Frans Elferink 18" Excalibur

[Rob MacKillop]

Frans Elferink 18" Excalibur

The difference between mine and the photo: mine will have no pickup, and no fancy inlay on the headstock. Also, the guitar depicted is an incredible 19"...

I have yet to decide on string length - either 25.5" or 25", and nut width 45mm or 43mm. I'll probably go with 25.5" and 45mm.

Spec:

Non cutaway acoustic archtop
X-braced, "hand-carved and tuned" European spruce
Body depth: 85mm
Back: hand-carved solid flamed European maple
Rims: solid flamed European maple
Neck: flamed maple
Lots of ebony here and there
Binding: on top, 7 ply celluloid. Fingerboard and headstock 3 ply. F holes 2 ply. Back and pickguard 1 ply.
Inlays: block
Tuners: Schaller Gold with ebony buttons
Traditional nitrocellulose lacquer, Tobacco Sunburst, as in the photo

Frans has had a good listen to my videos, and says he will have it tuned and set up for my style of playing. I should be able to travel to his workshop to pick it up in person. Very much looking forward to it!

Price? I won't reveal the exact figure, but I am very pleased with it!

[fws6]

Cool ! Now we all have to wait 11 months until we can hear you play it....

[TOMMO]

Oh the wait - nothing compared to my blonde Eastman AR 372 - let alone the class of guitar....

[medblues]

I agree with 25.5 and 45, great choice, why no cutaway ?

[Rob MacKillop]

There's no money above the 12th fret...used to be the 5th fret, but that's inflation for you!

[Frank67]

Awesome! I am happy that you treated yourself to a wonderful guitar. I hope that everything goes smoothly and that it will be everything that you hope it will be and you'll have many years of joy with it!

[Frank67]

PS: I went down a similar route a while ago and got a non cut-away luthier made acoustic archtop and never regretted it. It is the first guitar that I grab when I want to play unamplified.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

18"! In the meanwhile practice dancing with a fat lady!

[Rob MacKillop]

Haha. I'm tall, with long arms and fingers. Should be manageable.

[Papawooly]

PS: I went down a similar route a while ago and got a non cut-away luthier made acoustic archtop and never regretted it. It is the first guitar that I grab when I want to play unamplified.

Ditto!!! Very nicely done Rob

[Brian B]

What? No Floyd Rose? I'll pass....

Look forward to hearing it. That's a recipe for good things. (sets reminder on iPhone...)

[Max405]

Rob, I am so excited for you brother! That guitar is going to inspire you big time. And when it does, its gonna put you over the top!
The 85mm depth is going to be perfect with the 18" width. I am happy for you buddy.
Something to look forward to.
Joe DeNisco

[Rob MacKillop]

Cheers, Joe (and everyone else!). I'd love to hear you play it, Joe, so get yourself over to Edinburgh.

Well, that's the easy part over. Now I've got eleven months to find the money!

[Max405]

Cheers, Joe (and everyone else!). I'd love to hear you play it, Joe, so get yourself over to Edinburgh.

Well, that's the easy part over. Now I've got eleven months to find the money!

I'd love to hear me play it too, so the next time I'm in Edinburgh you got a deal bro! Although, I think we'd all rather sit there and listen you make beautiful music with it! Especially putting a Drop "D" on that big boy!
Thanks Rob.
JD

[helios]

Haha. I'm tall, with long arms and fingers. Should be manageable.

Congratulations! I'm tall too, so an 18" body isn't an issue. A 45mm (1.77") nut, however, is nearly classical guitar wide! I'm guessing you're a fingerstyle guitarist predominantly so that would work for you.
There was a Borys (B420?) for sale on archtop.com for a long time, and I wondered if it was because of the 1-13/16" (about 46mm) nut.
It'll probably be the longest 11 months you'll ever experience! Look forward to a review & video then!

[Rob MacKillop]

Classicals are usually 52mm, so definitely not that wide. I need to try both 43 and 45 before making a decision.

[Jabberwocky]

I thought you were expecting a premature baby elephant!!

Congrats in advance. Glad too see you decided on an Elferink.

25.375" is where the money's at

[neatomic]

hey hey great news...i think you made a great choice..congrats...

let the anticipation begin


cheers

[hot ford coupe]

Great guitar. I can't wait until you give us a sample.

[helios]

I thought you were expecting a premature baby elephant!!

Congrats in advance. Glad too see you decided on an Elferink.

25.375" is where the money's at

Hi Jabber,
I think 25.125" is where the REAL money is at (exactly between 24.75" & 25.5")!

[Jabberwocky]

Hi Jabber,
I think 25.125" is where the REAL money is at (exactly between 24.75" & 25.5")!

I tried that with Roger Borys and he said, "Why don't you go with 25" like everybody else?" So, I'll be getting 25"...

[Rob MacKillop]

Ha. Some of you are almost as excited as me.

[jazzbow]

Rob, for you....

Oh ye cannae fling an Efferink oot a 20 storey flat,
Seventy jealous Jazzers will testify tae that!
If its acoustic or electric and th' tone is second tae none
The odds against it reaching us is ninety-nine to one!

Ha ha ha.

Oh I am fighting that G.A.S right now.

Nice one mate, we all deserve something special.

Enjoy

[TKO]

Congratulations! 11 months goes by faster than you think

[339 in june]

Congratulations, Rob !
A tough decision you made !
And what of importance gonna happen in these 11 months ?
How will you be able to wait for these 11 looooong months, I want to know !