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Italian / English Walnut OM
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Author:  Colin S [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 1:31 am ]
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Well, I’ve finished my latest guitar an Italian Spruce/English Walnut OM. This one has been made specifically to be played in DADGad and some of the other altered tunings. It’s very much in my style, I like to keep all of the woods in the same colour palette, so this may be a bit retrained for some. Dave described it as ‘Lowdenesque’ which is good enough for me.

Top: Italian Spruce from Luiggi
Back/sides: English Walnut
Binding: London Plane, with bookmatched English Walnut and ebony/pear/ebony purfling
Neck: English Cherry (as is head and heel block)
FB and bridge: Madagascan rosewood
Rosette: English walnut with ebony/pear/ebony purfling
Nut/saddle/bridge plate laminate: Camel bone
Finish: French polish, of course.

As you would expect from me the top is ‘parabolic’ braced as is the X-braced back. It uses my normal bolt on neck with fingerboard glued to a neck extension which floats



It’s set up for a very low action, to allow faster playing for some of the Celtic music it’s been built for, kind of like a steel string flamenco guitar. In a couple of months, when it’s reach full hardness, I’ll probably take some OOOO wool and oil and knock the French polish back to a softer lustre.











You wouldn’t expect me to post a new instrument without a soundclip, so this is an Isle of Skye double-jig played in DADGad.

Talisker

Colin
Author:  Dave White [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 1:48 am ]
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Colin,

That looks fabulous!! You can't beat wood when it's as tastefully done as that. Definitely Lowdenesque looks but your own sound. Really nice for fingerstyle - it's a fast piece but you can hear all the notes across the range crystal clear.

As I said in my e-mail I hear Richard Thompson, Kelly-Joe Phelps, John James and some echoes of Martin Simpson in your playing there. Lovely piece and arrangement and fantastic guitar.

Is that the first one you've done with a soundport? What do you think of them? I really love them. Did you Tru-oil the neck in the end or FP it?

Author:  Anthony Z [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 1:54 am ]
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Colin as your American cousins would say .... that's real purdy.

More importantly -- it sounds great! I really like the Skye jig clip -- Talisker -- what a fine dark peaty highland whiskey with a colour as nice as your fine guitar.
Author:  Andy Matthews [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 2:07 am ]
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A total beauty! Where did you source the walnut?

Also, where abouts in the UK are you?
Author:  Sam Price [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 2:08 am ]
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Colin, I really enjoy seeing what the UK luthiers build, and am stunned by this one!!!! It is evocative of the British style of building, I see a similar "organic" syle amognst the likes of Russel Rose, Dave White, and also reminds me of some of the Brook Guitar and Lowden range.

Totally right up my street with regards to appointments, design, etc.

What a well-balanced tone and response! The crispy sweetness of the sound of Walnut back and sides is something that is growing on me, especially with my walnut cittern.

Well thanks, Colin. You British builders really inspire me.

Author:  Dave Anderson [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 2:21 am ]
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Colin, I Really like this guitar. Elegant and simple
and sounding great! Excellant work .
Love that English walnut back and sides and
matching rosette and top purf.Just gorgeous!!
Author:  LanceK [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 2:22 am ]
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The word that comes to mind, Lovely!

Nice stuff Colin!
Author:  Wade Sylvester [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 2:30 am ]
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Colin,
You continue to inspire from the other side of the pond!
Very nice combo.
How did you arrive at that port hole size?

Wade
Author:  zac_in_ak [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 2:44 am ]
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nice Colin I really enjoy your building style it inspires me. I love the low key contrast very subtle and pleasing to my eye. Did you play that song? If so  you play pretty good!      
Author:  charliewood [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 2:47 am ]
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Colin
Somehow that just looks like a perfect dadgad machine doesnt it>? - I dont know how you do it!
A tuning for every guitar and every guitar in its tuning -
Seriously though... beautifully crafted, and I love the simple but elegant touches such as the pear and ebony binding scheme - Awesome work!
Cheers
Charliewood
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 3:53 am ]
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Colin, really great.  Beautiful guitar, and the sound is outstanding for the application you designed it for.  Your playing is also impressive as it has been in the other clips I've heard.  Nice!

