Official Luthiers Forum!

Fellow OLF'er Russell Rose came to visit today and we had a great day talking guitar making and playing guitars. What a really great guy he is, I had a real blast of a day. I also got to play Russell's new Cocobolo guitar. It's a sweet little guitar with a nice balance across the strings and a loud voice that belies it's small size. The bass is really nice and you get that "thump" against your belly (mine's large enough as you will soon see!) as the the back vibrates with the lower notes. Great for fingerstyle, flatpicking and strumming - as with my experience with Euro Spruce tops they start great and just get better - for a less than a week old guitar it sounds very mature already. Lovely clean build as well - the cocobolo is gorgeous and the London plane binding really sets it off. Also the cherry works really nicely for a neck. The guitar is also nicely balanced physically to play and to prove it here are a couple of pics of us "sad old Brits" playing it. Russell first, then me - (note that Russel is a great student and after a morning's hard teaching can now play right handed - well at least hold the guitar "professionally" ):





On top of that he brought me a neck blank each of cherry and Cedar of Lebanon - what a star and a gentleman Can't wait to make a return visit down to South Wales.

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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

Thanks Dave

We do look a happy pair in those Photos don't we

My Thanks for your warm hospitality, I really enjoyed the oppurtunity to see and hear your guitars, and talk guitar making.


For those of you who have not seen Daves Work, he uses some very inovative design to create beautiful instruments, I was blown away by the projection and sweetest of tone of Daves guitars you can literally feel the sound of the instruments hitting you    The kind of guitars you listen to, and smile.
(Should have took a photo then )

Oh and if anyone tells you Sycamore is not suitable for guitar Tops, I suggest they listen to Daves, it will change your mind.

My Warmest Thanks RussellR38673.7975

Nice to see you guys across the pond getting together! Great looking guitar for sure.

Hey, don't you guys smile over there?

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Don

We can only Smile when the queen gives us permission

I Forgot to mention I got the chance to look over Daves adaptation of your binding jig, Great design all round.

Here is a stupid and probably insensitive question. Which one is Russell and which Dave. Is someone wearing a Seattle shirt?

I want to go to South Wales. I may just pop over this summer, or perhaps the next.

Hi John

I'm the one wearing the Seattle T Shirt

You know you would be welcome in Wales, give me shout if you are coming over.

Hey Russell
   Good to put a face with a name. I have been to the UK twice and had a great visit both times. I would love to do it again.

John

Hi John

Well you have a place to stay in South Wales.

Russell

Good to see you guys getting together. Hopefully you both learned something or got some inspiration from the meeting.

Dave's sycamore topped guitar sounds interesting. May we have some details/pics Dave?

Russell - I really like the shape of your guitar. Did you buy a pattern or plans or sketch it from pics? I'd like to build one like it.

Thanks, guys.

Hi Bruce

The shape is based on John Halls OOO/OM Bending Form.

Russell - Thanks!

Can I apologise on behalf of my nation for inflicting those pictures on all you poor innocent guys out there. No one should have to bear such trials.

Both great builders though!

Colin

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

Colin dude! You saying I'm not handsome?

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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

Dave,

"Handsome is as handsome does", and you do build handsome guitars!

Colin

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