Sexauer/'15, (chapter 2) - Page 17

iim7V7IM7 · #**241** 10-22-2015, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikealpine

Hi Bruce. Hope to be there tomorrow and would love to see the all Wallnut. What model is it?

Mike, I played it in May when I visited Bruce's shop. It is a 000-12 fret, cutaway, slot head. I thought that it was a fantastic sounding guitar...

JJI · #**242** 10-22-2015, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

Mike, I played it in May when I visited Bruce's shop. It is a 000-12 fret, cutaway, slot head. I thought that it was a fantastic sounding guitar...

Played it in the shop, too. Love it...it's a great guitar.

iim7V7IM7 · #**243** 10-23-2015, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

I shipped the Archtop and my newest Mini-D (25.4" scale dread shape but fits in a 000 case) BRW/Adi to the East coast last Friday. Tomorrow I will pack the third guitar I will show at the Woodstock Luthier's Showcase (10/23, 24, 25), almost certainly the all Walnut I made last spring. I cleaned it up and put on new strings a couple of days ago, and found it to be not simply impressive for all walnut, but an above average example of my work, no caveat needed. As I built it I always thought it would work adequately, but never expected it to be as good as I now find it to be. If you are coming to the Woodstock show I hope you will cross the isle to give it a pluck. If you are reading this here, please introduce yourself as I would love to put a face on your handle.

For those interested in auditioning these at the show, here are some photos of the three guitars that Bruce mentioned:

16" Archtop:

15" Mini-D:

000-12 Walnut:

Bruce Sexauer · #**244** 10-23-2015, 08:09 AM

Bob 'n Josh; thank you!

I'll be scarce around here while attending the show. I sure am looking forward to seeing some of you.

I am at breakfast at the Inn by the Millstream at the moment, and will be in Bearsville in a half hour or so.

tadol · #**245** 10-23-2015, 11:11 AM

Having had the chance to play all three of these guitars, I have to say that they are outstanding instruments, and anyone who has an opportunity to experience one or all of them should definitely take advantage of it.

I'm only a little sad that the walnut guitar is out there - It's quite outstanding, and was kinda hoping to someday make it mine, but the more people get to hear and play it -

Oh well - he'll probably make another - someday -

mikealpine · #**246** 10-23-2015, 08:02 PM

I had the chance to play the Walnut Wonder today. It was amazing. I really can't think of another word. It is not a large guitar, but has a depth and fullness that belies its size. It's bass was rich and full, the trebles were both bright and had girth, and the sustain was super. Bruce was delightful to speak with, and at his urging, I also played the Mini-D. Another beautiful guitar, with Brazilian back and sides, and in theory, a "better" guitar, even in Bruce' words. And it was a great guitar, as I said to Bruce, it didn't inspire me to play, while the Walnut guitar made me want to keep playing. Here she is, on display at Woodstock:

Bruce Sexauer · #**247** 11-07-2015, 11:08 AM

On Thursday I got an email from Jason Verlinde (Fretboard Jounal) offering a pass to the Fretboard Summit weekend. I had not really considered attending as it is right on the heels of Woodstock and I expected the be "guitared out". After talking to Linda I realized I didn't have any prressing obligations so yesterday (Friday) I junped in the car and made the 2 hour drive.

I suppose I could have known it if I'd have thought it through, but this turns out to be as nice a guitar event as I've experienced. It's a bit like NAMM without the buyers, or HGF without the seller/buyer dynamic and also no casual observers, just the serious players. In other words it seems like I know everybody AND I actually have time to hang out with them.

Since I'd made no plans to be there I drove myself home again and slept in my own bed. In about an hour I am going to drive myself back down and spend today there too.

Treenewt · #**248** 11-07-2015, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

On Thursday I got an email from Jason Verlinde (Fretboard Jounal) offering a pass to the Fretboard Summit weekend. I had not really considered attending as it is right on the heels of Woodstock and I expected the be "guitared out". After talking to Linda I realized I didn't have any prressing obligations so yesterday (Friday) I junped in the car and made the 2 hour drive.

I suppose I could have known it if I'd have thought it through, but this turns out to be as nice a guitar event as I've experienced. It's a bit like NAMM without the buyers, or HGF without the seller/buyer dynamic and also no casual observers, just the serious players. In other words it seems like I know everybody AND I actually have time to hang out with them.

Since I'd made no plans to be there I drove myself home again and slept in my own bed. In about an hour I am going to drive myself back down and spend today there too.

Bruce sounds like an amazing time for all involved! Glad you'll get to enjoy yourself!

Bruce Sexauer · #**249** 11-08-2015, 11:39 AM

The event goes on today, but it is raining (thankfully) and I don't want to make the drive a third time in any case.

