Cocobolo/Lutz Grand Concert

[Sam Price]

No, it is not one of my own, but one of Dave White's...

After having a liking for his guitars for a couple of years, the opportunity came to ask him to build me a Samhain model late September. It was completed at the end of November and I recieved it this week- Dave didn't get time to photograph it due to the Christmas rush ever approaching and shipping it now prevents delay!

Samhain Fómhar is the name for this guitar, Samhain being the model name, Fómhar, which is Irish Gaelic for "Harvest", indicating the time of year it was built and chosen by myself for personal reasons.

Specs:

Scale Length....650mm
Top....Lutz Spruce
Back & Sides....Cocobolo
Rosette...Cocobolo & BWB purfling
Neck...Flamed Sycamore
Fingerboard...Cocobolo
Tuners...Gold gotohs with custom made cocobolo tuner buttons
binding & purling...Cocobolo & BWB
nut...Cocobolo
saddle...Bone
Bridge...Cocobolo
Binding...Cocobolo with BWB purfling
Headplate...Cocobolo

Finish; Pre-Cat laquer over Z-Poxy,Tru-Oil neck.

I will make a poor attempt at describing the sound; Across the range, the notes are very clear and lively- with a strong presence and intensity; you literally feel every note; the basses are sonourous and bell-like, the trebles are sparkly and soulful; and the tone seems incredibly balanced with no strong overpowering fundamental. I played varying techniques to test drive the limits of this guitar, and it seems that the Samhain can cope admirably with whatever is thrown at it without sounding muddy; from choppy rhythm to gentle finger picking; but the guitar excels in Celtic music, because of the harp-like qualities of the tone. I am a firm believer in buying into tone and playability before looks; and that tone should be there with the guitar's early days. I am anticipating that Samhain Fomhar's tone will flourish and blossom in time.

In conlcusion....I really, really like it!!!

It was a great insight into the other perspective of the custom guitar world, I enjoyed the process and hope I wasn't a fussy customer!!


I am sorry I don't have a sound clip for it yet- finding the space and quiet to record in my house hold is a challenge at the best of times, but I will get somthing done by the end of weekend/early next week. For now, I hope the photographs suffice!!! The guitar IS as stunning in real life as the photographs show.


The first photograph is a set of my own cocobolo Dave used.

[Kim]

Gorgeous guitar Sam, you must be very happy and Dave must be very proud, congrats to the pair of you.

Cheers

Kim

[ozziebluesman]

Beautiful instrument Sam! Congratulations.

Dave that is a world class guitar. Love the cocobolo back, sides and appointments. The cocobolo nut is an interesting feature. How much dose it effect the tone of the guitar?

Absolute quality pictures Sam.

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers

Alan

[Dave White]

Dave that is a world class guitar. Love the cocobolo back, sides and appointments. The cocobolo nut is an interesting feature. How much dose it effect the tone of the guitar?

Alan,

I got the idea for the wooden nut from a guitar I saw made by Matt Mustapick and I thought it really cool. I've done it on a number of my personal instruments and there is no impact on tone, smoother flow of the strings across the nut and so far good wear. Using a Cocobolo nut from the same wood block used for the headstock veneer, fingerboard and tuner buttons meant that visually the whole thing tied together beautifully. There was a bone nut in the guitar case if Sam wants to swap this out at any time.


Sam - fabulous pictures.

[ozziebluesman]

Dave, did you have any issues working with Cocobolo? Did you glue up with HHG and if so, was there any special preparation required?

I have just bought a set of coco and i'm very interested in your thoughts.

Thanks mate

Cheers

Alan

[Dave White]

Alan,

I had no issues with Cocobolo but I always wear a respirator/mask when sanding and wash dust off me asap when working with any wood. It's a sensitiser thing - you may have one Coco guitar in you or ten thousand. Also there seems to be different sorts of Cocobolo around - some is very oily, but Sam's set was more "waxy". I used hot hide glue and fish glue on it with no special treatment whatsoever. I probably bent the sides at a higher temperature than was necessary and you can certainly see the oil/resin on the brown paper. Also it tended to make the side wood a little more "brittle" in places than before bending. It certainly has a great Rosewood ring to it but is a very heavy wood so you can take it thinner than normal. It finishes up beautifully. I think I'd use it again but it would depend on the set - Sam's was a very nice one.

Sam sorry for the hijack!

[Hesh1956]

Congrats Sammy!!!

Dave your guitars are just over the top cool. I have always loved the shapes that you use and this one is now my favorite.

[Ron Wisdom]

Congratulations to both of you!! That is a fine looking instrument. I also like the look of the setting where it was photographed. Is that your back yard, Sam? Just lovely.

Ron

[Lillian]

Wow!

Sam, have stopped smiling yet?

David, it is beautiful. I'm sure that it sounds as wonderful as it looks.


Sound clip please!

[Allen]

I don't know what is more beautiful. The guitar, or the photo's. You both should be proud.

[Stephen Kinnaird]

Sam & Dave, I love collaborations like that, the results are often amazing.
And it's true in your case: beautiful guitar Dave! No doubt there's a lifetime
of inspiration in there for you, Sam.
Congrats to both of you.

(Dave, do you find it a wee bit nerve-wracking bending someone else's
irreplaceable tonewood?)

Steve

[JJ]

WOW...a truly special guitar along with an irreplaceable tutorial from having looked at Dave's build notes. I too am just beginning a Coco build that I had deferred for some time in light of both the adhesion and health issues. I have decided to use my standard adhesives and methods and see how it holds together in the early stages. I will, however, take the same exposure precautions as Dave.

Each time I see this thread, I am really taken by Sam's photography. There's a special eye there that goes way beyond just the ordinary documentation photos. Nonetheless, the guitar details are definitely captured exquisitely and almost observed secondarily for me...I said almost! One request...can you show us the butt wedge as well as the sound port, please?

Well Sammy...you're just going to have to speed up the inclusion of sound clips or I'll just keep asking for more photos!

[Sam Price]

Thanks everyone for your kind comments. I love putting submitting photographs of guitars I didn't build!! Not so nerve wracking, lol...

Ron, yes it is countryside on the border of Wales, which explains all the hilly bits.... ..I know this area like the back of my hand.

Lillian, I am still grinning from ear to ear. So much so, I am trying a little too hard in my playing it and making too many mistakes to warrant a recording....one will come soon!

Stephen...
I trusted Dave implicitly with the cocobolo...deep down I had great vibes about this "commission". (such a pretentious word to use)

JJ,
Thanks.
I'll get some pics up of the soundport and the butt wedge soonish. The soundport is so tastefully done, you don't realise it's there. My soundports look like they are going to eat the guitarist!!

[James Mc]

Yep… Everything about it is gorgeous, from the general shape to the timber nut the whole guitar is just a brilliant demonstration of class and style. It just screams custom built quality instrument.

[sebastiaan56]

A classic, really sweet!