Author:  burbank [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 4:28 am ]
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Really a beauty, there Colin, and she sounds wonderfu.
Author:  peterm [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 4:47 am ]
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Escellent work!!! Very nice!
Author:  Don Williams [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 5:08 am ]
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Lance called it....It's a "lovely" instrument. Extremely tasteful in all respects. Nicely done.
Author:  Steve Kinnaird [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 5:29 am ]
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Ooooh, Colin, that's sweet!
As one not too averse to bling, I can still appreciate the beauty in understatement. There's "Needlessly Spartan", and then there's "Elegant Restraint". You nailed the latter.

The color of that English cherry is remarkable. Looks nearly like a light mahogany, or dark maple. It matches the sapwood in the back perfectly.
AND---is that a double line of walnut in the purfling?

Thanks for the pix,

Steve
Author:  Arnt Rian [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 7:05 am ]
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Sweet instrument, Colin! Too bad there is no sound on this computer, I will have to listen to it tomorrow at work. I can tell from here that it will sound sound good though, got to love that Picea abies.

Is that a standard OM shape, or is it your interpretation? It looks a little different to my eyes, but that could be the purfling I guess.
Author:  Cocephus [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 8:39 am ]
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Nice guitar, Colin!


I think I like the OM shape you have with this one versus mine. Is it yours?


 
Author:  Colin S [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 9:00 am ]
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Thanks for your kind comments everyone, most appreciated. I'm pleased with the sound of this one and as you know that's the main thing for me. I think I've got my bracing scheme finally the way I want it. And, the walnut just seems to let the top do its thing. For DADGad I need to have a big fast sound across the board, but with clarity, so far this one seem to be producing.

Dave, yes it's the first soundport I've done from scratch, though I have retro-fitted one to a couple of earlier guitars, I like the effect enormously. The thing I like about you Dave is that I get comparison to Lowden and Richard Thompson in one posting! Life doesn't get much better. Yes, True oil on the neck, following your programme.

Anthony, I do a lot of research on or near Skye and Talisker is my favourite whisky. In my youth I was a keen climber and Lough Corrusk at the foot of the Cuillin mountains on Skye is the most beautiful place on Earth.

Zac, yes that's me playing, my wife calls it one of my 'show off' pieces. She's the real musician in the family.

Steve, the English cherry has become my favourite neck wood, it's a little denser and heavier than mahogany but seems to add a lot of controlable sustain. the pics didn't really bring out the beautiful range of colours in the cherry. No, binding is London Plane then the purfling is Walnut ebony/pear/ebony.

Body shape is my own adaptation of the pre-war Martin.

Colin
Author:  bob_connor [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 9:11 am ]
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Beautiful work Colin and sounds superb.

Cheers
Author:  GregG [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 11:07 am ]
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Beautiful guitar and wonderful playing, I enjoyed both!

Greg
Author:  Alexandru Marian [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 11:17 am ]
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Sweeeeeet walnut and the sound is GREAT ! 
Author:  John K [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 11:53 am ]
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Very nice work Colin.
   So...almost everything seems to be English, except the finish and its French. I'm not quite sure what to make of that.
   At any rate, like my bro, I am partial to bling, but can appreciate elegance when I see it, and I sure do see it in your work.
   Thanks for the pics.

John
Author:  John K [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 11:58 am ]
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I wanted to ask you about your bracing. The ends don't taper much and I am curious about how you get the excellent bass notes. Could you possible give their maximum height and thicknes, and the thickness of the top around the soundhole.

I thought I did a porpoise style brace profile, but mine is really not much like yours at all.
Author:  old man [ Wed Jul 04, 2007 2:12 pm ]
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Colin, my friend, that was a feast for the eyes and ears!!!
I really love the UK approach in building and finishing. That is a beautiful instrument!! You know how big a fan I am of your music, too. Because of dial up I don't hear many of the clips posted, but I always try to hear yours. Absolutely wonderful.

Ron
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