| Author |
 Topic  |
|
Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
 Posted - 11/16/2007 : 9:44:10 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by Podagee57
...
Fran - Did you find a steel stringed guitar with that kind of string spacing? I know some of the new Martin vintage and golden era models have 2 5/16" string spacing at the saddle. The Breedloves are 2 1/4". You are right though about most guitars with the 1 3/4" nut, they only have 2 1/8" spacing at the saddle. By angling my E strings outward over the saddle and adjusting the others accordingly I have managed to get my Seagull to 2 3/16 spacing.
...
The guitar I found by accident was a Martin OM-18V. The OM-18GE and OM-28 Marquis also have this geometry. The dreads are 2 5/16 as you mentioned.
Fran |
E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi
Slack Key Guitar in California - www.kaleponi.com
Slack Key on YouTube
Homebrewed Music Blog |
 |
|
|
Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2007 : 01:46:12 AM
|
Or Fran,you can get Lance McCollum to make you what you want, which I did. It's measurements are very close to your ideal.
...Reid |
|
|
|
javeiro
Lokahi
USA
459 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2007 : 06:40:29 AM
|
quote:
Originally posted by Podagee57
Mark - that may well be an option. However I'm not sure I like the idea of having a guitar built for me. I would like to try it first.....
I hear you, Kurt. Although I've certainly paid enough for a guitar to have one custom made, it always seemed a bit scary to me......I'd want to know how it plays and hear how it sounds before plunking my money down. I guess you either have to really trust your luthier of choice or have money to play with. For instance, when I accompanied my brother who recently bought an all mahogany Martin, Guitar Center had four of the same model in stock and one of them sounded dramatically different than the others even though they were all made of the same wood. |
Aloha,
John A. |
|
|
|
Podagee57
Lokahi
USA
280 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2007 : 11:00:12 AM
|
Fran - so....did you take one home with you or are you just salivating for now. If you did become an owner, tell us about it. Better yet do another video clip so we can enjoy the guitar and your wonderful playing ability.
John - That's exactly what I'm afraid of. While I was shopping in Portland two different dealers told me that they have people coming in all the time with custom made guitars that are just beautiful (many are Breedloves) however they are disappointed with the sound. They usually leave with a Taylor or Martin.
. |
What? You mean high "E" is the TOP string. No way dude! That changes everything! |
|
|
|
Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2007 : 12:55:05 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by Podagee57
Fran - so....did you take one home with you or are you just salivating for now. If you did become an owner, tell us about it. Better yet do another video clip so we can enjoy the guitar and your wonderful playing ability.
Hey, Kurt, thanks for the kind words. I just visited your web site and was knocked out by your painting. Ever get the urge to decorate an instrument?
The OM-18V that I accidentally found was my first ever (and so far only) brand new Martin, and we met back in 2000. It was my main guitar for several years, then I acquired an OM-18GE, same shape and string geometry, but different bracing and red spruce top. The GE became my new baby, and I traded the OM-18V for a Martin tenor uke, which I later sold. So I guess I'll never get a chance to do a video with that first OM.
I can tell you that I've played three or four OM-18Vs besides mine, and they've all been pretty terrific guitars. I've seen them on the used market for $1200-1600 and at that price they're an amazing bargain. But then used OM-18GEs go around $1800-2200, and to me they're worth the extra cost (speaking very generally, of course, since every guitar is different).
I'm really lucky to have fondled a _lot_ of nifty guitars. Living in the San Francisco Bay area I can visit some incredible shops within an hours drive. I've attended several Healdsburg Guitar Festivals. I've hung out a bit with some well respected luthiers. And I've had a few parties at our house where we brought guitar builders and enthusiasts together for big fun. http://www.fxguidry.com/fran/parties.htm
And after all this I've learned that every guitar is different and every player is different and I never really know an instrument until I've spent my own money on it.
Fran |
E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi
Slack Key Guitar in California - www.kaleponi.com
Slack Key on YouTube
Homebrewed Music Blog |
|
|
|
Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2007 : 1:27:36 PM
|
quote:
Mark - that may well be an option. However I'm not sure I like the idea of having a guitar built for me. I would like to try it first, can Jerry do that? haha
Actually, yeah. Every single maker on the planet has a guitar or two lying around for you to try. And most will point you to someone in your area that will let you check it out.
