The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
Reply to Thread Bookmark Thread
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Posts 26 to 46 of 46
  1. #26

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
    My 18” Wu that was requested without electronics. I had a Biltoft installed after it arrived. Would I trade that guitar for an Eastman? Not on your life!

    Attachment 80908
    There's a little piece of heaven, sir!

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #27

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by vcd33238



    That video shows what the 1100 can do!! It's a relatively weak pickup and soars best with heavy strings that provide more vibrating steel mass. Wow!!

  4. #28

    User Info Menu

    It's good to know about Mr. Wu, now that Eastman is apparently cutting back on making archtops for a couple of years, to concentrate on solid-body guitars...

  5. #29

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Grass
    That video shows what the 1100 can do!! It's a relatively weak pickup and soars best with heavy strings that provide more vibrating steel mass. Wow!!
    Always funny to see how tastes differ. I only listened over laptop speakers but preferred the round-wound 11s with the medium pick (which is funny in itself because acoustically I normally prefer the sound of an extra heavy pick, wood or corn). I can't help but think of "just an electric guitar" with the heavier strings which I also cannot help to find almost a shame for such a beautiful guitar who's "real" voice is the acoustic one IMHO.

    BTW, it looks as if the control pot (almost) touches the top, maybe even takes the place of the usual support brace fixed to side-wall?

  6. #30

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Grass
    That video shows what the 1100 can do!! It's a relatively weak pickup and soars best with heavy strings that provide more vibrating steel mass. Wow!!
    The Benedetto design, heavy strings, and the 1100 seem to go together pretty well to my ears as well. Clear, 'woody', and complex. Good stuff.

  7. #31

    User Info Menu

    Can anyone post a video of the Wu? Can’t find too many on YouTube..

  8. #32

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Jazz123
    Can anyone post a video of the Wu? Can’t find too many on YouTube..
    This was my 18" Wu.

    Edit - It may be the only one on youtube, to my knowledge.


  9. #33

    User Info Menu



    Is this also a Wu? I really dig the tone of that guitar!

  10. #34

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Jazz123


    Is this also a Wu? I really dig the tone of that guitar!
    The back's wood is too nice for a Wu. That's L5CES style wood. Wu doesn't have plates large enough for a fiddleback maple tiger flamed back.

  11. #35

    User Info Menu

    So what guitar is it? Such nice woody tone!
    Last edited by Jazz123; 12-09-2021 at 04:42 AM.

  12. #36

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
    Wu doesn't have plates large enough for a fiddleback maple tiger flamed back.
    How do you know for sure?

    Good sounding guitar indeed (and fingerstyle, yay ).

  13. #37

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by RJVB
    How do you know for sure?

    Good sounding guitar indeed (and fingerstyle, yay ).
    When I selected the woods for my guitar I paid extra for the best woods he could get. He advised he didn’t have access to fiddleback Maple nor would he have plates large enough for my guitar, and the outer edges would have to be completed with sections of Maple. That didn’t matter because I chose to do a burst and those sections are unnoticeable.

  14. #38

    User Info Menu

    So that “orchid archtop” is also a Wu with extra cost in the wood?

  15. #39

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Jazz123
    So that “orchid archtop” is also a Wu with extra cost in the wood?
    No. Wu doesn’t have access to the type of wood on the back. That’s what I tried to order for my guitar, and was advised that’s only available in America or Europe. I have no idea who made the Orchid.

    Another dead giveaway is the binding on the f holes and the edges of the guitar. See how heavy it is? Wu didn’t do that.

  16. #40

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
    that’s only available in America or Europe.
    Or to brands based in the US or Europe? Eastman and The Loar both build in China, and both make guitars than can have pretty astonishing woods.

    Doesn't China have its own sources of good tonewoods?

    And FWIW, the carpenter who did some work for us told us that there are almost no sawmills left in France or even Europe; that all our nice trees are shipped of for sawing in ... China (possibly excluding those destined for the American market).

  17. #41

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by RJVB
    Or to brands based in the US or Europe? Eastman and The Loar both build in China, and both make guitars than can have pretty astonishing woods.

    Doesn't China have its own sources of good tonewoods?

    And FWIW, the carpenter who did some work for us told us that there are almost no sawmills left in France or even Europe; that all our nice trees are shipped of for sawing in ... China (possibly excluding those destined for the American market).
    Perhaps, but I’ve never ever seen tiger maple like on the orchid guitar that’s so even on any Chinese made guitar. That’s like what you see on an L5.

  18. #42

    User Info Menu

    Furniture and paneling. The end point of most nice maple. I’ve sat in board rooms staring at the most incredibly beautiful table tops. Table tops! Oh well.

  19. #43

    User Info Menu

    Well, at least it isn't lost for lutherie in there - if it's actual solid maple and not a very realistic artificial veneer

    After all, some very good builders are making gorgeous guitars out of Tunnel 13 and 14 redwood and I'm pretty certain I've already seen guitars with B&S made from old oak tables.

  20. #44

    User Info Menu

    Circle of life lol

  21. #45

    User Info Menu

    For sure China has nice European tonewood, a friend of mine is in the violin business , told me all the major European tonewood supplier are shipping the majority of their wood to China, since now most string instruments are made there. The higher end wood usually acquired by more skilled makers/workshops…while the mediocre makers still use Chinese wood.

    Based on the video, the orchid has a much deeper, warmer, and acoustic tone than the Wu. I think besides the back, the age of the top is probably much older on the orchid..

  22. #46

    User Info Menu

    Does make you wonder where the major EU lutherie schools (Mittenwald, Cremona, Mirecourt) get their wood from.

    I've been interested in buying a Dowina guitar some time ago, and still follow them on Instagram (yep...) because they're worth it. I think they get at least part of their wood from source(s) in Spain. The question is of course how long those sources have been storing the wood. I suppose even the lowliest builders in China don't use wood that was cut too recently (no idea how many years we're talking).