The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #51

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    Cool, Mike! Looks like a neat instrument in the making.

    Sorry to hear of your Mother's travails - best wishes to her and the family.

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  3. #52

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    Mike you have inspired me. I had originally contacted Yunzhi about building a guitar and they seem very nice, but I was getting very confused. I contacted Ms Lora at Yolanda and I'm in the process of finalizing the specs on my order. The wait is going to KILL me!

    Thanks for this thread and best wishes to your mom.

  4. #53

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    DJ, if I may be so presumptuous to call you DJ, what are you having Mr Wu build you ?? Even if you can share a link to the item, post it here or start your own build thread. It's a real kick in the ass doing this, I swear I go to the bathroom twice a night (old guy) and I get my iPad out of the nightstand drawer looking for emails. LOL !!!!

  5. #54

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    Of course you can call me DJ! My name is Don Jelley. I know that I want a 17" solid carved spruce top, 3" solid maple rims and solid carved maple back. Almost everything else is negotiable. I have an Eastman AR910 LTD and I'm thinking this guitar will be like that.

    I'd really like him to just clone an L5 WesMo, but I don't know if they can do that. Obviously without the Gibson logo and with a different tail piece.

    Still going back and forth. Ms. Lora is great! I understand what you mean about the emails - because they are on the other side of the planet, you have to wait until morning.

    As of now my plan is to order in a couple of weeks when I have all of the funds and I'll probably start a thread or post here when I get the first photos back.

    How would you rate the build quality compared to Eastman?

    Also - I know there are concerns with the electronics on Yunzhi's. Should I have them include the pickup and wiring, or just have it done locally when I receive my guitar?

    Thanks!
    Last edited by djelley; 01-06-2016 at 03:55 PM.

  6. #55

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    Well you already have a 910, nice choice. You see the last time I had Mr Wu build me something was when he was with Yunzhi, that was 6 years ago now. He's come a long way since then. So are you saying you need a parallel braced single pickup set into the top L5 type guitar ?? Mr Wu can build that, cut you a Gibson esque shaped headstock, Mrs Wu can do a very nice torch inlay on the headstock (I think my Campellone copy headstock is VERY influenced by Gibson) and have him put the pickup and wiring in. It helps them setup the guitar to do the electronics.

    I don;t think you need to send them the whole sum at once, make sure you talk to Ms. Lora about that part soon. I know on my first guitar I put down half and then paid the rest off in chunks, the process takes about 3 months. I hear Mr Wu is very busy so it may take 3-4 months these but compared to say Heritage or custom luthiers Mr. Wu is remarkably faster. So half down now, being you have a 910 already specify you want very pretty woods and Mr Wu can do some searching for the best and Lora will send you photos of the different plates he suggests, then give you a quote.
    Say you go really nuts on the wood and drop money on new wiring and a top shelf PAF once you get it, and the tailpiece of your choice AND a damn good setup, you're gonna come under in around 2k... Not bad huh....

    So get in touch with Ms Lora, send her photos, or a link to an ad but LOTS of pictures help translate to her what you want. They don't have access to the kind of gear Americans and Europeans have so you have to really very carefully spell it out, but it's worth the trouble. She will ask more questions to be sure, damn sure and then once you have it all spelled out she will translate that to Mr Wu, he will give you a price quote including EMS shipping and a case and then she can send you an invoice for the start of the project. I used PayPal to pay for it. Worked as easily now as it did 6 years ago.

    Good luck...
    Last edited by BigMikeinNJ; 01-06-2016 at 04:44 PM.

  7. #56

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    Ms Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpegMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpgMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpgMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpgMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpg
    it's 3 am. A very momentous day in other areas of my life, I have progress shots also.
    I love the way it is coming together, the "Special" emblem is quite nice.





    Last edited by BigMikeinNJ; 01-13-2016 at 08:17 AM.