In my case, give me a call if you're ever in Southern Oregon. But I'd bet there's half a dozen in Bend. Jerry's been a round a long time.
Like you, I was absolutely against the idea of having someone build me a guitar. I wanted to be sure it would sound good, play well... just like you. I knew Jerry for a couple of years, and played a lot of his guitars (and mandolins and dulcimers) before I committed to the first one. And I sweated and waffled through the entire waiting period: "Did I just waste a pile of dough?"
Best decision of my life -- that little New Yorker is a flat out amazing axe. It's the one Keola's talking about in the foreward to our book.
The big one's the main guitar I used on Old Time Slack, so you can hear it there. It's also on "The Crossing" on Water is Wide. The little one is on a couple out of print recordings, as well as "Bahia" on Southern Light (available on iTunes)
quote:
While I was shopping in Portland two different dealers told me that they have people coming in all the time with custom made guitars that are just beautiful (many are Breedloves) however they are disappointed with the sound. They usually leave with a Taylor or Martin.
That's a real good point -- up to a point. In my experience, your brand new custom-made guitar often needs some time to open up; whereas the Martin or Taylor sitting in the store may already have hours and hours of play-time invested in it by the time you get yer grubby li'l fingers on it.
To be sure, I hated the sound of the big Nolte when I got it. I've never been so disappointed in my life. It was pretty, but a complete dog (no offense, Dave). But I hung in there, and after a while (see the topic about opening up guitars) it came alive. Now it blows away everyone who plays it.
In contrast, my Taylor sounded great out of the gate --- and all these years later it sounds exactly the same.
Anywho, follow your heart & gut & you won't go wrong. Larrivees are good. Simon & Patrick's are good. Martins are good. Taylors are good. Noltes are good. And so on.
A good buddy of mine, who has played the same rosewood Guild D50 since high school in the 60s, recently bought a flashy Fender acoustic-electric. I think it sounds like Fido's *ss (a technical term) he loves it.
De gustibus and all that jazz.
|
Edited by - Mark on 11/17/2007 1:30:34 PM |
|
|
|
Larry Goldstein
Lokahi
267 Posts |
Posted - 11/17/2007 : 2:45:10 PM
|
Another perspective on purchasing a custom guitar is simply the musicians who play instruments made by a particular luthier, and the maker.
I have been fortunate to meet some terrific musicians at Aloha Music Camp, and a fine luthier. Every time I (will) pick up my new guitar, I'll no doubt relate to people whom I admire both musically and personally. Such a gift.
Larry |
|
|
|
Puna
Lokahi
USA
227 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2007 : 10:27:00 AM
|
As Mark said, most luthiers have instruments that you can try out. They also usually want to work with you during the process, to make sure that the guitar is customized to you (your body and your playing style) as much as possible.
Despite all that, if you get to the end and don't like the guitar? Many of them will refund your money (and keep the guitar). These are their babies, with their name proudly displayed. They don't want one of their guitars to be with an unhappy owner - and they know that someone, somewhere, will want it and be pleased.
So, talk to the luthier, and see what their policy is.
I'm curious - anyone out there with a custom guitar that they aren't happy with? If so, why? |
Puna |
|
|
|
cmdrpiffle
`Olu`olu
USA
553 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2007 : 11:53:00 AM
|
ALL TAYLORS ARE CR........oh wait, I'm not allowed to do that anymore.
Like a lot of folks said, the best guitar is one that you like the sound of. Many inexpensive guitars can sound very good.
Something I've found and forgotten that Fran mentioned:
One of the things I discovered (by accident) when I shopped for my slack key guitar is the importance of the overall string geometry. Most of us are aware of the nut width, but the width of the neck at the 12th fret and the width of the strings at the saddle also have a big effect on how a guitar feels and plays.
Good advice that. Especially for fingerpicking, you're going to want to have room to play individual strings.
