#16
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Oh, so you are one of those people I've never met and to whom I own a bucketful of thanks for failing to buy my guitar! If you recall, I also came very close to balking. I still feel like the universe had a long-term plan in mind for me to become its soulmate. It sounds like the universe had a similar plan for you and your Malabar. Perhaps one day we'll get the chance to meet up and share the joy in person. I've yet to play another Claxton, but if I could, it would be a Malabar or his parlor-sized Composer. Having played a Traugott R at length on several occasions, I know for a fact that the similar-sized EM would be a bit too big for me. Over the years I've had my share of dreadnoughts and small jumbos, but I've grown to love the immediate response I get from smaller guitars, and the OM is as large as I care to go.
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____________________________________________ 1922 Martin 0-28 1933 Martin 0-17 1974 Alvarez/Yairi CY120 2010 Baranik Parlor 2013 Circa OM-18 2014 Claxton OM Traditional 2014 Blackbird Rider |
#17
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If I understand correctly, the Malabar is Ed’s 13 fret to the body concept. That idea made so much sense to me when I encountered it that I have run with the ball and decided call my 13 fretters “Kerala” as a tip of the hat to Ed. Kerala is the modern name for the Malabar district in India. I do not know Ed well, and have no idea how much of his work is currently “Malabar”, but at this point “Kerala” applies to over half of my work. Thank you Ed Claxton.
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#18
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Good question - hopefully the luthiers will weigh in. Maybe no distinction is made and they are both sold as "European Maple?" Their Janka ratings are 1050 for A. pseudoplatanus and 1010 for A. platanoides. This seems close but I don't really know how this scale works. For comparison, American Sugar maple (A. saccharum) has a Janka rating of 1450 while our western Big Leaf Maple (A. macrophyllum) is rated at 850 - so a much greater difference. These numbers are from the Wood Database for ref.
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#19
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__________________
In the end it is about who you love above yourself and what you have stood for and lived for that make the difference... |
#20
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__________________
In the end it is about who you love above yourself and what you have stood for and lived for that make the difference... |
#21
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The malabar is either 12 or 13 fret though and so it isn't exclusively 13 fret. However the size is really quite ideal for me being 00 and a half in claxton's words; the goldilocks size and depth of being just right to hold and play and just big enough to provide fulsome sound and tone. On the name, claxton named the malabar after John Alden's legendary championship race winning class of schooners which is probably a nod to his day's of building yachts. Surprisingly though it turns out that the Malabar Alden had in mind wasn't in India but was a vanished point of land off Cape Cod! . https://nshof.org/inductees/alden-john-gale/
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In the end it is about who you love above yourself and what you have stood for and lived for that make the difference... |
#22
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March-2007_150px.jpg Still one of my most favorite guitars. When I was checking it out at Ed's shop, he had a 12-fret version at the same time, so maybe that was #2? I have only come across one other 13-fret version, but there may be more. I've played a number of 12-fret versions. You can see specs, etc, at: http://www.claxtonguitars.com/guitar...=The_Malabar_2
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Music: Spotify, Bandcamp Videos: You Tube Channel Books: Hymns for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), Christmas Carols for Fingerstyle Guitar (std tuning), A DADGAD Christmas, Alternate Tunings book Online Course: Alternate Tunings for Fingerstyle Guitar |
#23
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In the end it is about who you love above yourself and what you have stood for and lived for that make the difference... |
#24
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I have recently become a maple convert, after years of rosewood obsession. I have a 00-12 fret by Stephen Frith based on a classical Hauser shape in Austrian spruce/European flame maple, which has the sweetest and most lyrical tone as well as tons of power, it's just magical.
I also recently acquired a Swiss moonspruce/birdseye maple classical by Stephen Eden that also has a stunningly wonderful tone. Both guitars are warm, sweet, powerful, responsive, tons of overtones, but lots of clarity. I'm in the maple fan club. I love its lightness and I also love how it looks, both birdseye and flame! |
#25
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Norway and Sycamore Maples are both common across the continent. While there is much overlap in their physical properties, Norway Maple on average tends to be a bit more dense and stiff than Sycamore Maple (aka European Sycamore). But with all things wood, averages do not speak to a specific tree/billet/set. Far more often you will have the wood identified by where it was harvested (e.g., Austrian Maple, Bosnian Maple etc.) because that is conveyed by the reseller vs. the genus and species.
