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In the spirit of friendship and we all having the common interests in guitar and all things related to it, I'm posting the photos of my build being done by Mr Wu and expertly guided by the wonderful Ms. Lora.
There are a few folks in the Forum who have been very helpful with information making it easier to "pull the trigger" on a venture on the other side of the planet - Hopefully, my posts (and any others choosing Mr Wu to build an archtop for them) will make the next person's decision easier and more informed.
I was intrigued by the mandolin scroll design as well as the prospect of owning a guitar with an 18" bout. So, the initial step in the process was planning the things I wanted with Ms. Lora. So far, this is where we're at:
- After getting a price for the build, a 50% deposit was sent via PayPal.
- When they actually started on my guitar I received a drawing of the top plate:
- Perhaps 10 days later I received some photos of the wood selected (as is generally the case, spruce for the top and maple for the sides and back):
- Next I received a photo of the sides in the mold - this was a rush:
- Then last week, I was sent a photo of the top and back plates.
So, that's the latest. I have only compliments for our Chinese friends and the customer focus they have.
C
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09-21-2017 10:16 PM
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Good going, your thread will some day help another in their decision making process.
Always put back into the well...
Big
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kewl! another Eighteen in the making!!! Can't wait to see it coming together...post more pics!
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As soon as they arrive - I'll post 'em - Thanks!
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Very cool. I have been tempted to order something from them but just can’t decide what I want! I love seeing the threads from beginning to end with all of the progress in between. Thanks for posting it all!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
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That's the model I would most likely go with first if I ever pull the trigger on a Wu.
Good Luck ... keep us informed
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Very good. So, what motivated your choice for a "mandolin" style 18?"
Originally Posted by CamillusUSA
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Well... I was torn between the D'Aquisto copy and the Mandy. I own an Eastman PG1 which is off the path so I figured, hey why not stay off it for a little longer ;-)
I like the idea of an 18", I'm charmed by the scroll and I think the "being different" part is some of it as well.
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Getting closer! I'll be posting photos with better lighting soon.
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Looks really excellent. I've noticed that a lot of custom builds (my own included, though with a different luthier) are for 18" Perhaps that is something that should interest Gibson, Eastman, etc?
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My PG1 is 17" so this one just seemed to be destined to be an 18". I feel very comfortable w/the PG1 so I suspect, for me anyway, that the 18" will not be an issue... Spook and others have boasted about the "big sound" - I'm anxious.
I think it would be smart that other makers like Gibson also considered using things like side sound ports and newer, alternate shaped ports for their tops (ovals, D'Aquisto style f holes etc...)Last edited by CamillusUSA; 10-19-2017 at 10:59 AM.
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The contrast of the photos is a bit lacking, but I think you get the idea.
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Just an update as to my project with Ms Lora and Mr & Mrs Wu.
Front view.
Fretboard inlay and headpiece veneer.
Back plate view
A photo of the bottom side, top and back plate attached (the flame is noticeable even w/out any stain applied - it should be stunning!) .
The the upper side is complete but the photo was slightly out of focus - the 2 sound ports are identical to the hole in the top plate.
All is well and proceeding better than my expectations - working with Ms Lora is a dream... she's the epitome of customer focused.
D
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?Looking good son. You're right about the flame being way better than the photos show. From my experience the lighting in the assembly and paint areas is not flattering at all, say compared to the sunlight in the yard outside the shop. And Mrs. Wu's inlay work, well it's really great. Keep us posted.
Big
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It's starting to "cook" and I'm stoked - Thanks again for all of your advice and encouragement.
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Look at that! Is this the first of this guitar style for Mr Wu? I've yet to see one by him.
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I don't really know - but I'm certainly pleased with how it's progressing.
I just thought of this - Spook410 has a MandoModel and perhaps he knows if Mr Wu was involved or was it exclusively Yunzhi - If he happens unto this post maybe he'll let us know. His is lovely.
D
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While I'm sure Mr. Wu (his first name BTW) had a hand in some of my Yunzhi guitars given his role there and the dates guitars were made, I have no idea exactly what. I did buy one of the first mando-guitars produced by Yunzhi. Beautiful woods and stellar workmanship. And a chance for the codgers to complain about it being a Montelleone copy. Of course, last I heard he's still in business.
I still like mine. It's an interesting guitar. A good acoustic instrument that's rewarding to play with a good dynamic range. It also just looks cool in person. My tech kept it an extra couple of weeks (with permission, display only) because it was generating traffic in his shop. Many found it hard to believe the purchase price.
For the cons, it's kind of garish and a bit more 'look at me' than I would like. Also it isn't that easy of a guitar to amplify as mine doesn't have a pickguard. Not a problem for me as I have other guitars for that purpose. And it's kind of a handful with an 18" bout and mando bout. But not overly so. Also, the case isn't sturdy enough for anything but storage. Fine for me but if someone wanted to play out with it a good case would be expensive and heavy.
Last edited by Spook410; 12-11-2017 at 02:48 AM.
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Does that Yunzhi Mando' have a front?
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Costs extra? Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
Does that Yunzhi Mando' have a front?
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In much of east Asia, including China and Korea, the family name is always listed first. If that were used here, it would be Vaughn Jimmy Ray, or Pass Joe. So Wu is the family name, and the rest is the equivalent of our first and middle names. FWIW.
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Spook, I recall the vitriol re "copying" in your posts on the Forum - First, "imitation is the most sincere form of flattery" and second there are only so many designs one can use AND although this model is close it's not exact - how many hundreds of thousands of archtops are in the D'Angelico/L5/175 vein? Additionally, look at the out of control proliferation of LP and Strat copies which IMHO are "note for note"
;-)
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Considering that Montelleone charges around $90K ... if not $110K these days for one of these guitars .... they might as well be made of unobtainium for most of us ...
and that's not even taking into account Monte's waiting list, which is probably closed now and may never open again at his age
Not sure why a copy is a problem considering the price of a "real" Montelleone mando guitar ... which is itself kind of a copy of the Gibson mando guitars
I still want one of these ... LOL
That and a Wu teardrop
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Good we're past all that. Just part of internet forums and a reminder that the pool is not always terribly deep. Originally Posted by CamillusUSA
I'm looking forward to your new guitar. To see how it turns out. To see how you like it. I would not part with mine. Not because it's a bit of a show off guitar but because I really enjoy playing it. A very acoustic archtop. I wish I had the larger ports and when I get settled (in the middle of a move/remodel and guitar bench is still packed) I'll experiment with different bridge sizes. Seems to me it needs a larger bridge with all that expanse of spruce to vibrate. Also, I've never tried heavier strings and I wonder what .014's would do. It will be good to get your insights as you experiment with what works best.
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I'll update as it progresses.
Agreed regarding the bridge - I requested the wedge D'Aquisto bridge that they supply on the teardrop because it looked to have more contact area - we'll see.
Thanks
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