Cheers,
Cmdr 'nothing to really add, but I wanted to say hey" Piffle |
my Poodle is smarter than your honor student |
|
|
|
`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2007 : 2:42:05 PM
|
Not all Taylors are ..ap, just most.
I like the phantom bodies.
Nice to be Piffed again.
dog |
|
|
|
wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2007 : 2:51:22 PM
|
Let's hear it for Washburns    
|
Dusty |
|
|
|
noeau
Ha`aha`a
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2007 : 11:26:33 PM
|
I've gone through three Taylors so far. They all sound great and are excellent tuned down.. But they seem to change after a while. For me the sound got better but the playability just went out of whack. I had them readjusted and all but they just got to be very uncomfortable. When I play if I am on and in the mood I'll play a set non stop for two to three hours. I get real tired on a Taylor but not so much on my custom mades. Of course one thing I forget when i get a Taylor is they are narrow at the nut and I prefer 1&7/8inches at the nut. The wider neck allows me to play without buzzing the strings next to the one I'm fretting. However I found a guitar called R Taylor that just sounded so beautiful I almost bought it. On the same day in the same store there was a CSNY Martin special that sounded so sweet that I would have bought that one too. I have a custom 000 model made by Les Reitfors, A Taylor Koa 30th anniversary dreadnought, an Aaron Andrews concert auditorium with a signature sound hole arrangement, a slightly smaller than classical guitar with slotted head that plays steel strings made by Alan Simcoe a luthier on Bainbridge Island, and a Yamaha electric nylon sting travel guitar that breaks down into a small compact case that can fit in the overhead of an airplane. I still look and find many good guitars. My third guitar was a 400 dollar epiphone that has a solid top and laminated sides and back Dreadnaught shape with a Fishman ribbon installed in the bridge. I still have it for personal reasons and I darg that one to jams and stuff.
Like I agree with Fran its not only the sound but the fit that matters. Price is not a question. It just seems though thatwhen I play a guitar and i really like the sound it is usually priced above 3K. I've tried Larivees, Breedloves, Santa Cruz's, Goodalls, Collings and so on. Some were good but most were not. Of course maybe they justhave to open up. But if if doesn't get my attention from the get go it never will. |
No'eau, eia au he mea pa'ani wale nō. |
|
|
|
Podagee57
Lokahi
USA
280 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2007 : 05:38:58 AM
|
cmdrpiffle - That's what is making this a little more complicated. There are a lot of nice guitars out there but because I'm wanting the wider nut, it narrows the choices significantly. Add to that wanting a cutaway and there are still fewer. Even Taylors do not have the wider nut in their entry level guitars.
Because the Breedlove fits that criteria to a tee, I'm hoping that I can find 1 that has that special sound. I live a few miles from the factory and have a casual relationship with management through my relationship with Bill and the Luau (Bill owns three, and they are a sponsor) So I am in a position the purchase a blem from them at a very reasonable price. Like I said, I just hope when the time comes, there will be one available that won't let me leave without it. However I've played a lot of them, and only a few have had the sound I'm hoping to find. |
What? You mean high "E" is the TOP string. No way dude! That changes everything! |
|
|
|
javeiro
Lokahi
USA
459 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2007 : 09:57:14 AM
|
Hey, Kurt! I never knew that the factory was there.....maybe I would have tried to squeeze in another day to take a look at the factory. Do they have tours?
John: My curiousity has gotten the better of me. You never said what brand of guitar you ended up with, although maybe it was a Breedlove since you said it arrived from Kurt's neck of the woods??? |
Aloha,
John A. |
|
|
|
javeiro
Lokahi
USA
459 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2007 : 11:46:07 AM
|
John, thanks for posting the link. It certainly is a beautiful guitar. I've always liked the looks of the Breedlove and that shape in particular on any guitar as opposed to a dreadnought. It's much more pleasing to the eye......or at least MY eye. I've owned many guitars in my life and only one of them has been a dreadnought and I don't have it any longer. Like Kurt, I've tried several Breedlove's but haven't yet found one that I had to have. Of course, I've never come across an Ed Gerhard Signature model yet!
Kurt: Put that on your list of guitars to try! |
Aloha,
John A. |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
Topic Locked