  8. #57

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    Ms Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpgMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpgMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpgMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpgMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpg

  9. #58

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    Ms Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpegMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpegMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpgMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpegMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpg


    i like the more natural outside lighting. I was sent 24 photos - you get a rough idea of the progress. Having seen the changes in another recent buyer's project photos I would guess this has had it color applied, perhaps next is the lacquer, a bit of a dry and then buff out. Also Mrs. Wu has to inlay the "Special" emblem seen in another shot. I remember seeing little oddities on the fingerboard and finish of my original buy from Lora, a YZ23 Pisano copy - schmootz as I call it, I see a bit here and there on this one too. It'll all get cleaned up.
    Last edited by BigMikeinNJ; 01-13-2016 at 08:28 AM.

  10. #59

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    A few more photos, I get confused which have not been posted. You should have seen me at 4am doing this. Lol !!

    Ms Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpgMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpgMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpg

  11. #60

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    Coming along nicely! Bob

  12. #61

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    Mike,They keep getting better and better. What I mean by that is your choices in design as well as Mr Wu's and Ms Lora's abilities to turn your ideas into a guitar with more quality than cost warrants. You're going to love this one!

  13. #62

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    Absolutely stunning !
    Each and every new "Mr Wu's guitars" thread makes me think about getting one in the future !
    Mike, for sure your project doesn't make exception ! This is going to be a good and nice guitar !

  14. #63

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    Thanks fellas, I can not tell you how excited I am.
    I looked at my iPad real early Wednesday morning and there was the
    update shots. I had a hard time going back to sleep. You all hit the nail on the head, Lora and Mr Wu just keep doing the best work. They have come a very long way in the 6 years since I ordered my first Lora special.

    Later in the day my Uncle in Chicago called me asking if I wanted to take over his condo my folks have lived in the last 17 years. My cost would be the monthly utilities, phone, cable bill and the maid... No brainer there. So it was a doubly momentous day. It's all ground floor, no stairs, fully furnished, top flight in every aspect. Grocery store, drug store, liquor store 2 1/2 blocks away. And my Mom a 5 minute walk and 15 minute bus ride from there. Fellas, I'm going home.

    (Shaking my head what a great day Wednesday was)
    Last edited by BigMikeinNJ; 01-14-2016 at 05:07 PM.

  15. #64

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    That looks like it will be a lovely instrument. I get that the guitar will be a copy of a Campellone, but the body shape is still the standard Eastman/Yunzhi/Wu shape, and the neck is still the standard Eastman/Yunzhi/Wu three-piece laminate as opposed to Mark's standard three-piece with contrasting center strip. Is the any reason in particular why you didn't go for the Campellone body shape or neck construction?

    Congrats on your imminent move to Chicago. You can hang out with some of the Chicago-based crew. Will you change your handle to BigMikeinIL?
    Last edited by Hammertone; 02-01-2016 at 04:04 AM.

  16. #65

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    Ms Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-qq-22270-2925520160113111948-jpgHammertone,

    Yes the body shape looks a lot like the Eastman/Yunzhi/Wu profile, but doesn't it match the Campellone profile ??

    As for my handle, heck I haven't even thought about that. Should I be ChicagoMike, West Side Mike, Killer Mike, Mike The Mad Baker, Lake Street Mike ??

    Jeez, it'll be great being able to walk places, take the Elevated into the City, hang out with cousins that can take me shopping in some of the great italian owned grocery and specialty stores in River Forest and Melrose Park and then teach them some cooking tricks in exchange. See my Mom, I haven't been in downtown Chicago in 15 years. I'm really kind of stuck out here where I am now, the place I live in needs lots of repairs that I have tolerated. Not any more.

    Ya know I was looking at these two photos and the best description I can come up with is sort of sophomoric: the shape of the cutaway on the Eastman/Yunzhi/Wu cutaway is more of a C cup, whereas the Campellone is a D cup... (oooooohhhhhh !!!!)


    Big

    Ms Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-s-l1600-jpg


    Last edited by BigMikeinNJ; 01-14-2016 at 08:38 PM.

  17. #66

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    Quote Originally Posted by BigMikeinNJ
    Hammertone, Yes the body shape looks a lot like the Eastman/Yunzhi/Wu profile, but doesn't it match the Campellone profile ??
    Campellone's 17" body and f-hole pattern is modelled VERY closely on Gibson's post war L-5C and L-7C - He refers to it as "based on long-standing designs," and "inspired by the great orchestra-style instruments."

