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  #16  
Old 06-14-2013, 03:51 PM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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One of John's advanced jumbos in black walnut/German spruce. This one is 14 fret standard scale.


Last edited by SJ VanSandt; 06-27-2013 at 12:48 PM. Reason: add info
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  #17  
Old 06-14-2013, 03:59 PM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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Well, I don't have any good pictures to add anyway. I thought John would have the box closed up but it wasn't quite there. He had the top and back braces shaped up and ready to go and I got some pictures of that with a film camera (since I've been disappointed with what my digital-point and-shoot can do), but, umm . . . it's film. Probably be weeks before I see the results. I had forgotten how inconvenient life was back in the dark ages.
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  #18  
Old 06-14-2013, 04:07 PM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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  #19  
Old 06-14-2013, 04:08 PM
giraffecaster giraffecaster is offline
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  #20  
Old 06-14-2013, 04:12 PM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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Thanks, man! There's always a step I forget - a different step each time! Anyway - photos one and two are of my guitar, the third one is a nice Brazilian OM he is doing. Spectacular wood on that one, though you can't really see it here.
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  #21  
Old 06-19-2013, 03:08 PM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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The box is closed up:
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  #22  
Old 06-19-2013, 03:17 PM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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A couple of images they took for me before the back was put on. Kind of cool to see the signature, even though I can't read his handwriting.

One of the guys in the shop tapped on the body for me and told me they were pleased with how it was coming out: good sustain and harmonics. I have to take their word for it at this point since I don't know what to listen for.


Last edited by SJ VanSandt; 09-27-2013 at 01:46 PM.
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  #23  
Old 06-25-2013, 03:23 PM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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I decided this guitar was just too conservative so we decided to jazz it up a little:



Luckily none of this will show from the outside.
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  #24  
Old 07-01-2013, 03:06 PM
Earwitness Earwitness is offline
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Those are some pretty substantial tone bars across the bout.
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  #25  
Old 07-11-2013, 01:00 PM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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The binding is on now and they've started the finishing. I hope to get more pictures tomorrow.


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  #26  
Old 07-15-2013, 03:48 PM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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Excruciatingly slowly, my guitar takes shape. I was hoping to see it with some finish on today, but a rainy day isn't good for finish work. The binding looks nice, though.
I had to be contented with another guitar John had just finished: one of his single 0's. Now I understand the challenge of photographing highly finished guitars!

Anyone looking for a small guitar with amazing low end and volume, try to get your hands on one of John Allison's. When I'm ready to graduate to smaller guitars, this is what I want. It doesn't show well in my photo, but the koa bindings look like burnished bronze. I've never seen anything like it.
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  #27  
Old 07-26-2013, 02:35 PM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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A coat or two of sealer on and the figure is starting to pop a little. Starting to get pretty excited now. Some progress on the neck as well.

Next week I hope to see the burst, if not the final finish on the body.

Last edited by SJ VanSandt; 07-26-2013 at 02:41 PM.
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  #28  
Old 07-26-2013, 02:58 PM
Berf Berf is offline
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Looking great SJ... and that little 0 looks very tempting.
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  #29  
Old 07-26-2013, 03:01 PM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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Berf, you should hear that 0 when he drops the low string down to C. The bass on that little box is amazing!
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  #30  
Old 08-23-2013, 12:27 PM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
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John has been busy with a bunch of other projects so I don't have any new pictures to show right now. Maybe next week!

Meanwhile I've been busy going around to shops that carry his guitars here in central Texas, mostly so I can play a lot of models to get a feel for which neck profile I prefer, but also to compare his work to other makers. The two main locations, Hill Country Guitars in Wimberley and Heart's Home Acoustics in Boerne are both fantastic shops with many fine guitars. HCG specializes in Collings, whereas HHA emphasizes high end fingerstyle guitars from custom luthiers, most built with woods collected by the owner back in the '70's. Great places - check out the websites:

http://store.heartshomeacoustics.com...5-Guitars.aspx
http://www.hillcountryguitars.com/

Anyhow, I've done lots of a/b comparisons now and don't regret choosing John Allison for my custom build at all. Most of the fingerstyle guitars - Petros, Simson, Charis, Fischer, Lowden - don't work nearly as well for my style (if you could call it that) of playing, and I've come to prefer the power and the cleaner tone of a traditional bluegrass-style guitar. At HHA, I liked most of John's guitars better than anything in the shop, though I was mightily impressed with Jeff Robertson's traditional dreads: easily the equal to the Rockbridges and Bourgeios hanging next to them. In fact, you should check out his website too - Jeff's a great guy:

http://jeffrobertsonguitars.com/Guitars.html

Enough distraction: the real reason I started this note was to share a video of one of John's single 0's that has a burst similar to what I'm getting on mine. I think his single O's are killer guitars when they are 14-fret standard scale like this one, and I love the subtle burst on this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyRFjPamsnM
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