Build Thread: Indian Hill Short-scale Ziricote/Cedar for La Conner

[J.R. Rogers]

Mike - looking fabulous! Really love the aesthetic of your sunburst f-hole guitar. I was just playing one of your guitars the other day and wondering what you were up to. Best of luck at the show!

JR

[riorider]

I looked up Mike as early as I could on Friday (I love Friday - not so crowded, the demo rooms are usually more available, etc. I was looking forward to seeing and hearing Mike's builds.

This one - of all the guitars I played this weekend - was very different in voicing, in playing, and in "holding" or overall feel. It had a substantial feel - not feather light like many others (and like others of Mike's). I felt like I could "dig in" if I wanted and physically the guitar would bear up with me!

The playing was not radical - as Mike said, it's just like you had a permanent capo on the 2nd fret.

The voicing was most surprising to me. Tuned higher, it sang sweetly like a traditional boys choir. I think it would pair wonderfully in duets and small instrument groups adding a "tenor" (in vocal terms) voice.

As always, Mike's details and fit and finish were exceptional.

Thanks for breaking some rules and dreaming up some others, Mike! See you next year.

Phil

(the photo is a screen shot from Brent McElroy's photo, posted on the La Conner Facebook page)

[David Wren]

I absolutely LOVE Mike's work ... so innovative and the execution is flawless to say the least!

[IndianHillMike]

Finally back in Montreal and settling into the shop again after a great few weeks out west for the La Conner show. Such an amazing location, so well run, and just the best people all weekend!

Originally Posted by riorider

The voicing was most surprising to me. Tuned higher, it sang sweetly like a traditional boys choir. I think it would pair wonderfully in duets and small instrument groups adding a "tenor" (in vocal terms) voice.

As always, Mike's details and fit and finish were exceptional.

Thanks for breaking some rules and dreaming up some others, Mike! See you next year.

Thanks so much for stopping by and giving it a spin in the sound booth! I'm quite happy with how this one turned out. I find that my elevated neck guitars all share a certain quality -- it's a clarity of tone, but more like a "wooden" clarity. The opposite in my mind would be a "surgical" clarity that has more of a metallic edge if that helps give a reference point (ah the joys of describing tone!). And I think you're right -- that clarity along with sitting up a bit higher pitch wise will make this one great in a duo/ensemble (if I ever stop sitting around at home playing it...)

Originally Posted by J.R. Rogers

Mike - looking fabulous! Really love the aesthetic of your sunburst f-hole guitar. I was just playing one of your guitars the other day and wondering what you were up to. Best of luck at the show!

Thanks J.R.! In my internal mental dictionary when I flip open to the definition of "guitar" that f-hole OO is one of the pictures that pops up. Felt very very satisfying when I first finished it, stepped back to look and said, "Yup, that's a GUITAR.". Luckily that one didn't come home with me so now I have an excuse to build another!

Originally Posted by David Wren

I absolutely LOVE Mike's work ... so innovative and the execution is flawless to say the least!

Thanks Dave! Been too long since we've had a chance to hang out at a show!


Here are a couple more pics of the finished guitar...










And if you need any extra nudging to come to La Conner in the future, there are fantastic demo concerts....


(Tony McManus)


Beautiful views...




Amazing people...


(spent the weekend with Dion Guitars and Lame Horse Instruments)


And the most perfect batch of oyster mushrooms I've ever found!




Now time to get in the shop and back to work!

Mike