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Guess the woods
http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=14806		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Dave White [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:50 am ]
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I've just finished a commission and the strings went on for the first time on Saturday. I usually post pictures and sound clips but this time I thought I'd have some fun. The owner won't be picking the guitar up until the end of next week so I recorded some stuff for her today. So here are three recordings, done with my usual set-up of an AKG C1000S microphone and mixed with flat EQ and no effects.

I know that it's probably a meaningless thing to do - but life can be like that - but thought it would be fun to see if you can guess the top wood and b/s wood of the instrument from the recordings and have a guess a the size/type of the guitar. I'll post pictures tomorrow.

Here we go then. First, my version of Davy Graham's "Anji" played in standard tuning Capo2:

Anji

Next a ragtime piece I put together called Candi's Rag (Candi is the guitar's owner ), in standard tuning:

Candi's Rag

Finally I strummed the chords to The Kinks "Sunny Afternoon":

Sunny Afternoon


Author:  Hesh [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:13 am ]
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Cuban, Euro, OM mon
Author:  jerome68 [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:17 am ]
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Maybe a cedar topped grand auditorium with rosewood back and sides?  I am sure it is something less common but it sounds like that to me. Very nice.
Author:  Howard Klepper [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:36 am ]
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You are joking, right?
Author:  Dave White [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:45 am ]
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[QUOTE=Howard Klepper] You are joking, right?
[/QUOTE]

What me - joking I did use the F word, and I should have said "I know it's definitely a pointless thing to do" but in the spectrum of meaningless acoustic experiments it's pretty harmless. Anyway it's a better use of my time than most of the stuff I did when I worked in the "Corporate Madhouse" and it's (probably) got a pretty low carbon footprint.
Author:  Don Williams [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:46 am ]
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I do believe he's serious....although listening with pc speakers makes it kinda difficult...

I'll take a stab at it. I think it's a smallish guitar, maybe a OO or L-OO or smaller, spruce top, sounds like mahogany or koa b&s. Bracing sounds parabolic.
The string spacing is 2.25" at the saddle and 1.75 at the nut. X-braced though, not ladder.

   

Oh....and there's no end pin, only ebony bridge pins.



Nice playin'!
Author:  Hesh [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:47 am ]
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So what - are you saying that my guess is incorrect.........

If I don't win I am sending some carbon for your foot print your way buddy......
Author:  douglas ingram [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:50 am ]
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Who cares... I just wish that I could play like that!
Author:  K.O. [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:54 am ]
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For some reason to me I hear the focused sound of a smaller (13-14 inch lower bout) body (3 3/4 deep?)

I keep vacillating about the B&S woods it to me has an openness I personally associate with a light well built mahog guitar. Then I thought I heard a little bit of the dryness of maple. So since you are where you are I say English Walnut.

When you over-drove the top popping the strings it rang rather than mushed so I am ruling out englman and cedar. What ever it is I would say it is a very stiff piece. I was thinking german or addi but then came my percetion of a slight dryness to the sound that could be Doug Fir. So that is my choice.

If top is Doug bod is Mahog.

This was fun but I really whish my ears where better trained to see! I am probably hearing what I want to and am way off.

               thanks Dave
                        Kirby
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:58 am ]
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Hondo Mahogany and Euro - H-13 style, Slot Head.
Author:  Don Williams [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 7:18 am ]
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Come on Howard, take a shot in the dark like the rest of us!

Author:  Howard Klepper [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 7:31 am ]
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I take a shot in the dark by not even listening to the sound files:

Carpathian spruce top, sycamore b/s, OOO.
Author:  Bruce Dickey [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 7:37 am ]
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Great Playing David. Thanks. These will be on my IPOD soon.   
Author:  Dennis Leahy [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 8:13 am ]
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my guess: Spruce, Walnut, 12 fret to the body parlor (OO?)

...and I always enjoy your playing, Dave.

Dennis
Author:  K.O. [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 8:14 am ]
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The only thing I am decently sure of is the small body.
I have re thought the top wood. Doug has a slightly more fundamental sound. I also hear some very bright ringing trebles to me this is a little confusing because it just sounds a little to tight( at the string pop) to be spruce.

What does that leave?

AHA it is all Koa!!
Wait I feel Koa needs size to get good bass (imo) and the sound is to focused to be very large? I also think it would be hard to get the openness I think I hear?


Focused open slightly dry sound, all that is left is a lightly built all Mahog small body. Since I am going with the lightly built theory I will venture to say if so it would be a slot head.

Man Dave you really know how to drive an idiot like me crazy I think I will go buy a pizza so I can stop trying to figure this out. It is so subjective.

Author:  K.O. [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 8:17 am ]
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If I every get a decent amount of green I am going to invade England just so I can visit and return the favor!
Author:  AndrewGribble [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 8:26 am ]
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Red spruce top, Honduras mahogany b&s


L-OO shape, deep(er) body??
Author:  WarrenG [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 8:41 am ]
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Sounds like a 'hog top like my friend's Larrivee parlour.
Author:  Philip Perdue [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:21 am ]
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You guys are pretty funny!

Any one with an ear for music can tell it’s an 8 string baritone ukulele with double wound strings. Of course it’s all Koa and possibly has Kasha bracing with a sound port.

Philip
Author:  paul harrell [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:24 am ]
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Doesn't it seem funny that luthiers are always quick to tell people what a certain wood combination will sound like, but when given a recording and asked to guess all we can do is make jokes, because we don't have a clue?

                      Clueless as usual, Paul
Author:  Dave Anderson [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:08 am ]
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Sounds exactly like a Euro top /Honduran Mahogany   
000 cutaway. No joke....Exactly!!
Author:  Philip Perdue [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:37 am ]
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Paul,

You are correct and some of the answers are valid guesses and not jokes. You are also correct that many builders do have thoughts or beliefs on wood combinations that result in certain colorations of the sound that are appropriate for different styles of music. Good point.

My post was absolutely a joke because I have no musical talent or an ear for music. Sad but true. However my wife constantly reminds me of my true musical talent that few have. I can take any musical piece from any genre and make it sound exactly like every other piece of music I have ever played. Yep, I'm just bad.

Philip
Author:  K.O. [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:41 am ]
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Some times I here the sound of an Instrument in my head and I will then try to figure out a way to build that sound. So I actually took this serious. As a non pro I have nothing to lose other than looking silly if I am way off.

One more thing Dave has been using an active upper bout top bracing scheme so I bet this has it. That may fool me into thinking the body is deeper than it is.
Author:  PDeWitt [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:52 am ]
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Mahogany back and sides, adirondack top OM
Author:  paul harrell [ Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:20 pm ]
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Philip - My post wasn't directed at you (in fact you posted while I was typing, I hadn't even seen your post). I was making a more general point that a lot of us have opinions on what tone certian wood combinations produce, but I doubt that in a blind listening test we could guess above a level of chance. I remember one post here where someone did a test with several guitars (OMs I think) one was Brazilian and three others of various woods. The one that got the most votes for Brazilian was in fact someting else. I still have my opinions, but I'm not sure I would want to put them to a true blind test.

                            Peace, Paul
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