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Hey gang, just wanted to show you all the review I just got from the customer that I built the 12 string cutaway dred for. These are the kind of thing that make it worthwhile for me.

Dave -

ok, so I've had her for a week. She's absolutely incredible - more than I had hoped. She sounds killer, and I don't think she's opened up all the way yet. The neck is sooooo cool - fits my hand perfectly. I can barre chords so much cleaner - the 1 13/16 nut is just right. The profile is just perfect - just enough meat on the neck to play easily for hours. The spacing between courses is perfect - by narrowing the spacing of the pairs of strings, it opened things up and plays so cleanly - whether fingerpicking or strumming. The action is just right. No buzz. Anywhere. Plays so well in tune all the way up the neck too.

She's really gorgeous as well. I really don't think I've seen woods like this before. The back is so well bookmatched. The abalone inlay looks wonderful - and the lightning bolts came out just like I'd imagined.

You made the hat trick for sure. I wanted something that sounded killer, played well, and looked great. I can't see that I'd ever want another acoustic 12.

Thanks again - I'll get some pictures to you soon, and hope to get the studio cranked up as well for a clip or two...

frank


BTW, the curly maple and adirondack top and braces all came from Steve at Colonial. Steve went to a lot of trouble with pics and wait time for decisions and that sort of thing so I feel I owe him a very big thank you as well.

Thanks for looking!

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Thats all you can ask for 100%+1% satisfaction!
Good stuff - you must be very pleased.
Cheers
Charliewood

Very happy with you Dave, you deserve that my friend and i can't wait to see the pics that this customer will send!

Serge

Charlie/Hesh, thanks so much guys! This really made my day. You always hope you've done what a customer wants but you never really know until he gets his hands on it and takes it for a spin.Dave Rector39091.5132291667

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

GREAT JOB Dave! You are right, that is what it should be all about!

Congrats!

Shane

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Canada

Oops, guess you were posting while I was Serge. Thanks buddy, I appreciate your comments too!

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Great Dave, you can't buy advertising like that. You know who he'll be recommending to his mates if they want a guitar built.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Thanks Shane and Colin! Colin, that reminds me, I've gotta send him a sizable stack of business cards.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Way to go Dave. That is impressive!

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Nice job Dave. Get those picture ASAP, so we can see this thing.

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Matt Jacobs

"Don't tase me bro"

Congratulations, Dave!!! It's always nice to see good guys get their well-deserved kudos.

Exceeding the customer's expectations after toiling so hard...PRICELESS!!!

Looking forward to seeing the pics and hopefully hearing the clips.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Thanks Ron/Matt/JJ, I had a feeling that all my fellow OLFers would know just how nervous I was till I heard back from the customer.

Well, here's a couple of pics I had taken about a week or so before she left home.

The front (sort of).



The tail end.



And the back.



These will have to do until Frank sends me more pics.Dave Rector39091.7978125

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

OOOOOOH Man she's nice and i'll bet she sounds as great as she looks huh?

Looks really great Dave. I'm sure the positive feedback from the customer feels great, well deserved.

I get up to Norman often, sometime I would like to stop by and see your shop. My boys high school baseball team (Plainview) used to play Jones once in a while.

Serge, she sounded pretty sweet to me.

Marc, I'd be happy to have you drop by some time. Just give me a call when you are going to be in the area, that way I'll make sure to be home.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

That's a beaut, Dave...I love it all, including the gold tuners.

What tips can you reveal about the bracing, top thickness, etc that diffrerentiate it from a normal 6 string?

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Nice work Dave . An awesome looking twelve .

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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[QUOTE=JJ Donohue]What tips can you reveal about the bracing, top thickness, etc that diffrerentiate it from a normal 6 string?[/QUOTE]

That's the funny part about a 12 string JJ, there are really very few differences from a normal 6 string. I sought out opinions from the OLF and everyone said build it just like you would a six string. I did go just a tad thicker on the top and left the braces a little bit heavier though.

The things that were really different to me were carving the neck to the customer's spec and making a pinless bridge. Apparently, I got the neck just as he wanted it but we'll have to see how the pinless bridge holds up.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Wow, some review!! I guess you hit the spot with that one!
Congrats!

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

Way to go Dave.

That is really beautiful! great response from your customer and surely a reflection of your talent. I have never done a 12 string, what price range are you in on a guitar like this one? I still buy guitars from time to time to add to my GAS (Guitar Acquisition Sydrome not the other)

Mike

[QUOTE=MSpencer]what price range are you in on a guitar like this one? Mike[/QUOTE]

Mike, this one went for just under $4000. There were markups for the cutaway, 12-string and a L.R. Baggs Active Element system.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Dave,

It Ain't Braggin' ifn you kin do it!!! And you sure did!!!

Nice looking guitar! Great Review!