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#256
04-29-2011, 03:45 PM
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I tried to calculate the chances you wouldn't like it, but my calculator's display was inadequate. The real question, unanswerable, is how much you will like it after a year has passed.
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#257
04-29-2011, 10:04 PM
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Quote:
It's a world class guitar. It goes above and beyond what I possibly could have hoped for. It's one of the best guitars I've ever had my hands on, much less owned, and that's right now, when it's brand new. I can scarcely imagine how good it's going to sound once it gets fully broken in. It's tonally balanced, it's loud and projective without being the least bit harsh, it's sensitive to nuance and responds equally well to both light and robust attacks. Since I do a lot with tone colors and dynamics, it's perfect for the way I play. And unlike a lot of large body guitars, it can be bare-finger fingerpicked without getting lost or "flat-sounding," if that makes any sense. Most dreadnought-sized guitars I've played just sound kind of even but without any inflection if you use bare fingers to fingerpick them. But you'd think this guitar was designed specifically for fingerstyle, it fingerpicks so well. That is, you might think that until you break out a flatpick and start playing the musical equivalent of a Rebel yell: that's when you realize how very versatile it is. I like my Gibson Advanced Jumbo a whole lot, which is why we chose it as the model for this KJ, but the Advanced Jumbo doesn't handle the light touch playing nearly so well as this guitar. To put it in transportation terms, you can share the bike path with the strollers and the unicycles and the Segways, weaving in and out in slow motion, but then you can move over to the fast lane, put the pedal to the metal and leave the Corvettes and Jaguars in the dust. It's a very high performance instrument, let's put it that way. And Bruce, I understand what you mean about how the satisfaction level with a guitar can vary a lot from date of delivery to a year later, but I can tell you right now that that's not going to be an issue with this guitar. It's a "cold, dead fingers" guitar, as in: "You can take my Klepper KJ when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers...." It's beyond very good, it's beyond superb, it's in the realm of truly astounding. I'll check back in with you guys in a few days. Hopefully you understand that I'm kind of busy right now.... Wade Hampton Miller
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#258
04-29-2011, 10:09 PM
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I want to close with this picture of Stevie Coyle playing the KJ a few days ago. If you substitute my greying blond hair for his iron grey hair, that's about what I look like right now....
 Wade Hampton "Don't Bother Me, Son, I'm Busy Right Now" Miller
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#259
04-30-2011, 12:59 AM
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So, reading between the lines, I'm guessing Wade's not totally dissatisfied with his KJ ...
Last edited by murrmac123; 04-30-2011 at 12:18 PM.
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#260
04-30-2011, 09:07 AM
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Quote:
I am really delighted for you that you are happy with this guitar! Really! That is fantastic! What a great conclusion to this most interesting of build threads. And your comments should make Howard Klepper feel very good, too. I'll be looking forward to hearing those sound files that were recorded. This is great!  - Glenn
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#261
04-30-2011, 03:22 PM
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I'm nudging Walter Strauss on the sound files. But he has a concert tonight and is leaving for England next week (do catch him if you get a chance. He has a unique style, influenced a lot by African drumming and polyrhythms). He says I'll get them before he leaves.
Meanwhile, I processed a couple more photos. And thanks to all for the kind words.  
__________________
"Still a man hears what he wants to hear, and disregards the rest." --Paul Simon
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#263
04-30-2011, 09:05 PM
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Man, Howard!
Those are outstanding photos! Geesh! What a great looking guitar! - Glenn
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#264
05-05-2011, 11:59 AM
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Sound Clips
I have the MP3's at last! I have them uploaded to a public file sharing site. Let's see if this works.
Stevie Coyle playing Embronic Journey on Wade's KJ (in drop D): http://dl.dropbox.com/u/28304888/Emb...20Journey..mp3 And Stevie playing Water is Wide in DADGAD: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/28304888/Water%20is%20Wide.mp3
__________________
"Still a man hears what he wants to hear, and disregards the rest." --Paul Simon Last edited by Howard Klepper; 05-05-2011 at 12:33 PM.
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#266
05-05-2011, 03:08 PM
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It's a fine-sounding guitar, Louie. I'm really enjoying it, as you might imagine.
whm
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#268
05-05-2011, 11:08 PM
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Quote:
- Glenn
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#269
05-06-2011, 05:33 AM
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Wade , I'm glad to see that your dream guitar made it home . This has been an enjoyable build thread with delightful insight from both Howard and you ..your guitar looks incredible and It's great to hear that it is a versatile tone tool...It sounds beautifully balanced with plenty of character..and works well with that percussive style that Steve Coyle recorded ...Congrats on an inspirational guit that will be with you till the end ...
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#270
05-06-2011, 08:22 AM
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Quote:
 Beautiful instrument, both its pictures and its sound! Congratulations to both you and to Howard on a job well done. cotten
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