The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 01-12-2013, 06:12 PM
ukejon ukejon is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Milwaukee
Posts: 6,603
Default George Wilson J-45 style dreadnaught (curly maple and bearclaw spruce)

This slope-shouldered (J-45 style) dreadnaught was made by my friend George Wilson, who for many years was the musical instrument maker at Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. I bought the guitar nearly finished from George in 1999. It was about 90% completed. I fashioned the Taylor-inspired bridge and did the final sanding, while luthier Denny Rauen in Milwaukee applied the finish.

George is a highly talented craftsman who stresses lightweight construction and the use of vintage wood. The highly figured "bearclaw" spruce top is from stock that was cut in 1940 and it was selected back then for a high-stress scientific application. The figured maple was cut ca. 1970, while Brazilian rosewood binding and headstock overlay was cut ca. 1960. Dark Honduras mahogany was used in some of the bracing and it is dense stock that was over 100 years old. The figured maple back and sides are tightly patterned and the bearclaw top is one of the more figured pieces I've ever seen.

As with most maple bodied guitars this one has a bright tone, with sparkling trebles and booming bass. It is a lively sounding guitar but not evenly balanced tonally in the manner of a modern rosewood/mahogany and spruce guitar such as my Santa Cruz F. The Wilson guitar is nice to fingerpick although probably at its best strumming or flatpicking. To give you a sample of the sound of this slope-shouldered dread, I recorded a version of the well known Ian Tyson song Someday Soon, that Judy Collins made famous:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNaC...ature=youtu.be

Here are some photos:

Overall:




Back:




Back detail:



Bearclaw spruce:




Headstock:




Neck:




Side:




I should note that George is not a commercial maker and only produces a small number of instruments, both acoustic and electric. It is a privilege to have this example of his fine work.

Thanks for looking and listening.

Jon
__________________
My YouTube Page:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ukejon



2014 Pono N30 DC EIR/Spruce crossover
2009 Pono koa parlor (NAMM prototype)
2018 Maton EBG808TEC
2014 Hatcher Greta 13 fret cutaway in EIR/cedar
2017 Hatcher Josie fan fret mahogany
1973 Sigma GCR7 (OM model) rosewood and spruce
2014 Rainsong OM1000N2
....and about 5 really nice tenor ukuleles at any given moment

Last edited by ukejon; 01-12-2013 at 06:43 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 01-12-2013, 06:27 PM
Steve Kinnaird's Avatar
Steve Kinnaird Steve Kinnaird is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Nacogdoches, TX
Posts: 3,602
Default

Beautiful! I love maple, and am always glad to see such lovely examples.

Steve
__________________
www.stephenkinnaird.com

Crafted in the Piney Woods
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 01-13-2013, 05:17 AM
dennisczech dennisczech is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 248
Default

nice woody tone on that recording, very sweet and beguiling, and lovely playing too. I like it a lot. Dennis
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 01-13-2013, 11:18 AM
blaren blaren is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,069
Default

BEAUTIFUL!!!

I'm not a big fan of bearclaw usually. There was a thread here recently with people commenting on bearclaw.
I had the opportunity of getting my latest build done with a bearclaw Lutz top but the bearclaw was sporadic and thre wasnt a lot of it so it didnt look real pretty to me. I had it done it some straight and clean Lutz and now after quite a bit of bearclaw research and learning that it is often a sign of some awesome wood (awesome in it's density, strength, spring and tone). I'm kicking myself a little now...but that last build doesnt have to be my last custom built guitar so..next time I'm going to try to get some NICE bearclaw like the guitar in this thread.
Of course I LOVE the looks of the maple but I'm not a fan of maple backed acoustics. As was said...they can be quite bright sounding. A friend has a Taylor 614 and...well especially on a Taylor, for my preference...it's just TOO much.

What really caught my eye about this thread though was the name Ian Tyson.
I have a group of musician friends in Edmonton. We do a lot of mutual gigs together and they're always mentioning "Ian". I never really asked about the connection because I feel embarrassed not to be part of the crowd that knows him on a first name basis.

Anyway, we/they do an annual thing called "Harvest Moon". Kind of a Fall festival thing and this last fall one of the bands was "The Gords". All 3 members are named Gord and they are essentially "Ian's" (lol) band. They all have very impressive resumes with names like K.D. Lang and other world class singers/acts.

