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Already in a couple clips during the last days, but it didn't have its NGD thread, but deserves one!
VB Model 15, advertised on this forum and bought from the UK. Very similar to Gilad Hekselman's VB15, a bit shallower though. I have the guitar for over a month, still in the honey-moon phase ;-) Played already 3 concerts with it (with a band with sax and rhythm section, a band I'm regularly playing with, so far on my Tal Farlow), experimented with strings etc. and still experimenting but I'm happy with it from the first second.
Compared to the Tal:
+ longer sustain
+ even sound throughout the neck
+ more modern
+ more comfortable, shorter scale (25" compared to 25,5")
+ takes effects better
- Tal sounds without anything already great. It's like a tube amp where the VB is a transistor, very transparent and waiting for some pedals
- Tal sounds fuller and has that magic thunk, which the VB doesn't
For the music I'm playing with my quartet this guitar seems perfect, whereas the Tal is still the best straight ahead jazz guitar I've hold in my hands ;-D
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04-04-2019 02:51 PM
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Oooooo, congrats, very nice!
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I wonder if the shallower depth also contributes to the dryer tone. Meaning the Tal Farlow guitar has a naturally fuller tone to begin with. I'm sure you'll find the Baker guitar will be a more versatile instrument overall. Congratulations !
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This is a very nice, very viable tone. Nice playing, too.
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15" guitars are the "Goldilocks" width for me.
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Nice VB tone and playing as well! Congratulations!
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Sweet guitar! And it sounds as good as it looks. Congratulations, and play it in good health!
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Sounds beautifully clear. In good hands too.
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If I hadn't seen it I would have assumed it was a Gibson Archtop, it has
that distinctive creamy dark tone characteristic of one.
Your playing is top drawer too, congratulations,, more, please!
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Sounds great! Congratulations on a wonderful guitar! I've always liked that "blank slate" quality of bakers
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Very interesting vid., and great playing. It would be interesting to hear it without the echo, but for me, the way you describe it is pretty accurate. The VB does seem to have an extremely 'even' sound, with a surprising amount of midrange density or weight to the notes, and definitely without that thunky hollowness of typical gibsons. It's interesting that other makers too, eg Schottmueller ( not sure i have got that quite right...) also make thinner bodied, smaller guitars, but with carved spruce tops as opposed to laminate, that give a distinctly different sound from gibsons, at least to my ear. Has it got a soundpost? VB sometimes uses floating blocks 'ie attached to the top only.
The 'blank slate' description above is a good one. And your choice of I Remember April for the demo seems quite topical.....
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The way I see it is that Stefan Schottmueller's guitars have more acoustic qualities than VBs. Not neccesary a good thing though - it depends what you're looking for. Mine has a soundpost block which is attached to top and back and prevents feedback (despite the solid wood it's a totally giggable guitar at "loud" - it's still jazz - levels). I see VB guitars more as working horses for the stage than as piece of art to be recorded with super hight-end condenser microphones
Originally Posted by Franz 1997
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That's a beautiful sounding guitar!
Really enjoyed your single note improvising to I'll Remember April - one of my favorite tunes.
Wishing you all the best with your new Victor Baker!
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Sounds Great !!!
Is that guitar sporting Kent Armstrong humbuckers?
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Sounds great, i love my VB15. here is a pic. Its my main guitar, had a it a couple years now. Cello F holes, single pickup. what amp/effects are you using?
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Your F-holes seems different than mine, very cool! Do you also have a soundpost block inside? Originally Posted by jazzgtrl4
This was recording with a Princeton Reverb II, strymon flint reverb, TC flashback (tape setting) delay
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I have a VB Model 14 and love it. I wanted a Model 15, but VB had a deal going for a Model 14 so I bought it, VB builds great instruments.
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Victor Baker made a very good instruments and he is a great player also.
Nice sound...:-)
Best
kris
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Ya the F holes on mine are the cello look. Really dig it. I didn't order this guitar, it popped up on his site after he completed it and it was suppose to go overseas i think but something happened and i grabbed it. Not knowing if i was gonna like it or keep it etc./turned out to be my main guitar for jazz now. yes it has the sound post under the bridge.
Also i changed out the knobs, not pictured here to some wooden ones i have and it looks killer. I also have a Sadowsky TruTone bridge that ill install at some point.
Also i had my luthier change out all the wiring to CTS pots and a PIO cap.
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What does this change? I noticed that the tone knob on the VB works differently than on other guitars I had Originally Posted by jazzgtrl4
tone knob turned fully up works as usual, but then on setting 2-9 there is hardly any change (like a staying on 7-8 on other guitars), only when turned down to 0-1 it does the usual
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Originally Posted by jzjazz
What does this change? I noticed that the tone knob on the VB works differently than on other guitars I had tone knob turned fully up works as usual, but then on setting 2-9 there is hardly any change (like a staying on 7-8 on other guitars), only when turned down to 0-1 it does the usual
Exactly, i think that is the type of pot he is using. I wanted more of a taper to start earlier, more of a sweep. but my main thing was the pot didn't do anything until it was rolled all the way off almost.
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I like the 16th fret neck/body joint (similar to the Hofner Jazzica/New President/Chancellor).
Victor makes really nice modern archtops.
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That’s a very handsome guitar that sounds great. You sound great too.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
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Very cool. How are you feeling about this sound vs your more traditional guitars? Your playing definitely has adjusted to it nicely. I’m hearing a lot of, let’s say, Hekselisms, mixed in your your bop language.
Those VBs are very cool. I played Romain Pilon’s for a minute once and it was very different from any archtop I’ve ever played. Your description is right on.
beautifully recorded and mixed as well.
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I love the sustain and bloom on that Guitar and your pure no pick noise technique and
beautiful lines don't hurt either ...
Really impressive , nice to listen to.Last edited by Robertkoa; 04-07-2019 at 08:04 PM.
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