- Yesterday,
as I write, I delivered the two latest Schoenbergs. One was ordered
from him by a customer, the other was ordered from me by Eric on
speculation. The first was a Brazilian/Carpathian 00 14 fret cutaway.
We call this an 00OM. Very nice guitar, too. Eric says I am getting
better. You and I know this, of course, but it's nice to have a third
opinion. The other was his first Pernambuco Schoenberg, a 000 Standard
with an Italian Spruce top. It has all the clarity I've come to expect
from the P-wood, but has a depth in the bass beyond any of it's
brothers and sisters.
- I also completed another Sexauer 0 last
week. My second in Pernambuco. I used some wood I got less than a year
ago, the first Pernambuco I've seen wide enough for 2 piece guitar back
and also quarter sawn. The tree is only supposed to get about 8" in
diameter, so this had to be one honkin' giant! Probably 20 inches.
Although I built it w/o anyone in mind, the guitar sold as soon as I
admitted it was finished. Am I lucky or what?
- So I started a new 0 yesterday. This one
will be Brazilian/Italian, and will be the first fully asymmetrical 0
sized guitar. I've done several with the multi-scale treatment, but
this will be special. Michael Ng was in the shop for a nut adjustment
(cut it out) and I was sketching already, so he asked why I hadn't done
an asymmetric 0 and I told him I didn't think it would look good. He
provoked me by telling me everything I did looked good, so I drew it
up. I love it and being out of control the way I am, I'm building it. Here's the
sketch.
- I have raised my prices as of September
1, 2009, my previous adjustment was in 2007. This will not affect
orders before this date, and in fact makes my older guitars worth more
than they were, possibly in reality as well as the abstract.
- I have a world class "new" set of
the highest quality Brazilian Rosewood. Old growth, perfectly straight,
absolutely quartered, and flitch matched, which means the side don't
just resemble the back, they are ajacent pieces. I also hace Church
Bell Cocobolo, New stock of Malaysian Blackwood, and Cuban Mahogany
since last I updated this page. Please have a look in the woodlocker!
- All of my wood
BRW is either very well seasoned (old), or hand
picked from that offered by my local StumpWood connection, plus one set
from Florida and that has a document.
- I have
three kinds
of
backlogs in my guitar making. As far as dealer commitments are
concerned I have 2 years of work. I do not allow my work load to excede
this length. For private commissions I am about a
year out. I have a third hierarchy which are the instruments I build
for myself. I make about a fifth of my guitars strictly on spec in
order to maintain my artistic integrity, and I sell most of these to
people who are in the right place at the right time, and occasionally I
put one on consignment somewhere if I'm not feeling too socially active.
<>This year I plan
to participate in NO Festivals! I just want to make guitars, which is
undoubtedly what I do best. Despite the current economic downturn, I
seem to have as much work as I ever have, possibly more. After 10 years
of doing Luthier's Consortium, a NAMM Anahein-centric guitar festival
of my creation, I am going to give that a rest as well. It was a great
thing, and you should have been there!
- I
have put
considerable time into creating a List of
all my instrument work since day one! Unfortunately, I didn't realize I
was pursueing my lifes work for the first several years, and there is
much I do not recall. Please have a look, and if you know something I
haven't recorded, let me know. I have included the customers or current
owners names in many cases, and if yours is there against your wishes,
let me know and it will go.
- I have been spending
a lot more time write stuff. I am working on a book sized project
and making decent headway. I am also writing some smaller things, and
they are liable to show up on my musings page. I
just put a story about my relationship with the Multi-Scale
concept up. Encourage me if you like! If you don't like it, keep it to
yourself as I am fragile about this new endevor. Thanks!
- I have recently
updated my Testimonials page. I
resisted this kind of self-promotion for years, but it turns out people
feel a lot less at risk treating themselves to my work knowing that
they are not tthe only one. You are not alone!
- Finally,
I am
getting my "WoodLocker" nicely
populated with pictures
of some of the great wood I've got for my customers to choose for their
new commission. Have a look!
|
