- I
am just finishing up 3 flat-tops, all commissioned pieces. The first is
a skinnified Dreadnaught, just over 15 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches
thick, in Honduras Mahogany and Carpathian Spruce. That'll go down to
Tempe, AZ. The second is a JB-16 in Pernambuco and European Spruce.
This is my second guitar from the newest quarter-sawn material I got a
year ago, and I have convinced myself that this is the do-wah stuff!
can hardly wait to put the strings on. The third is a 14 fret 00 in
Madagascar Rosewood and Italian Spruce. There is something special
about both these last tow pieces, and it's in the next paragraph.
- I have made another bold move in my
process to find perfect tonal balance. Two of the guitars I am making
right now feature MultiScale string paths, but with a new twist.
Instead of my relatively subtle 1/2" difference btween shortest and
longest string lengths (many makers use ove an inch) , I am making
these with just a hair over 1/4" difference. It's so subtle one may
wonder why bother, but I am pretty sure it;ll be worth the price of
admission. I should know in a week.
- I have a world class "new" set of
the highest quality Brazilian Rosewood. Old growth, perfectly straight,
absolutely quartered, and flitch matched, which means the side don't
just resemble the back, they are ajacent pieces. I also hace Church
Bell Cocobolo, New stock of Malaysian Blackwood, and Cuban Mahogany
since last I updated this page. Please have a look in the woodlocker!
- All of my wood
BRW is either very well seasoned (old), or hand
picked from that offered by my local StumpWood connection, plus one set
from Florida and that has a document.
- I have
three kinds
of
backlogs in my guitar making. As far as dealer commitments are
concerned I have 2 years of work. I do not allow my work load to excede
this length. For private commissions I am about a
year out. I have a third hierarchy which are the instruments I build
for myself. I make about a fifth of my guitars strictly on spec in
order to maintain my artistic integrity, and I sell most of these to
people who are in the right place at the right time, and occasionally I
put one on consignment somewhere if I'm not feeling too socially active.
<>This year I planned
to participate in NO Festivals! I just want to make guitars, which is
undoubtedly what I do best. Despite the current economic downturn, I
seem to have as much work as I ever have, possibly more. However, I am
headed up to the Grass Valley Bluegrass festival next week, Thurday
June 17 thru Sunday, June 20. I will be showing my new Dread and
several othe instruments, including some Violins and String Basses I've
accumulated. I will also have tools and a bench for setting up String
Basses, which I do While-You-Wait. I have done over 50 of them over the
years at this festival, and people have come to expect it.
- I
have put
considerable time into creating a List of
all my instrument work since day one! Unfortunately, I didn't realize I
was pursueing my lifes work for the first several years, and there is
much I do not recall. Please have a look, and if you know something I
haven't recorded, let me know. I have included the customers or current
owners names in many cases, and if yours is there against your wishes,
let me know and it will go.
- I have been spending
a lot more time write stuff. I am working on a book sized project
and making decent headway. I am also writing some smaller things, and
they are liable to show up on my musings page. I
just put a story about my relationship with the Multi-Scale
concept up. Encourage me if you like! If you don't like it, keep it to
yourself as I am fragile about this new endevor. Thanks!
- I have recently
updated my Testimonials page. I
resisted this kind of self-promotion for years, but it turns out people
feel a lot less at risk treating themselves to my work knowing that
they are not tthe only one. You are not alone!
- Finally,
I am
getting my "WoodLocker" nicely
populated with pictures
of some of the great wood I've got for my customers to choose for their
new commission. Have a look!
|