The one Gord, the "lead" guitarist's tone BLEW ME AWAY!!! Of course it had a lot to do with the fact that he's a MONSTER player (tone really IS mostly in the hands..even on acoustic guitars) but his guitar sounded full, bright, muscular, rich, and had HUGE bottom end. Like grand piano bottom end...not loose...very tight and percussive but also very "in your chest" pounding ya know?

It was a Larrivee OM. It sounded like two guitars almost...like an OM with a Martin Dread's bottom end (but NOT flubby or loose in ANY way) hidden inside it somehow (dont know how Jean fits a dread inside of an OM but..)

I decided I'd email Gord unannounced and uninvited, and ask him what model of Larry OM, what strings, and what pup system.
Well...it was an OM-08 (ahhh...now I cant remember..think it was an 08 and not an 09) with a Baggs UST and light strings.

It was settled. I was going to have a clone of an OM-08 built. Well...plans got changed a little. Actually, I kind of forgot that I was wanting Gord's guitar built and wound-up getting a 12fret OOO built with a Lutz top and Honduran hog B&S.
It's getting a JJB SBT set put into it as soon as I give it it's first stringchange...and it'll be getting med/light gauge strings on it so...at least now I have an excuse for not being able to play or sound like Gord. I went and had the wrong guitar built. Otherwise, surely I'd be playing and sounding JUST like him...pffffff...lol...hey I can pretend.

SO yeah...sorry for the off-topic hijack. I was drawn-in by the beautiful guitar and then when I saw "Ian's" name (ok now I'm on a first name basis with Ian AND Gord lol) I had the flashback and remembered that I was SUPPOSED to get a sitka over rosewood OM braced like a Larrivee with light strings and a Baggs UST.
OOPS lol.

Hey, have you tried a different saddle material?
I have a Stonebridge G24SR. It sounds a little "modern-ish" or "Taylor-ey". I mean it was balanced but I wanted a little more warmth and bottom out of it and if I lost a slight bit of shimmer in the process I was ok with that.
I found an elephant ivory saddle on the bay. It had wider string spacing than the Stonebridge but was tall enough that I could re-cut the compensation and some shallow grooves for the strings to sit in.
The saddle was a little loose in the slot. It would fall out if I flipped the guitar upside-down. It didnt really accomplish what I was shooting for. It sounded pretty much unchanged...until....
I just shoved a couple of paper (business card strips)shims behind the saddle to create a bit of a tighter fit..so it held itself into the slot when I flipped the guitar over and..BOOM!!!
It retained almost all of it's bite and edge and shimmer but gained a lot of nice mellow bottom end.

I realize that elephant ivory is a bad word. Of course I dont want to kill elephants and while there is legal ivory available (maybe grandfathered? Maybe harvested from Asian elephants that are alive and working? Maybe from already expired elephants or maybe from sheds (do elephants shed their tusks? Probably not)...and I also realize that buying ANY elephant ivory encourages the illegal market...I will NOT do it again...if I can help it...hey, I'm sure other "ivory" would work just as well..FMI, walrus, etc...but it's worth a try. It might make that maple guitar become nicely balanced with some added warmth.
Worth a shot anyway.

Hey, thanks for the pics. BEAUTIFUL guitar..even WITH the bearclaw!
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 01-14-2013, 09:26 AM
ukejon ukejon is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Milwaukee
Posts: 6,603
Default

Blaren,

Sounds like you still got a great guitar. I'll have to look up The Gords. And I'll look into the saddle options. I'm also going to ToneRite this guitar for a couple of weeks because it has not been played for more than a decade. I'll see if that wakes it up a bit....
__________________
My YouTube Page:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ukejon



2014 Pono N30 DC EIR/Spruce crossover
2009 Pono koa parlor (NAMM prototype)
2018 Maton EBG808TEC
2014 Hatcher Greta 13 fret cutaway in EIR/cedar
2017 Hatcher Josie fan fret mahogany
1973 Sigma GCR7 (OM model) rosewood and spruce
2014 Rainsong OM1000N2
....and about 5 really nice tenor ukuleles at any given moment
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 01-14-2013, 09:52 AM
JoeCharter JoeCharter is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,549
Default

I actually really like the looks of this guitar -- nice vibe, tasteful headstock.

And watching your video, I think I could get along with such a guitar!