I attended a few workshops and learned about prewar Gibsons, alternative Tonewoods previously unknown by myself, and guitar playing techniques I will make use of. There was a lot of music, especially in the evenings. Mostly I hadn't heard of the performers, but a couple I won't forget. Bill Frisell is worth crossing the street for. Playing solo he is fantastic, but he also sat in with many of the other performers, and adding his own special touch while failing to get in the way.

I got to thank Bryan Sutton for buying one of my guitars a few years ago at Guitar Gallery, and then heard him play (for Bourgois). He played with a woman who is also quite a capable picker. Her name is Courtney Hartman, and if she is not well know she likely will be soon.

The big plus for me was social. I finally got to meet a couple of forum denizens I feel like I know well though I had no face for them. One was John Thomas, who was presenting at the festival. The other (there were more, actually, but these two stand out) was Wade Hampton. In both case they feel like old friends from the get go. Very good stuff.

Bruce Sexauer · #**250** 11-12-2015, 04:22 PM

On Saturday next (11/14/15) I will be the music at the reception for the gallery show where I am showing the recent Arch-top I made. Actually, I made the guitar specifically for the event! Playing out is something I don't do as much as I used to, so it is special for me. We play between 5pm and 9pm, if you are in the neighborhood. There is no cost to you, and there may even be decent wine.

As "we" suggests, I will not be alone. For one thing, the show involves 25 different Petaluma artists, and for another, Larry Mersereau will play on the 5 string double bass I sold him 20 years ago, and Anthony Lane will play the violin he is displaying in the show. I played with Larry and Eric Schoenberg in a trio we called "Risk" for three years or so in the late 90's. In fact, we played on the main stage as a featured act at the HGF that happened at Dominican College in Ran Rafael, whenever that was. Perhaps some of you actually caught that moment!

Hope to see some of you.

Here's the poster:

CoolerKing · #**251** 11-13-2015, 02:06 PM

Hey Bruce! Wanted to highlight this guitar for you and ask, in your nomenclature would this guitar size fall in between a 00 and OM?

http://www.dreamguitars.com/detail/4..._es14c_950603/

Bruce Sexauer · #**252** 11-13-2015, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matthewpartrick

Hey Bruce! Wanted to highlight this guitar for you and ask, in your nomenclature would this guitar size fall in between a 00 and OM?

http://www.dreamguitars.com/detail/4..._es14c_950603/

I traced a 40's 00 belonging to Ed Rudolph to get that template. Then, because the guitar is long scale, something Martin is said to have never done till recently on that size, I lengthened the body 1/4 in order to keep the bridge in Martin's favored location. This makes it a 00 sized OM, conceptually, what Eric calls a Soloist, but slightly smaller. I have made about a dozen similar guitars, some extremely Martinesque Schoenbergs such as this one, and some to varying degrees more liberally interpreted, such as this one, which also happens to be for sale in the classifieds here last time I looked.

FT-14 would mean a 00 with 14 frets to the body (14 is inches wide in the lower bout, as 00's are), while FT-00 would be the same class of guitar but with 12 frets to the body.

CoolerKing · #**253** 11-13-2015, 07:53 PM

Gotcha, thanks. I also think Eric has what you refer to as an 00/OM on his website that (I think) you built too. I'll try and link it. Very cool idea.

Edit: here it is, I think. Great concept, wish I had thought of it!

http://om28.com/ProductDetail?product=P150204001

iim7V7IM7 · #**254** 11-13-2015, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matthewpartrick

Gotcha, thanks. I also think Eric has what you refer to as an 00/OM on his website that (I think) you built too. I'll try and link it. Very cool idea.

A 14 fret, 00 sized, cutaway in the vintage style like that is:

ES-14-C or FT-14-C

Where "ES" is Eric Schoenberg and a 14-fret 00 sized guitar is "14" and "C" is a cutaway. Similarly, it could be an "FT" for flat top instead of "ES"with some slight changes to some details.

Bruce builds totally custom so their are not standard models. So for example, Bruce built me:

A 13-fret, L00, cutaway with a 1/4" multi-scale

FT-L00-C-JB/2 Kerala

Where "FT" is typically a 14-fret flat top, "L00" means a 14-3/4" guitar shape like a guitar from Kalamazoo, "C" is a cutaway, "JB/2" is a 1/4" multi-scale (JB is typically a 1/2" multi-scale) and "Kerala" is Bruce's term for a 13-fret to the body guitar.

Once you understand it, it actually a precise language to describe a specific assembly of custom features. Kind of like the language of medicine once you understand it...

Bruce Sexauer · #**255** 11-14-2015, 05:29 PM

I have been playing guitar MUCH more than normal since I've developed a reason to. Also adding a few tunes to my repertoire. Since I have shown little evidence that it actually exists (no pictures), I used the newest mini-D to record Sandman. The bass is a bit much on the rhythm track so watch out. I will learn how to fix this kind of thing, I hope.