| Having owned and played guitars for over | | | | series seven Taylor? Ok so the cheaper ones |
| twenty five years I have owned lots and lots | | | | use ply, we know that!! |
| of different makes and models of guitars, | | | | |
| some good, some awful but the acoustic slide | | | | Ok, the name maybe,could be a big part of it? |
| weissenborn still fascinates me quite beyond | | | | When I decided to build my Weissenborn, I |
| comparison. Why is that? Well, the sound is | | | | decided to get some really good quality |
| really quite like nothing at all, nothing | | | | timber, Australian Maple, but boys and girls, |
| compares. These guitars stand up, make a | | | | it wasn't a grand.. I wont say how much, but |
| statement, "Here I am, I'm different, play me | | | | it was even cut to size and thickness for |
| if you can, I'm a sonofabitch to learn but if | | | | me!l Labour, makes up a lot in the price, of |
| you can get your head round this, then I will | | | | course, for a hand made non- factory guitar, |
| sing for you and make you days happy!" | | | | and it makes a huge difference to the cost |
| | | | these days. So what if your time is free? |
| Think I'm joking? go and try one, you will | | | | |
| see what I mean...then after you have made a | | | | Well, we could argue for hours about all the |
| goose of yourself in the music shop, go down | | | | differing factors but in the end in fact, it |
| the road and buy a Jeff Lang Cd or Bob | | | | really does pay to make an effort and build |
| Brozman album and just check those dudes | | | | your own guitar. I started off with a |
| out!!! Humbling or what? | | | | weissenborn because quite honestly, the |
| | | | fretboard spacings are nowhere near as |
| I must say I had my eyes on some really top | | | | critical as a normal fingered acoustic |
| level guitars over the years and I reasoned | | | | guitar...so its a good one to start with! |
| "Well, there is only a pound or two of timber | | | | |
| in there, surely? "How come they are three | | | | I did discover something when I had finished |
| grand? Well, it is the knowledge that | | | | my guitar that when I put my GOTOH machine |
| hundreds of luthiers have passed down over | | | | heads onto the guitar it is really critical |
| the years that gives these things the tags | | | | to have them tightened up as much as is |
| they have isn't that right? However, I did | | | | practical. They are not the best machine |
| read a book on inlaying and in there was a | | | | heads but are acceptable for the job. After |
| bit about how extensively that the millionth | | | | all, the machine head post really is one of |
| Martin was inlaid...Wait a minute. a MILLION | | | | the only things that transmit those |
| Martins? Inlaid with a computer?? Whoa, | | | | vibrations down the headstock of the guitar. |
| that's not exactly painstakingly hand crafted | | | | I actually didn't realise it but I allowed |
| is it..that's mass production more like...so | | | | the machine head nuts to loosen without |
| how come they are still three grand a | | | | realising it. Naturally, they need to bed in |
| piece??? Surely mass production makes things | | | | to the timber and once it is squashed down |
| a lot cheaper, dont it? | | | | somewhat, the machine heads inevitably loosen |
| | | | up. I had begun to wonder why the guitar |
| Is it me or is there something not quite | | | | sound and brightness had 'gone off' I |
| right here? Well, don't get me wrong here, | | | | mistakenly thought it was the strings getting |
| most modern guitars are factory made and to | | | | a bit older but when I tightened up the |
| be honest there cannot be much difference in | | | | machine head nuts the guitar sprang into life |
| the technique for making these guitars in the | | | | again... it honestly sounded like a different |
| factory, can there? Ok that leaves only a | | | | guitar. So, if you do have a guitar that you |
| couple of things, the material quality, | | | | have played for a while and its 'gone off' |
| better fret wire, better machine heads, | | | | replace the strings and while you are at it |
| better timber, aha, the timber. But surely | | | | tighten up those machine heads and fixing |
| that cant make it a couple or three grand | | | | screws! You may be in for a bit of a shock! |
| difference between a production Ashton or a | | | | |