Comments for Guitarbench

Comment on 2006 Franklin Prairie State. SN 586 by Bevan

Bevan — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:33:19 +0000

wow what a beauty – these things sound awesome too : )

Comment on Jack Spira Ditson Style Guitar Build Diary 1 by Dion Morse

Dion Morse — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:12:22 +0000

Hi Jack – just a modest update on the Ditson tenor Guitar you built for me a few years ago … in one word, remarkable! For such a small bodied guitar, it has a room filling sound and which is a delight to both me and who ever is listening. Thanks again for the terrific instrument(s). I am still trying to come up with what I’d like you to build for me next.

- for others reading this, this is a 22. inch scale, 4 string tenor with a floating bridge rather than a pin style. It is all OZ woods with a very successful King Billy top and an amazingly rich Tasmanian Blackwood back and sides. The King Billy top works will with the floating bridge as the flex and tension are all in one direction; down, rather than the torque twisting which happens in a pin bridge. I had this built as a rhythm instrument and it is superb … the real surprise is the way it has matured into a very rich finger style instrument. Fun instrument to play and a real crowd stopper.

Pix of this gem are http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?57186-Spira-Tenor&highlight=Jack+Spira

Thanks again Jack for a remarkable instrument.

Dion – Chicago

Comment on An interview with Steve Baughman | Feature Article by martysacousticandelectricguitar

martysacousticandelectricguitar — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 07:11:53 +0000

I know what you mean about having that feel inside to guide your hands when you play. I sometimes use the strings to harmonize with my voice when I play alone. Love to hear you music.

Comment on An interview with Steve Baughman | Feature Article by Steve Baughman -Life in Prism Review « Guitarbench

Steve Baughman -Life in Prism Review « Guitarbench — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:02:55 +0000

[...] You can read an interview we did with Steve where he shares his story and his approaches to Celtic fingertstyle: here. [...]

Comment on Featured Guitar:1-45 style guitar by Gary Demos by Jack Spira Ditson Style Guitar Build Diary 4 « Guitarbench

Jack Spira Ditson Style Guitar Build Diary 4 « Guitarbench — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 10:32:01 +0000

[...] Resources: 1. Read Jack’s article on Australian Tonewoods here. 2. See another 1-45 style guitar buy Gary Demos here. [...]

Comment on Australian Tonewoods by Jack Spira. by Jack Spira Ditson Style Guitar Build Diary 4 « Guitarbench

Jack Spira Ditson Style Guitar Build Diary 4 « Guitarbench — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 10:31:45 +0000

[...] Jack Spira is a really talented Australian based luthier who trained at the London Collage of Furniture. He established Spira guitars in 1991 and I have known with Jack for over 5 years. In this time, he was made some fantastic guitars and his knowledge of Native Australian woods has invaluable in our quest for alternative tonewoods. (see his article on Australian Tonewoods here.). [...]

Comment on Jack Spira Ditson Style Guitar Build Diary 3 by Mad Adam

Mad Adam — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 21:32:05 +0000

Totally agree with Mario. Thanks from me as well.

Comment on Jack Spira Ditson Style Guitar Build Diary 3 by Mario DeSio

Mario DeSio — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:48:58 +0000

unbelievable inlay detail! thanks for the great close up shots!

Comment on Celtic Guitar Masterclass | Celtic Backup by Joe Nobiling

Joe Nobiling — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:19:53 +0000

Anton,
That’s a great, straight forward, clearly communicated description of Celtic backup guitar.
Thanks for putting it out here!
Look forward to future articles.
Joe

Comment on Gurian Gossip By David Johnson | Gurians and Their Skinny Necks by RichRS6

RichRS6 — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:14:13 +0000

I love the skinny necks too, as John mentions above I play electric guitar most of the time and have no problems with them.

I discovered Gurian Guitars in (time clouds the exact year?) about 1978/9 when I worked at a guitar shop in Leeds here in the U.K.
At that the time as far as I was concerned acoustics were for people who wore arran sweaters and sung with one finger stuck in their ears so I didn’t pay much attention to them.
As I remember the shop bought one of each model including a cutaway and (probably due to them costing as much or more then a Gibson or Martin) they hung on the wall for a long time until they were reduced to clear !

I thought the cutaway looked a bit like a Les Paul and took it down from the rack and strummed a few chords on it, thought it felt and sounded pretty good and hung it back up as I wasn’t about to pay what was being asked for it even at its reduced price and with a shop discount.
Eventually they all sold, and no more were ordered.

Fast Forward 25 Years and after having various cheap and nasty acoustics I decided to look for something special and after trying just about every top end and boutique guitar around not one could match the sound the Gurian had fixed in my head all those years ago.

I now have a S2M from 1978 and a J-R from 1980 and everyone who plays them is amazed by them and wants to know where they can get one.

Still looking for a cutaway though !