Nice tune, sounds mighty fine.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 01-14-2013, 11:57 AM
dennisczech dennisczech is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 248
Default

I'm intrigued how you managed to get hold of this instrument given he's not really building to order.... also, I like its tone on youtube better than your Santa Cruz Brazilian, which is also a lovely guitar, but this Wilson really has a special vibe going on...
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 01-14-2013, 12:57 PM
ukejon ukejon is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Milwaukee
Posts: 6,603
Default

George is a longtime friend. I used to work with him and at the time was aware of his guitar projects, many of which he did because he simply loved making instruments. In addition to the series of Gibson inspired maple acoustic guitars that he was making back in the late 90s, he also fabricated some mindblowing copies of Gretsch hollow-bodied electrics.

Glad you like the tone.
__________________
My YouTube Page:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ukejon



2014 Pono N30 DC EIR/Spruce crossover
2009 Pono koa parlor (NAMM prototype)
2018 Maton EBG808TEC
2014 Hatcher Greta 13 fret cutaway in EIR/cedar
2017 Hatcher Josie fan fret mahogany
1973 Sigma GCR7 (OM model) rosewood and spruce
2014 Rainsong OM1000N2
....and about 5 really nice tenor ukuleles at any given moment
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 01-14-2013, 01:18 PM
dennisczech dennisczech is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 248
Default

I love the tone, it's how a guitar should sound. So did George have this guitar sitting around unplayed for a decade, and then you managed to persuade him to let go of it?
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 01-14-2013, 02:43 PM
ukejon ukejon is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Milwaukee
Posts: 6,603
Default

No, when I bought the guitar it was glued up and bound but still unfinished. Also needed the fretboard and bridge put on, as well as sanding and finish application. Since I had done some instrument work, George was kind enough to let me buy it "as is" and then take a stab at completing the guitar.

The guitar actually sat around after I completed the guitar in the early 2000s as my attention turned to the uke. But it is back in action now and a lot of fun to play.
__________________
My YouTube Page:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ukejon



2014 Pono N30 DC EIR/Spruce crossover
2009 Pono koa parlor (NAMM prototype)
2018 Maton EBG808TEC
2014 Hatcher Greta 13 fret cutaway in EIR/cedar
2017 Hatcher Josie fan fret mahogany
1973 Sigma GCR7 (OM model) rosewood and spruce
2014 Rainsong OM1000N2
....and about 5 really nice tenor ukuleles at any given moment
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 01-14-2013, 07:44 PM
stuartb stuartb is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 1,575
Default

Sweet sound. Lovely.

Stuart
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 01-19-2013, 07:33 AM
ukejon ukejon is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Milwaukee
Posts: 6,603
Default

I've been toying around with the idea of putting heavier gauge strings on this and tuning down to C# or C. To my ear, this maple/bearclaw slope shouldered guitar has an identity crisis: it either thinks it is a fan fret or a baritone--the E note booms like it is coming from deep in the earth.

Do folks have any experience doing this? Does the action get messed up? And should I try to find 14s?
__________________
My YouTube Page:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ukejon



2014 Pono N30 DC EIR/Spruce crossover
2009 Pono koa parlor (NAMM prototype)
2018 Maton EBG808TEC
2014 Hatcher Greta 13 fret cutaway in EIR/cedar
2017 Hatcher Josie fan fret mahogany
1973 Sigma GCR7 (OM model) rosewood and spruce
2014 Rainsong OM1000N2
....and about 5 really nice tenor ukuleles at any given moment
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 01-19-2013, 12:18 PM
Diamondave's Avatar
Diamondave Diamondave is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Venice CA
Posts: 2,576
Default

Great guitar, I dig it... Really love the maple and the classic style... Nice clip, thx for sharing...

I've put heavier gage strings on for drop tunings, it works pretty good, only one way to find out!
__________________
onedayatatime
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 01-22-2013, 03:41 PM
ShinyBeast ShinyBeast is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 139
Default

Do any of his guitars ever surface for sale? I have tried to find his instruments before without success. I went to W&M and worked in Colonial Williamsburg for a summer and always thought it would be awesome to have one of his guitars. Here is an interesting profile I found on the net a few years ago: http://www.cybozone.com/fg/wilson1.html

When you say he is a non-commercial maker, does that mean he won't take orders? Where do his builds go? Or went?
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 01-22-2013, 04:49 PM
marty bradbury marty bradbury is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Washington State,
Posts: 4,192
Default

Beautiful guitar!! Love the tone also.
__________________
Alvarez AP-70
Squire Contemporary Jaguar
Kustom Amp (acoustic)
Gamma G-25 Amp (electric)
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:42 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=