Akquarius
Cheerfully Optimistic
Posts: 2,510
My main instrument is: Towet Fingerpicker, Dreizehnter SJ15 "Akquarius"
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"020202"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: f9a507
Mini-Profile Text Color: f9a507
|
Post by Akquarius on Mar 10, 2015 19:19:17 GMT
I'm just back from my visit to Luthier Jens Towet. I had planned half an hour to find out about his instruments in his showroom I stayed over 2 1/2 hours, played a lot, got blown away, discussed specs, had a nice cup of coffee, got the opportunity to hand select from his stock the tonewoods and ordered a guitar Specs will be as follows Jens Towet model Fingerpicker, OM size, venetian cutaway, traditional spanish construction, scalloped X braced top, slotted headstock, gloss top, back, sides and neck, optimized for medium gauged strings top: this alpine spruce back/sides: this indian rosewood (back and sides are the same wood, though the sides look brighter in this picture) neck: cedro fretboard & saddle: ebony, 45mm nutwidth tuners: Schaller Grand Tune VintageCopper, ebony version I'll have to wait a couple of months, of course, but will pay a visit to get the guitar's neck shaped to my liking. It will be quite likely that my new guitar will be with me when we meet in Halifax in September It will look close to the guitar I played today for quite a while: Jens Towet is a very nice guy and we really had a great time. On top of that, it is his birthday today so this acquisition was a kind of birthday order I had decided a while ago that I will not build up my guitar stable. So this guitar will replace my Lakewood M14 CP, which will have to go, I'm afraid.
|
|
|
Post by jonnymosco on Mar 10, 2015 19:23:54 GMT
Fantastic find - looks very exciting. The guy I started making my flamenco with studied at Newark, violins though.
Looking forward to the build. Lovely tuners and top wood.
Jonny
|
|
Martin
Administrator
Posts: 11,890
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"http://mandocello.org/lytebox/images/adirondack.jpg","color":""}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 0a530b
Mini-Profile Text Color: 4f3517
|
Post by Martin on Mar 10, 2015 19:27:24 GMT
Very nice, Bernd, and congratulations on the new commission It looks like it will be very special, and the tone woods are beautiful. I actually really like those copper Schaller tuners, very classy
|
|
Akquarius
Cheerfully Optimistic
Posts: 2,510
My main instrument is: Towet Fingerpicker, Dreizehnter SJ15 "Akquarius"
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"020202"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: f9a507
Mini-Profile Text Color: f9a507
|
Post by Akquarius on Mar 10, 2015 19:27:54 GMT
Thanks, Jonny and Martin. I'm still a bit above the clouds I'm celebrating this now with a glass of Glenkinchie and a nicaraguan San Fernanco Corona. Hm. Maybe it's time to join the C.O.G. ? On second thoughts: no. I'm still to young for this
|
|
|
Post by earwighoney on Mar 10, 2015 20:12:11 GMT
Thanks, Jonny and Martin. I'm still a bit above the clouds I'm celebrating this now with a glass of Glenkinchie and a nicaraguan San Fernanco Corona. Hm. Maybe it's time to join the C.O.G. ? On second thoughts: no. I'm still to young for this Age is inconsequential when it comes to being a C.O.G. Good work on the commission though! One of his guitars for a Lakewood seems like a good trade, I'm sure you won't miss the Lakewood too much. Nice to see the often under appreciated Indian Rosewood for your commission. Alpine/German/etc Spruce is my favourite type of spruce for acoustic guitars. Did you use the Grand Tune tuners on his guitars that you tried? What were they like? I have a lot of admiration for builders who make nylon strings in addition to steel strings and like Adrian Lucas carry aspects from one to the other for a more 'European' rooted guitar (ie Solera based).
|
|
Akquarius
Cheerfully Optimistic
Posts: 2,510
My main instrument is: Towet Fingerpicker, Dreizehnter SJ15 "Akquarius"
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"020202"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: f9a507
Mini-Profile Text Color: f9a507
|
Post by Akquarius on Mar 10, 2015 20:20:29 GMT
Thank you, earwighoney The guitar I played had indeed Grand Tunes, though not exactly this type, but nickel butterbeans. I tuned down to DADGAD, further down to CGDGCD and back up to EADGBE and they were very smooth and exact. I like them a lot! As far as I know, Jens Towet does mainly violins and nylon string guitars (or as we call them over here "concert guitars"), and even Celli. It's more like the addition in his portfolio are in fact steel strings. However this seems to change right now as he got some very positive reviews of his steelstring models in the press lately.
|
|
|
Post by earwighoney on Mar 10, 2015 20:41:46 GMT
Thank you, earwighoney The guitar I played had indeed Grand Tunes, though not exactly this type, but nickel butterbeans. I tuned down to DADGAD, further down to CGDGCD and back up to EADGBE and they were very smooth and exact. I like them a lot! As far as I know, Jens Towet does mainly violins and nylon string guitars (or as we call them over here "concert guitars"), and even Celli. It's more like the addition in his portfolio are in fact steel strings. However this seems to change right now as he got some very positive reviews of his steelstring models in the press lately. Thanks for the info about the Grand Tunes, I asked for them for my commission over the standard option of Waverleys. He must be a very talented woodworker to be able to construct violins and guitars as well. Yes, I have noticed in the German language, nylon string guitars are referred to as 'Concert Guitars' and steel strung guitars are referred to as 'Western Guitars'. I'm waiting for a couple of commissions myself. The commission starts really well with specifications chosen and other such things. Then the realisation of the impending wait dawns then time seems to deconstruct and the days become years (aside from having to pay for it).
|
|
leoroberts
C.O.G.
