Post by dshevy on Jun 6, 2022 9:02:33 GMT
Hey All,
I never really thought i'd write a 'build thread' but here we are.
I grew up with a Fylde guitar in the house. My dad, who is left handed, was fortunate enough to buy a Caliban back in the Late 70's when Roger Bucknall was mainly building snooker queues. Long story short, as my dad was looking though the brochure at the workshop, Roger brought out the Caliban that had been a commission but not collected. It was at the time, his most expensive model and my dad, who at the time was jobbing actor immediately resigned himself to leaving without it. However, there had been a cold snap and so the finish had crazed and so Roger was looking to get back material costst only and so my dad paid in 3 post dated cheques and off he went.
Fast forward 35+ years and for a number of rather sad and personal reasons, my dad offered me the option of ordering a custom build whilst he is still around rather than as an inheritance later. We both play, though im right handed so no sharing . Orginally, i was looking to buy a 2nd hand Sobell instead, but missed out on 2 so spoke with Stefan just before he open his order book for his anniversary model. So that was the plan, until the final price was more than i thought was sensible for a working intsturment. With all this in mind, i was playing a second hand Oberon at Hobgoblin in London just before Lockdown 1 and suddenly it made sense to speak to Roger. For less than the total that i had to use, i could get 2 insturments.
We went back and forth on different body shapes and different top woods ect but in the end, i decided that there are some things that are ultimate truths. I like a 12 fret guitar. I love a 000 size guitar and i just dont like Cedar/ Redwood. My favoruite guitar is a 000-12 built by Dave King who has stopped building now as he has so much work as Martins main repair guy in the UK. And so after more emails with Roger, in August 2020 we agreed on 2x Small Falstaff's both with Spruce tops, one in Madagascan Rosewood as i love the look and i personally believe it gives more resoncance to Mid and Treble notes than Indian rosewood and a second in Bog Oak. Roger doesn't really believe in back wood effective sound but, a guitar made of 5,000 year old wood for a fok singer seemed right.
Roger is note really one for lots of photos so i will leave these here and when they arrive/ i collect them, i will do a full write up of both:
5CEA1420-7C89-44E4-9BD9-3E78ECAA4530_1_105_c by dshevelew, on Flickr
030425E4-EB69-4416-92D9-5DB11B8C1DCF_1_105_c by dshevelew, on Flickr
I never really thought i'd write a 'build thread' but here we are.
I grew up with a Fylde guitar in the house. My dad, who is left handed, was fortunate enough to buy a Caliban back in the Late 70's when Roger Bucknall was mainly building snooker queues. Long story short, as my dad was looking though the brochure at the workshop, Roger brought out the Caliban that had been a commission but not collected. It was at the time, his most expensive model and my dad, who at the time was jobbing actor immediately resigned himself to leaving without it. However, there had been a cold snap and so the finish had crazed and so Roger was looking to get back material costst only and so my dad paid in 3 post dated cheques and off he went.
Fast forward 35+ years and for a number of rather sad and personal reasons, my dad offered me the option of ordering a custom build whilst he is still around rather than as an inheritance later. We both play, though im right handed so no sharing . Orginally, i was looking to buy a 2nd hand Sobell instead, but missed out on 2 so spoke with Stefan just before he open his order book for his anniversary model. So that was the plan, until the final price was more than i thought was sensible for a working intsturment. With all this in mind, i was playing a second hand Oberon at Hobgoblin in London just before Lockdown 1 and suddenly it made sense to speak to Roger. For less than the total that i had to use, i could get 2 insturments.
We went back and forth on different body shapes and different top woods ect but in the end, i decided that there are some things that are ultimate truths. I like a 12 fret guitar. I love a 000 size guitar and i just dont like Cedar/ Redwood. My favoruite guitar is a 000-12 built by Dave King who has stopped building now as he has so much work as Martins main repair guy in the UK. And so after more emails with Roger, in August 2020 we agreed on 2x Small Falstaff's both with Spruce tops, one in Madagascan Rosewood as i love the look and i personally believe it gives more resoncance to Mid and Treble notes than Indian rosewood and a second in Bog Oak. Roger doesn't really believe in back wood effective sound but, a guitar made of 5,000 year old wood for a fok singer seemed right.
Roger is note really one for lots of photos so i will leave these here and when they arrive/ i collect them, i will do a full write up of both:
5CEA1420-7C89-44E4-9BD9-3E78ECAA4530_1_105_c by dshevelew, on Flickr
030425E4-EB69-4416-92D9-5DB11B8C1DCF_1_105_c by dshevelew, on Flickr