NGD: Tangoing in Halifax

Tangoing in Halifax: Part 3


If you haven't already read Parts 1 and 2 above, please do so otherwise this final part will make even less sense. if you have, fear not for the end of this saga is now in sight.


The Wedding Pictures

At last, I hear you say, some pictures of the finished instrument:















Good as these photos are, they still do not quite do justice to the guitar, especially the delightful silking on the European Spruce top. To fully appreciate the materials and the workmanship, you really need to hold the thing. There is still time to book your passage to Halifax - see HERE..


How was it for you?

Each time I open Mae's case it makes me feel truly fortunate to have been to Halifax - something you don't hear said very often, even by Yorkshire folk.

The build took just over 3 months, as Dave said it would at the outset. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing (apart from Parcel Farce's brutality), thanks not least to being able to follow day-to-day progress on Dave's website.

The complete build can be seen in all its glorious detail at: LINK.

With Dave's free CD of these build photos loaded onto my new-fangled telephonic device, I shall now be able at will to bore innocent bystanders with my guitar's baby pictures.

Seeing a guitar evolve through such photographs is a forceful reminder of the luthier's skill and artistry. By the way, the note penciled by Dave on the soundboard alludes to my irrational - but no less hand-shakingly, bowel-emptyingly real - terror of playing in front of anyone. I hope Dave’s guitar will help me overcome this. If nothing else it is bigger to hide behind. All I need now are some bicycle clips...

I truly could not be happier with my new guitar. I had high hopes of something very special and Dave has completely exceeded my expectations. Mae complements my Fylde brilliantly. Two fabulous guitars with different strengths, providing double the reasons to play more and enjoy playing more. She sounds wonderful and is a complete joy to play. As a committed bedroom noodler, I absolutely love the soundport: you hear so much more in less than perfect surroundings. Should you be rash/wise enough to come to the Forum's gathering in 2017, you should have the chance to try Mae.

I am going to have a stab at recoding something over he next few months, my near obsessive perfectionism and performance pusillanimity permitting. In the meantime dave sent me some clips of his playing, which do better justice to Mae than I ever shall:

Maggie Cameron (DGDGCD)

McCrimmon's Lament (DGDGCD)

Frida (DADGAD)

Sleep sweetly, dream deeply (DADGAD) - composed by markthomson



And now, the end has come

Working with any luthier involves a sharing both of trust and of joy. Nothing compares with the sheer fascination of a bespoke build and the excitement of the whole commissioning process. Dealing with Dave simply could not have been any better. He is an expert in his craft and its science, and has some very intriguing thoughts on that are well worth reading about - see HERE

Throughout the build Dave was always helpful, accommodating, efficient and, last but by no means least, very friendly. He emailed at key decision points with options for me to choose between and carefully checked my preferences on set up, design etc. He dealt with the Parcel Farce debacle sympathetically and calmly. Since I returned home with Mae, Dave has remained interested in how I am getting on with the guitar. The end result is all I could have hoped for and more. I am completely persuaded now - so sorry fatfingerjohn - that everyone needs two guitars, at least! Or as Mae West herself put it so eloquently:

"Too much of a good thing can be wonderful."


To sum up, Dave is simply very, very good at what he does; and he has made an old man very, very happy.


Finis


Thank you for your patience in flogging through this Mills and Boon saga of requited love, though rest assured that no bodices were harmed in its making. If I have inspired you liberate the GAS that lurks within us all, however we may delude ourself to the contrary, this novella what I have writ will have served its purpose.

Well I could dream for 48 hours. Look forward to having a play in September if I can stand waiting in the queue. Of course you'll have to come out of the closet bedroom and give us all a demo!

You've clearly enjoyed the journey and now for the reward.

FFJ

It has a cork liner which works like a bung in a bottle (as distinct from a bung taken by a politician).



Brian 

Great thread Brian. Looking forward to hearing you play it at HB8

A well told story, brianr2 and davewhite. I enjoyed that.

Absolutely love it.  It took no time at all to get used to and I love what it does for the bass on my preferred short scale.   I also like the angled frets on the treble side, which help my small hands and short fingers at the the top of the fretboard.   Anyone who hasn't tried one should!



Brian

Brian, you've had me pissing myself laughing, had me head in me hands in despair, and ultimately breathing a huge sigh of relief at the end....an analogy of my own courtship and subsequent marriage really...


Bravo Pal, a truly superb guitar and thread. 




Love that sound port plug...now that is a good idea...