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While at the Miami show last week, I had quite a few players that would stick their noses in the sound hole to get a good whiff of the wood. It was almost like someone trying to quit an alcohol addiction and just getting a whiff of alcohol. Every one of them would comment on how good it smelled. I never really paid attention to this before.

Anybody else notice any unusual traits that players do when looking at guitars?

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Reguards,

Ken H

Oh yea! Then I had the one player that said he could taste notes and overtones when he plays. Played an IRW Sitka SJ for about 15 min., got up as said " UMMM whip cream" I never figured out if that was good or bad

he never gave me an order so I guess he was lactose intolerant

I heard (from a very reputable source) that Martin uses Spanish Cedar for their linings because it makes the guitar smell good.
-C

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Freeborn Guitars
and home of BeauGuard©

Hmmm. Maybe you should start gluing in raspberry or licorice tea bags. Really freak out the "all senses" players. I think that it is neat that players liked the smell of your guitars but I think smell should be considered in guitar building about as much as what way the wind is blowing when you brace the top. Interesting note though, I think I may have stuck my nose in few, so who am I to talk...

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Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils - Louis Hector Berlioz

Chansen / C hansen / C. Hansen / Christian Hansen - not a handle.

Christian

Michael,
That player may have had a rare "condition" called synesthesia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia
interesting...
d-

Soundhole sniffers are normal people. Most people love the smell of fresh cut exotic woods. Collings, Martin and others specifically use spanish cedar linings because of that spicy aroma....

Then there's that distinct vintage instrument aroma that is a whole other level of enticing. Addictive if you love it(many do!)

I'm a soundhole sniffer - it's actually a pretty good clue to dating old Gibsons.

For anyone fascinated with synesthesia, there's a great book to read called "The Man Who Tasted Shapes". I hope the author is a better neurologist than he is a writer , but the content is fascinating enough to keep you interested through to the end. Even aside from synesthesia, it give some wonderful insights in to workings of the mind and sensory perception in other ways as well.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

I use cedro for my linings and big braces purely for the smell.

WARNING - Explicit content - read and click at your own risk/discretion....

Ken there is a very good solution for sound hope sniffers:



Be sure to view the video here: http://www.liquidass.com/

Me too! I always get the comment of how good my guitars smell.

Thanks for the report Ken!
I was wondering what went on at the Miami Show?
I thought about having Zootwood samples at The Montreal Show to "scratch and sniff".
What do you think?

Wade

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Wade
Nashua, NH
http://www.wadefx.com

I may start making out all imbuia(sp) and then get in a time machine and go to 60's San Fran. Ashbury and "the hill" and set up a booth and sell guitars. The aroma of that would get them going. This is one the fella wanting shavings ought to get some of. That said, I do like the smell of the woods building at times (some not so good) and cedar linings when do them.

Yeah. Mark me down as a sniffer. I have become a little obsessive about it.

Why shouldn't an instrument appeal to all the senses?

I keep mine in the cases and I have a 15 year old acoustic that still smells good.

You may noit believe me but I won't buy an instrument anymore unless it has some at least a little appealing smell to it.