    The Eastman pattern is different, probably based on the Benedetto book - different shape, different f-holes, and so forth - it's a Wu with some of the specific cosmetic features of a Campellone. And it looks great!

  18. #67

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    Hammertone,

    You're right in that it is the Wu body shape and F hole patterns (Benedetto) with a 3 equal sized piece neck (again Wu). I didn't ask for 3 or 5 ply neck, I asked that Mr Wu hunt down the very best woods for the whole guitar and I left the rest to him. So a guy like me with VERY funky eye sight will have a Campy copy that "looks" like a Special, probably sound pretty damn nice too when it's all done. It's that simple.

    Mike

  19. #68

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    That guitar looks beautiful Mike. Kind of a sister to mine! I pretty much spec'd mine like a Peerless Imperial though. I got a set of "Doug's Plugs" for the f holes for when I turn it up. They really work & I don't hear any tone difference but much less feedback. I'm really happy with that guitar. Looking forward to seeing your finished pics.

  20. #69

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    Ms Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpegMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpegMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpgMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpegMs Lora/Mr Wu Special Project-image-jpg


    i like the more natural outside like getting. I was sent 24 photos

  21. #70

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    I'm in the midst of a project with them too. It's a Super 400 inspired guitar, but he made it with 22 frets instead of 20. Not originally my intention, but OK since I don't need it to be a 100% copy of a Gibson. The main features will be very Gibson like, headstock shape etc, but of course the binding and other details are a little different. Could never afford a 10K Super 400 so this is the next best thing.

    Nice guitar BTW. I have had 2 other guitars and have been happy with them. Always needed some tweaking after arival, but that's part of the fun for me. Great option for the starving musician!

  22. #71

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    abelljo,

    I'm very excited for you.

    You know
    for years I have been telling the Lora Story, and yeah part of the process involves taking a remarkably affordable and beautiful carved guitar to your tech for some setup and installation of your own electronics to really make it a knock it out of the park guitar... I'm really fortunate in the build that I found that great M Campellone made ebony pick guard with the hand wound Kent Armstrong PAF 0 already installed... $75.00. I think you can find a picture of it on the first page of this thread...

    It will be interesting to see how much or little fret dressing is needed once I get it. My last purchase from them was 6 years ago. It needed a little fret work, but not much. And owning the Eastman Prototype (purported by a guy in Eastman marketing who was there in the beginning and remembers that very guitar) there was a marked improvement from the Eastman pro to to the Lora YZ23 he made for me in 2010. So we will see.

    I'm trying to fathom what they are doing now. Is Mrs. Wu installing that SPECIAL inlay in the headstock, has it been shot with lacquer already ?? Has he done the frets. WHERE is it in the process. Dang, I have so much going on the guitar project is a real boost and upper for me.

    Big

  23. #72

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    Mine didn't need any fret work, just electronics and a couple of details here and there. Set up I mean. But I do all the work myself so I save up a lot.

    Let us know how it sounds when you get it.

  24. #73

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    abelljo

    Wow THAT is nice, your guitar and mine might be going along in the roughly same stages and room right now !! Cool to hear that your last purchase didn't need any fret work. He's really come a very long way and Lora has taken the customer input back to Mr Wu on things like frets and he's actually done something about it. I can't say that about other companies over there I bought from that
    even elicited my advice on the matter...

    Terrific, I bet you check your mail 3-4 times in the middle of the night. I DO !! LOL !!!!!!

  25. #74

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    Lora wrote to say she'd have updated photos "tomorrow", meaning Saturday morning my time. No finer words can a customer like me read:


    Sorry for delaying reply, These days, we are busy for preparing Chinese New Year. I will check with Mr Wu and send update photos tomorrow. But I think Mr Wu do some final process.

    By the way, we need ship the guitar after Chinese New Year, Cause the courier has holidays and it will be shipped February 14 around.

  26. #75

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    Quote Originally Posted by BigMikeinNJ
    By the way, we need ship the guitar after Chinese New Year, Cause the courier has holidays and it will be shipped February 14 around.
    Haha, it was the same for me two years ago, it got shipped right after Chinese New Year.

    Take it easy Mike, and don't bite your nails !