Posts: 24,656
My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
|
Post by leoroberts on Mar 10, 2015 21:14:46 GMT
Congrats, @bernd... Looks like some lovely wood you've got there. The spruce top looks quilted/bear-clawed and. I'm sure will look spectacular when polished up So Jens' birthday, and you've recently celebrated your 50th.. This commission was written in the stars. Fantastic news that it should make an appearance in Halifax, I hope you'll let me play..
|
|
|
Post by vikingblues on Mar 10, 2015 22:59:58 GMT
Congratulations Bernd - that's something to really look forward to! 'Twas a great looking guitar that you mainly played in those photos. There's a real style to the design. MArk
|
|
ocarolan
Global Moderator
CURMUDGEONLY OLD GIT (leader - to join, just ask!)
Posts: 34,105
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"c0cfe1"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 182a3f
Mini-Profile Text Color: 733a1c
Member is Online
|
Post by ocarolan on Mar 10, 2015 23:19:30 GMT
Congrats Bernd! Sounds like you had a great day. Some lovely pictures - I'm not usually a big fan of cutaways, but I do really like the heel/cutaway design in your picture. A personal neck fitting seems to be a really good idea too. Hope it will indeed be with you at HB6. Keith
|
|
Andy P
C.O.G.
Posts: 4,982
My main instrument is: Taylor 312ce, Guild D25, Deering 5 string banjo
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"8e2be1"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 060607
Mini-Profile Text Color: 0b0b0c
|
Post by Andy P on Mar 11, 2015 9:05:12 GMT
I know nothing about guitar construction, so I'm surprised to see that the spruce top is in two parts. I had assumed it was one piece of wood. Anyway, it all looks lovely and I bet you can't wait to get playing her!
|
|
ocarolan
Global Moderator
CURMUDGEONLY OLD GIT (leader - to join, just ask!)
Posts: 34,105
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"c0cfe1"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 182a3f
Mini-Profile Text Color: 733a1c
Member is Online
|
Post by ocarolan on Mar 11, 2015 9:20:26 GMT
I know nothing about guitar construction, so I'm surprised to see that the spruce top is in two parts. I had assumed it was one piece of wood. Anyway, it all looks lovely and I bet you can't wait to get playing her! Two halves is usual for tops, Andy, and for backs, though I have seen a very occasional one piece top on a very small guitar, and backs sometimes have 3 pieces, or even loads of smaller strips. Anyway, there's quite a few build threads in the relevant section you might enjoy looking through. Here's one from our own davewhite - www.acousticsoundboard.co.uk/thread/549/samhradh- which shows well the two piece top assembly, and also illustrates some of the less usual features of Dave's instruments (lots of carbon fibre rods, floating f'board especially). This is my octave mandolin being made by Dave- www.acousticsoundboard.co.uk/thread/1011/defaoite-octave-mandolin-video-addedand there's a similar thread very currently on the making of Martin's octave mando, which he expects to arrive by courier today! Keith
|
|
Andy P
C.O.G.
Posts: 4,982
My main instrument is: Taylor 312ce, Guild D25, Deering 5 string banjo
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"8e2be1"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 060607
Mini-Profile Text Color: 0b0b0c
|
Post by Andy P on Mar 11, 2015 9:31:46 GMT
Right, thanks Keith. I suppose being the most unpractical person on the planet makes me shy away from the technical stuff but it really is high time I learnt the basics of how a guitar is put together.
|
|
Akquarius
Cheerfully Optimistic
Posts: 2,510
My main instrument is: Towet Fingerpicker, Dreizehnter SJ15 "Akquarius"
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"020202"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: f9a507
Mini-Profile Text Color: f9a507
|
Post by Akquarius on Mar 11, 2015 10:04:18 GMT
Thanks a lot, Gentlemen, for your kind comments Fantastic news that it should make an appearance in Halifax, I hope you'll let me play.. You bet I will, Leo
|
|
Akquarius
Cheerfully Optimistic
Posts: 2,510
My main instrument is: Towet Fingerpicker, Dreizehnter SJ15 "Akquarius"
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"020202"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: f9a507
Mini-Profile Text Color: f9a507
|
Post by Akquarius on Mar 11, 2015 10:36:13 GMT
|
|