folk. We sort of got on with our separate lives for several years and then crossed paths again when I started performing solo fingerstyle acoustic guitar and discovered that he was making guitars full-time. He brought a couple of guitars along to a gig I did in Cambridge and I (along with Don Alder/Dan LaVoie) got to sample them. I was a big fan and straightaway, rather cheekily, asked if I might borrow one for some recording. He obliged and since then I’ve played a number of the guitars he’s made. I ended up moving to roughly the same neck of the woods recently and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to commission a build. I had a pretty specific idea of what I was after - a comfortable body shape with decent bass response, smooth trebles and a fairly light build - a dynamically responsive top. I also like the idea of using fairly well-established tone woods but of relatively local (to the U.K.) origin. I know that the rosewood and mahoganies of the world are in limited supply and while I enjoy them greatly, conversations with Jamie (and playing some non-tropical instruments made by him) reassured me that tone has a lot more to do with the build of the instrument, than purely the timber choice. Anyhow, we settled on a deep-bodied OM, with German Alpine Spruce top, English Walnut (from France) back and sides, 3,500 year-old Bog Oak (buried, discovered by a farmer tilling fields near Cambridge, UK) fingerboard and binding, a Yew neck (famously used for English long-bows) and Cedar bracing. All Non-Tropical woods, all of European origin. I’m pretty excited and thought I’d share some pics of the early stages... If it’s of interest, I’ll share further pics of the progress! Here’s the Yew for the neck: And some further early progress pics: [IMG][IMG][/IMG][/IMG] Last edited by smasters; 12-22-2017 at 05:32 PM. Reason: pics |
#2
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Good for you! Thanks for sharing.
Yew was also a commonly used wood for lute staves. It's very nice to work with. |
#3
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no pictures
Pictures didn't work for me.
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#4
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I didn’t know that about lutes....
Pics now working! Last edited by Kerbie; 12-23-2017 at 05:14 AM. Reason: Removed masked profanity |
#5
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Love that rosette! Amazing. ..
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#6
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Yeah, I think it will look great once it’s finished/lacquered. The walnut of the rosette will look stunning. That was all Jamie’s doing; I didn’t realise that the rosette is often a sort of statement of aesthetic intent, or signing the ‘canvas’ (not to sound too pretentious!) It has been a fascinating learning experience for me so far, as a player and certainly not a builder!
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#7
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Keep those pictures coming!
I love that rosette. Work of art! |
#8
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Early days but already showing signs of being a fabulous build.
__________________
Brucebubs 1972 - Takamine D-70 2014 - Alvarez ABT60 Baritone 2015 - Kittis RBJ-195 Jumbo 2012 - Dan Dubowski#61 2018 - Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglo 2020 - Gibson Custom Shop Historic 1957 SJ-200 2021 - Epiphone 'IBG' Hummingbird |
#9
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Nice photos, this should be an interesting guitar. I can't wait to see it take shape.
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#10
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The potential for an interesting thread...I like the rosette design and the use of locally (relatively) sourced woods. Walnut is a favourite of mine - both as a tonewood (used in one of my McIlroys) and a few standing in the garden...
BTW are the recordings you did on one of Jamie’s guitars accessible? |
#11
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I have a McIlroy too - a spruce/rosewood. Beautiful instrument. I think Dermot said somewhere that walnut was his tonewood of choice.
Of course! Here are a couple of recordings with one of Jamie’s OMs. I’m pretty sure it was European Spruce and Ovangkol on this guitar. https://soundcloud.com/stuartmasters...ur-eyes-part-1 https://youtu.be/zSM-N3rRjnE And here’s a fan-fret OM Mod, with Spruce/Cherry: https://youtu.be/VO3ZvfD0q88 |
#12
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Quote:
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#13
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Lovely looking guitar and from a builder I was unaware of here in the UK. Excellent videos too - great playing Stuart. Thanks for posting
__________________
Regards Phil Taylor 'Rivers and Trees' - April 2021. https://philiptaylor1.bandcamp.com/a...vers-and-trees YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNx...0XtP04PcL8HN4Q |
#14
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Many thanks, Phil and Rod!
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#15
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Hmmmm, does anyone know how I can move this thread to the Custom Shop forum, please? I guess that may be a better place for it. I know - such a newbie!
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