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Hi. These are some pics of a git I finished on 5/2/05. Kind of experimental. Thought some of you might get a kick out of it. Alan

Nice rosette!

Looks great, Alan!

What is your opinion on the sound?

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Hi C. I played an old guitar from the '40s, right when I started this one, and it had this radical arced top and back, was about 2" thick at the widest point, and it sounded loud and full, so I went with that, except made it fatter. This one is really LOUD! Not perfectly balanced, but fair, and it is very bright. Bass response is pretty good too. Because it doesn't have a pin bridge, you can put heavy strings on it. I've been keeping it in high dobro G tuning, but it sounds great in some of the C tunings as well. Alan.

Hey, what happened to great job, and all that other crap you give to everyone else. Sorry, I finally posted something I built, and it really is an amazing guitar, and I know, because I play them! My premise is, I'm going to build some gits, and not get real fancy now, because I want to build good sounding gits. Fancy ones later. I'm leaving this forum, not because I need validation, but because all you guys want to build stuff to impress each other. That's cool, I respect that, but for now, bye-bye. Thanks Carlton for your advice on how to to be tactful with people, thanks Hesh, I love the stuff you make, and Dave White, you are awesome, as well as so many other of you guys!

I guess my feelings are a little bit hurt. Alan.

Hey Alan,

Take a drink from that bottle in the lap slide picture and come back - you love it here already. I think just about everyone gets their feelings hurt from time to time - part of an internet forum's "Rights of Passage"

That looks an interesting guitar. As you know I'm a big fan of big arches in backs and tops. I think it helps give great volume, projection and sustain and gives a lot of support to mids and trebles. Check out Stefan Sobell where my inspiration came from. He got the idea from an old Martin archtop guitar, but the Larsen brothers built in this style way back and I suspect that your old guitar may have been one of theirs or in that ilk.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Alan Nice Job!!
Thats a radical departure.... Ive never seen one with an arch like that - very cool!! - and its very interesting to note how loud it is as well - thanks for the info,
tidbits like this are very useful for the old grey matter databank!
I think its attractive enough as well, theres nothing wrong with that little beaut- I love the rosette, very cool
I hope your not seriously leaving - I know sometimes its easy to get impatient when your waiting for comments, but sometimes it takes a little bit before they roll in
        - "especially on weekends" -
alot of guys are in church on Sundays around here - others are hanging out with thier grandkids or other family members - fishing etc -
Sometimes threads get overlooked, you should see some of mine LOL -
"test, test, hello? is this thing on?"

Cheers
Charliewood

dude!!!! That guitar rocks!!
One of the coolest one I've seen so far!!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Hi Alan,
        First of all , I doubt there is anyone on the forum who hasn't been disappointed or hurt or got mad or been frustrated at some time . It's a kind of trait with forums of this type . It's difficult to not take it personally , but the feelings soon pass. There are also times where the forum ,for unknown reasons, isn't as active as it normally is .

I'm always very interested in experimental projects such as yours . It takes a fair commitment and courage to go ahead with these designs . Without guys such as yourself , instruments will not advance at all.

Your guitar is very attractive with that superb bearclaw top . I also like the rosette . The arch's are very similar to Dave's guitars . Great work on the fit and finish too Alan .

Well done mate   

Cheers Craig

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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Alan,

I'm working on catching up with threads right now, and I'm sure it happens with others, too. Don't be discouraged.

That is a pretty darn cool instrument! Did you build the plates on a strict cylindrical arch, rather than a dome? What radius?

Generally it's a bad idea to use a tailpiece on a non-carved top, because it just doesn't allow the strings enough "drive," so it's quite interesting to read your positive results. Maybe it has to do with more neck mass, or, if it's hollow, more air space. I suppose it could be just the different way it's played from a standard flat top guitar. In any case, it's very creatively done!

Hmmm... posted on Sunday afternoon, bailed on the forum later that evening because you didn't get many responses. I'm sure I'm not the only one who doesn't spend a lot of time here on the weekends (slow connection at home, spending time with the family, etc.) Like Carlton, this is the first time I've seen this thread.

Alan, I would encourage you to stick around. From what I can see, you have done a great job. I would like to see some close-ups (rosette, please!) and get some more details on your design.

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Alan, Stick around! It is a great looking guitar and very original looking. Like the others, I think the rosette is very sharp. Please post some close-ups.