Custom Guitar

drkamal
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Mon Apr 13, 2009 10:18 am

I am hoping to build my dream custom guitar that should look stunning and sound good. Would like the shape of a small Jumbo with cutaway. I hope to use an Engelmann Spruce top but am uncertain about either using Ziricote or Macassar Ebony for the back and sides. Anybody out there with experience or advice about using Ziricote or Macassar Ebony for the back and sides? They look good but how do they sound?


samarks
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Mon Apr 27, 2009 9:09 am

A lot depends on the builder. Different tone woods have different sounds, but so do builders. Combination of top wood and backwood. Type, size and number of braces. Headstock construction, neck joint type, the issues are endless (and endless fun).

Best to find a builder who's sound you like and work with them on exactly what you want to tweak. It isn't all (or mostly) in the wood.

Steven


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neverfoundthetime
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Mon Apr 27, 2009 12:18 pm

From what I've researched Ebony back and sides have good mid and treble responses. The bass is not as deep as rosewood or even mahogany. As samarks stated, a lot depends on the builder, the type of guitar, and the quality of wood. For more info I found this link for you: http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/foru ... 08817.html I hope this helps!


acoustom
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Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:31 pm

Hi Karma,
I have a McPherson with a Carpathian top and Ziricote back and sides. It sounds just awesome. Great for strumming and playing softly. I use it for fingestyle also. It also is a beautiful looking wood. If you're going to have a builder make you one, be sure to check out all of his sets of Ziricote to find the one you like. Blessings, Tom :)


drkamal
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Fri May 01, 2009 11:05 am

Thanks for all the comments and advice guys. I have seen pictures of the McPherson guitars in AG magazine and their website and they look really stunning. Do the special designs; offset soundhole & cantilevered....etc, make a difference to the sound? You guys in the USA are lucky as you have access to many good luthiers who are able to build the guitar to your specifications. I live in Malaysia and I know of only 2 luthiers here and so I am getting one of them to build it for me, and he worked in Canada for awhile and assures me he can build me a quality instrument. Will be in San Francisco in early Aug this year and hoping to do some 'guitar window-shopping' Any recommendations?


tgjameela
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Fri May 01, 2009 11:31 am

It's hard to say what the offset soundhole, etc. do to the overall sound. I know the McPherson I played sounded and felt nice, but then so did a lot of "traditional" guitars I've played. Which luthier are you using in Malaysia? I know of one, Jeffrey Yong.

While in SF stop by GSP. Their website is http://www.gspguitar.com/ and also Real Guitars (SF's oldest vintage guitar store) http://www.realguitars.com/ There are quite a few more, but I'd recommend at least going to these two stores.

Have fun! If any of you are ever near Eugene, Oregon, we have one of the best acoustic guitar stores at McKenzie River Music--one of the few Collings dealers on the west coast! http://mckenzierivermusic.com/


drkamal
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Mon May 04, 2009 12:04 am

Jeffry Yong is a senior luthier who is quite established. He is actually more well known in the US than he is here in Malaysia and I actually found him while flicking the advertisement pages at the end of AG mag. Didn't know there were luthiers here at home before then! He builds very beautiful guitars and is actually a regular at the Healdsburgh (not sure of the spelling!) guitar festival. I am using a younger, less well known chap, called Edward of Freeman guitars. Any famous luthiers around the San Francisco area?

Thanks for all the info.


quincy451
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Mon May 04, 2009 12:51 am

drkamal wrote:
Any famous luthiers around the San Francisco area?

Thanks for all the info.
The most famous to me is Santa Cruz Guitar Co. (located about 45-50 miles south of SF). One of Neil's guitars is a SCGC. He also has an Ed Claxton--a maker also based in Santa Cruz. There are quite a few smaller-scale makers around there too.


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