|
Post by sigmadel on May 5, 2014 20:55:54 GMT
I'd been pondering this question myself Martin and would have posted sooner but our internet connection has been on and off (mainly off) the past week . Hopefully all will be well on that front tomorrow morning . As for the guitar well ....Its a lowden F , with either African blackwood or Cocobolo b&s and an Adriondack top with Adriondack bracing . The back would be 3 piece with a triangular middle section running around halfway up the back . This would be a flame Maple . The neck would be 6 piece Mahogany, Ebony, Walnut . And the binding would be Tortoise shell (imitation of course) the purfling would be a narrow strip of green Abalone and the sound hole would be a narrow strip then a wider then another narrow one again in green Abalone . The fretboard would be Ebony with a Maple tram line, medium frets and a leaf inlay at the 5th 9th and 12th fret again in green Abalone . I'd also like a lathkin bevel in the Tortoise shell too . Electrics wise a K&K system . The headstock would have an Ebony veneer with the lowden writing in Abalone again of a green colour . Gold Goto 510 tuners with amber button heads and all encased in a custom fit Hiscox artist case in green with a purple interior . Oh and I nearly forgot a clear scratch plate and a satin sheen finish . That would be me I reckon happy forever until something else caught my eye or I decided on this same model but with a Cedar top as I'm really loving the sound it makes just now .
|
|
scotch
Cheerfully Optimistic
Posts: 482
|
Post by scotch on May 6, 2014 20:35:38 GMT
Well my Lowden is very close to my dream guitar. But I think this guitar is the closest to my dream guitar : www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182485Body to be the same size as a full Jumbo. Red Wood Top, Top grade Walnut for Back and sides. Would like a Top and Back Bevel. The Rossette being something more like a Greenfield of a Kostal. Bindings with Sycamore. Keep the Scoop Cutaway. Then I would have multi scale. Not as severe as Lowdens but enough to push the bass and allow a good drop tuning.
|
|
|
Post by vikingblues on May 7, 2014 7:43:45 GMT
Maybe you already have it, but if you could design a dream guitar, and either build it yourself or have a friendly neighbourhood luthier do the honours, what would you go for? I don't mean a guitar that's already out there, but something you would specify yourself without restriction. For example: - what size would it be? - what shape? - what scale (maybe multiscale?)? - what nut width/neck width? - how many strings? - what tonewood would you use for the top? - what tonewoods would you use for the back and sides? - what materials would you use for the neck, fingerboard and bridge? - would you specify bracing (pattern, shape etc) or other aspect affecting the voice? - what hardware would you specify (tuners, strings, saddle, nut)? - would you have electronics for amplification (if so, what?)? - what characteristics would this guitar have and for what reason (arched top, bevel, cutaway etc)? - if not building it yourself, who would you choose to build the guitar for you? - if you've had experience of ordering a custom guitar before, in hindsight what would you do differently this time? Just a bit of fantasy fun for a Friday An interesting question, and a tricky one too, not least because it makes me realise how little I really know about or understand acoustic guitars. I'm amazed how many of you replying to the thread already have such a clear picture of what you'd like. But I suppose I'm only about 6 months in to acquiring knowledge on acoustics, so that's my plea in my defence. Generally find I prefer, out of line with popular opinion, the sound of smaller body guitars. From a practical point of view I also find them easier to play and more comfortable too, so that translates into relatively better playing. Scale - I do prefer the shorter scale (630mm max) - again that's a practical choice for creaky old fingers not having too much strain put on the joints. Nut width - again out of line for popular opinion given my attempts to get better at fingerstyle I don't like the wider nut and stick at 43mm sort of width. Again a comfort thing, and an attempt to minimise too much finger and joint stretching. I'll stick with 6 strings - plenty of "fun" with multi strung beasts in my mandolin family. A fairly brief run in with a 12-er guitar has not left me with much desire to wrestle with one again. Wrestling with a cittern will be more than enough for me thank you very much! My taste for sounds from tonewoods seem to run to cedar and redwood sort of sounds rather than spruce - seem to suit my gentler playing touch and bring out a sweetness in melody notes. While I always found myself drawn to mahogany on electrics I find they're usually too "warm and rich" for my tastes on acoustics. As a plus my preference reduces in a big way the range of choice of shop bought acoustics at my relatively modest budget price levels. Seems like luthiers have a much higher proportion of cedar tops than the guitar shops do. I'm not too fussed with electronics, but I haven't experienced high quality expensive ones, so I'd need to check that out. The basic sort of stock factory electronics don't seem to capture much of the sounds of individual guitars they're installed in to me, and there's less need for electronics for a non-gigger anyway. So currently no idea at all really! When it comes to bracing and the like I feel quite at sea - and with no compass. Very difficult to express any opinion. I guess it would be a case of hearing how different bracing might sound on examples of a particular luthiers guitars. I've never tried to build an acoustic guitar. I've done electric guitars and an electric bass, though I've never tackled making a neck for myself. Anyway - that stretched me (more than) enough - the thought of the extra difficulties of making an acoustic gives me a chill feeling. So it would need to be built for me. I think I'd probably irritate the hell out of a luthier with my level of uncertainties as to what I need. Can't help feeling that pretty detailed and lengthy talks with a luthier while trying out their instruments would be essential if getting one built for you. On principle I don't let myself try out expensive high end quality guitars because I can't stand the thought of finding out how good something can be that I can't afford! Such a strong danger that it would sour my liking for what I already have too and I'm unwilling to take the risk. If I could afford to have a guitar built for me I could also take the risk of trying out expensive guitars and would get (hopefully) a better knowledge from doing that. Difficult to see how that will happen though - more chance of being struck by lightning than winning the lottery ..... wonder if anyone's been struck by lightning while going to claim their lottery win? Mark
|
|
Wild Violet
Artist / Performer
Posts: 3,556
My main instrument is: Symonds OM-14
|
Post by Wild Violet on May 7, 2014 12:47:07 GMT
12-fret paddlehead Dreadnought, Adirondack top and Brazilian (or Madagascar or Amazon) rosewood back and sides. 1 3/4" FWI nut and FWI saddle, ebony bridge and fretboard. No scalloped anything, straight non-shifted non-scalloped bracing. Koa binding. Waverly tuners. It would most likely have "Martin" on the headstock. I ordered a custom 12-fret 000 Alpine/Rosewood Martin years ago before I really knew what I wanted. It was a nice guitar but it was other people's opinions I relied on rather than my own and I soon realized it was not the guitar for me. I sold it about 6 months after I received it.
|
|
leoroberts
C.O.G.
Posts: 24,538
My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
|
Post by leoroberts on May 7, 2014 18:14:05 GMT
Gibson SJ200 in maple. Always wanted one. Always will. Won't ever get.
|
|
|
Post by scorpiodog on May 7, 2014 18:27:04 GMT
Do you know Leo I've always wanted a J200 Only ever played one once. It has to be said they are quite unique both in appearance and in sound. But I suspect the appeal may be short lived. They seem to me out and out strummage machines. Astonishing depth and richness though. I guess that's why they're maple. I bet they'd be unbelievably boomy in anything else. Maybe I'll get one for my next big birthday in 9 and a half years. Just in time to leave it to the kids!
|
|
|
Post by ararat66 on May 7, 2014 21:27:24 GMT
GASsing after one of these right now (80 % sure I won't get this side of my 50th which is 2 1/2 years off :-O) 'esp formula nt ii honey' the honey coloured one not the metalheaded black one - not at all acoustic. My present semi bari is ace - would like a Selmer like acoustic but modified a little acoustically like a super strat is to a strat electrically.
I can't complain though.
Leon
|
|