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  #46  
Old 01-10-2021, 10:16 AM
virob virob is offline
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A few updates

IMG_1610294447.834819.jpgIMG_1610294462.977365.jpgIMG_1610294473.196902.jpg

The bridge, like the fretboard is made of rocklite and is almost ready, while the body is getting prepared to receive it.

IMG_1610294906.369560.jpgIMG_1610294920.407849.jpg
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  #47  
Old 01-11-2021, 04:43 AM
jt1 jt1 is offline
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I love it! It's great to see someone do something bold with an acoustic guitar's aesthetic design.

I'm also a fan of Joel's guitars and have on occasion while wearing my Fretboard Journal hat at guitar shows, chosen his guitars as among the best of the show.
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  #48  
Old 01-11-2021, 12:09 PM
BradHall BradHall is offline
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I especially like your bridge design. Very artistic yet totally functional. Might have to do a “variation on A theme “ on my next build. ;-)
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  #49  
Old 01-12-2021, 09:39 AM
virob virob is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jt1 View Post
I love it! It's great to see someone do something bold with an acoustic guitar's aesthetic design.

I'm also a fan of Joel's guitars and have on occasion while wearing my Fretboard Journal hat at guitar shows, chosen his guitars as among the best of the show.
Thanks John. As Joel commented, no one is ever going to mistake this guitar for another Michaud! We are both having a lot of fun with it. Really looking forward to finally getting to play it.
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  #50  
Old 01-12-2021, 09:48 AM
virob virob is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BradHall View Post
I especially like your bridge design. Very artistic yet totally functional. Might have to do a “variation on A theme “ on my next build. ;-)
It is a very nice design. Because of the mass/ density of rocklite, Joel really likes it as a bridge material. He also offers a pinless bridge that I really like but is still in the process of tweaking a fanfret version of that design.
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  #51  
Old 01-23-2021, 09:32 AM
virob virob is offline
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The bridge is now glued on
IMG_1611415669.516659.jpg

...and getting ready to install the fret wire. Going with Evo gold 43080
IMG_1611415926.756227.jpg
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  #52  
Old 01-25-2021, 03:43 PM
jt1 jt1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by virob View Post
Thanks John. As Joel commented, no one is ever going to mistake this guitar for another Michaud! We are both having a lot of fun with it. Really looking forward to finally getting to play it.
I also really like that he and you are using Rocklite. A cool material that I wish more would use.
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  #53  
Old 01-25-2021, 03:45 PM
Nemoman Nemoman is offline
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Won't be long--you gotta be excited beyond belief about now!
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  #54  
Old 01-26-2021, 10:23 AM
virob virob is offline
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Originally Posted by jt1 View Post
I also really like that he and you are using Rocklite. A cool material that I wish more would use.
It is interesting stuff. When I first visited Joel’s shop, I picked an ebony fretboard and a rosewood bridge. Joel showed me some Rocklite, but at that time I wasn’t particularly interested.
I think I had the typical reaction of not wanting anything other than real wood. My attitude has changed since then. Even with the public acceptance of ebony that isn’t uniformly black, the supply is limited. But also, Rocklite isn’t just a cheap ebony knock-off. It costs about the same, it’s hard, dense, doesn’t shrink, warp or crack, characteristics that make it very good for fretboards, bridges and binding. It stands on its own merits. I think we will see more people using it.

Rocklite normally has a “pore” structure. If you look at this fretboard, it is very smooth. That is because in order to seal the dye in the maple, Joel polished it with a CA glue with the side effects of further hardening the rocklite and filling in the pores.
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  #55  
Old 01-26-2021, 10:44 AM
virob virob is offline
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Won't be long--you gotta be excited beyond belief about now!
It has been a very long wait . One the plus side, waiting years to have a guitar built provides lots of time to put away the funds, so the financial pain is long forgotten.

I’m about a 13 hour drive from Joel’s shop, with family along the way. I had planned on driving there to pick up the guitar in person.
With Covid, that plan has unfortunately gone out the window.
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  #56  
Old 02-02-2021, 08:10 PM
virob virob is offline
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After considering several tuner options, we went with Schertlers in satin black. Also considered the Schertler in metallic and the Gotoh 510 in the black chrome finish.

The strings are now on!
Joel will leave it under tension for 2 weeks for the guitar to settle before installing the actual nut/saddle and doing the final set up.

I’m really pleased with how this has turned out! So close now.

IMG_1612317626.464197.jpgIMG_1612317639.699357.jpgIMG_1612317658.115600.jpgIMG_1612317669.263617.jpgIMG_1612317691.382862.jpgIMG_1612317702.636269.jpg
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  #57  
Old 02-03-2021, 01:47 PM
virob virob is offline
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Commissioning a guitar is an interesting process, especially for a first timer like myself. You choose a luthier who’s work you admire, visually and sonically. You can have a lot of input on the visual aspects, less so on the sonic aspects beyond wood choice.

It’s not like you can try before you buy, trust and a willingness to accept some degree of uncertainty is important.

So, after seeing the guitar with strings, one of my first questions was

“How does it sound?”

Joel’s response, with permission to share.

“I let it sit overnight before judging tone... this morning wow. Let’s just say I managed to impress myself. The combo of the barely there finish as well as my new voicing makes this perhaps one of the most responsive and in your face guitars I have ever played. I am a bit floored actually. Still another 2 weeks though until a more thourough review.”

Ok, I am getting even more excited!
It is going to be a long 2 weeks....
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  #58  
Old 02-03-2021, 01:54 PM
Nemoman Nemoman is offline
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Hey, congrats virob!

Sounds like Joel is really impressed with the tone and responsiveness already with your guitar.

Can't ask for more than that!
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  #59  
Old 02-03-2021, 01:58 PM
Vaillant75 Vaillant75 is offline
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Really cool guitar, clearly an eye catcher. Excited to hear more about the tone in 2 weeks, and also for you to share your thoughts.

Cheers,
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  #60  
Old 02-06-2021, 06:46 AM
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That's quite a statement from Joel. Now anticipation reaches the pinnacle. I can imagine you must be going crazy! I would.
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