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A bunch of nice archtops, flattops, a gypsy & nylon strings… |
#26
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Claxton model sizes
It's also my understanding that Ed designed the Malabar as an alternative to his flagship small jumbo EM, and its 00-1/2 body dimensions place it in the "Goldilocks" zone, for sure. From its launch, the model has been a great success and worthy complement to his legendary EM.
It's all the more surprising then that only a few years later he decided to introduce his OM (the "Traditional"), which is only 1/4 inch wider across the lower bout. It all started with a request from an existing client who wanted something different from both his EM and the Malabar. (For the full story, Ed discusses the genesis of the Traditional in one of the totallyguitars videos.) Although I've never played a Malabar, I'm sure that it must feel quite different because of the bridge placement for the 12-fret neck and the deeper, longer body. Ed's Traditional body is not a carbon copy of the classic Martin OM, however. I discovered this quite a while after the Circa OM entered my stable some nine months after I got the Claxton. The Circa is a truly great guitar (otherwise, it would not still be here!), but it is noticeably less comfortable than the Claxton. One day, I took out the old measuring tape to try to figure out why. It was a big AHA ! moment, one that made me marvel even more at Ed's genius. The Circa and Claxton are nearly identical in outline, and the have the same depth at the tailblock. But up at the neck block, the Claxton is a full 3/16" shallower than the Circa. It may not sound like much, but it changes the way the guitar sits on the lap, making for a significantly cozier feel. And yet, its bass response is rounder and deeper than the Circa's. Uncanny.
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____________________________________________ 1922 Martin 0-28 1933 Martin 0-17 1974 Alvarez/Yairi CY120 2010 Baranik Parlor 2013 Circa OM-18 2014 Claxton OM Traditional 2014 Blackbird Rider Last edited by Deft Tungsman; 01-09-2023 at 09:20 AM. |
#27
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A few years ago, a UK pal of mine who is even more obsessed by guitar tone than I am, decided the mountain would go to Mohammed, got on a plane, and visited Somogyi, Traugott, Claxton et. al. in person rather than doing all his "research" long range. To cut a long story short, he returned to the UK with a Malabar, spruce over BRW. To this day, I remember that guitar as having the best trebles I have ever heard, and probably midrange also. It was celestial. I did find is a little lacking (only relatively) to some larger instruments bass-wise, but it was a close call; laws of physics. That guitar still haunts me. I've said here before, I don't think I've ever come across a more consistently brilliant builder: Every single Claxton I've played has been uber top-tier. I've also found that to be the case regardless of what the b/s are made of, so I'm not at all surprised to find he's adept with maple also. My Cuban Claxton really sounds like a rosewood guitar. Jason Kostal told me several times that he holds Ed in the very highest regard. Not every luthier can build stellar instruments but Ed can. Combine that with decades of experience and you have the real-deal. Not "shouty" instruments at all. IMHO, their refinement and balance is best appreciated once you've had a lot of instruments pass through your hands, so you are in a position to best appreciate their class. And, as others have said, it didn't happen if there are no pics! Cheers, Steve |
#28
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I bought a 2004 Claxton Brazilian EM from a forum member and recall that I was super surprised when I opened the case and started playing this guitar.
For guitar that was over 18 years old, it was absolutely mint and played better than any guitar I’ve ever owned. The neck was perfect for finger style, perfect set up, perfect in every way. Yes I was surprised and impressed thinking that Ed Claxton is a master luthier at the pinnacle of guitar building luthiery.
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Beneteau Concert cutaway Sitka/Maple 2009 Beneteau Baritone Sitka/Walnut 2005 Beneteau Concert cutaway Adi/Honduras Rosewood 2003 Maple Beneteau for sale |
#29
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__________________
In the end it is about who you love above yourself and what you have stood for and lived for that make the difference... |
#30
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__________________
In the end it is about who you love above yourself and what you have stood for and lived for that make the difference... |