ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Apr 9, 2013 13:17:21 GMT
Curvy back? Or wide angle lens?
keith
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Apr 9, 2013 13:20:14 GMT
Curvy back  |
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Apr 9, 2013 13:21:39 GMT
Nice!
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Apr 9, 2013 13:22:20 GMT
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Post by Martin on Apr 9, 2013 14:59:49 GMT
While I'm not able to get any recordings up just yet, some musings: The guitar is one of the nicest looking dreadnoughts I've seen. I don't think the Dread shape is intrinsically very attractive (IMO), being somewhat 'blocky' in comparison with other shapes. This one manages the wide waistline and squarer shoulders very well, somehow seeming a bit sleeker and a bit more rounded than a standard Dread shape. I has also been built with the signature Taran arching of top and back, and while not as pronounced as some previous guitars, it is still significantly more than a standard dread. The woods appear to be Euro Spruce (top), Indian Rosewood (back/sides/headstock coverplate & backplate), Brazilian Mahogany (neck) and I guess spruce/sycamore for bracings and linings. The fingerboard is simple black ebony, as is the bridge. The strings on this are a medium/heavy set : 0.013" - 0.056", probably D'Addarios. Makes for thick tone but tougher to play. The guitar is a prototype, and it's important I say that because of a few factors. The insides are not french polished - no idea if this makes any difference at all, so I'll say it makes no difference  The neck appears to be bolted on - please let me know if I'm wrong here! Possibly because it's a quicker build to get an idea of what a Dread will be like. The tuners are quality gold Gotoh 510 pieces. I replaced the large chrome buttons with some mini-sized gold ones I had, and it looks better. The scale seems to be 650mm and the nut width 45mm - not sure of the exact string spacing at the bridge, but probably around 57mm.  |
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Apr 9, 2013 18:06:28 GMT
Interesting stuff Martin. The square shoulder dread look does nothing for me either, though round shouldered ones can look good alright, and I do like Roger's nearest to dread shape, Orsino/Falstaff with it's more nipped in waist. More to the point, the Fyldes don't sound like typical dreads.
How would you describe the sound of the Taran dread in relation to eg a Martin dread?
Do you have time to try some lighter strings on it, or will you have to change your doorlocks when Rory comes round....
Keith
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Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2013 18:22:03 GMT
What a great looking guitar. I guess I buck the trend here because I love the dreadnought shape myself- I once owned 2 very nice dreads, though they got moved on as I bought into the widely held belief that dreads don't make good fingerstyle guitars. Of course I know that to be rubbish now!
What is the guitar liked fingerpicked Martin? I too would be interested in how it compares with the typical Martin sound. A lot of English made dreads I've tried have never quite sounded like dreads to me.
'Tis a beautiful looking lass, but I can't help feeling that Rory's minimalist rosette, which looks great on his thinner waisted guitars, somehow doesn't do this guitar justice, and I think one of his new wider wooded rosettes would look just the job. Some the plainness of its top just over emphasises is wide girth!
I look forward to your thoughts on its sound anyway,
Robbie
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Post by Martin on Apr 9, 2013 20:45:46 GMT
Compared to a Martin dread? Hmm, I don't have a huge experience of the. I've owned a cheapo DXME and a D-16GT, and it's definitely comparable to the D-16 in terms of richness, but this has more power and perhaps more focus.
It's hard to say, but in the meantime I managed two recordings. They are both a bit dodgy, but this is to give a general idea of the sound.
Apologies to Mark Thomson for this, but at least I haven't tried to ruin this one before!
DADGAD, capo at 5th fret
https%3A//soundcloud.com/martin-robertson-7/leaving-stoer
Apologies to the world of country for this - I was going for a Mississippi John Hurt feel and ended up with a Wee Jimmy Krankie sort of sound, but what the hell? It's in standard, capo'd at the 3rd fret.
https%3A//soundcloud.com/martin-robertson-7/you-are-my-sunshine
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Post by andrewjw on Apr 9, 2013 21:00:42 GMT
That's a fabulous sound on Leaving Stoer Martin....listening on phones there is great balance across the strings and lovely sustain . The bottoms ,mids and tops sound clear and warm...very impressive! Well played too..  |
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Post by Martin on Apr 9, 2013 22:20:58 GMT
Thanks for the feedback, Andrew! Pic of the back this time:  |
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Post by Mike Floorstand on Apr 10, 2013 6:23:51 GMT
Thanks for recording these Martin, the warm bass is a lovely foil for the sparkling trebles, outstanding!
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Post by marcus on Apr 10, 2013 8:26:43 GMT
Lovely stuff Martin... I once had the pleasure of playing a guitar by Laurent Brondel from the States. He also builds with arched top and backs. It had great clarity and string separation that I also think I hear in your recording. I wonder if that has something to do with the arching? In any event, that sounds great. Cheers, Marcus
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Post by Martin on Apr 10, 2013 8:32:13 GMT
Thanks Joe, Marcus - I'm glad the character of the guitar is coming across in the recordings  |
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Post by jonnymosco on Apr 10, 2013 8:45:20 GMT
It looks and sounds a beauty; I was never that keen on the dreadnought shape (probably because I owned one when I was ten which swamped me) - but now find the Dreads and MDs made by Sobell, Kostal and now Taran very elegant. Good to see it without a cutaway.
Jonny
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Post by Martin on Apr 10, 2013 8:54:27 GMT
Cheers for that Jonny |
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Jo whoever he is.
