B120 Borys deluxe in Amber finish

**QAman** · 07-19-2017, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

Congrats on an awesome acquisition. That's a keeper.

Woody Sound,
Thank you - it really is a keeper . I don't think the honeymoon will end on this one

**QAman** · 07-19-2017, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by citizenk74

Simply superb. That neck is carved from a particularly fine piece of maple. I very strongly doubt it will ever give rise to any problems, save perhaps being difficult to put down. Congratulations, and play it in good health!

Citizen74,
Thank you. It's truly a fine instrument. The size is so comfortable and the voice is so huge - a real aberration of sorts .

**vinnyv1k** · 07-19-2017, 10:41 AM

We call The Godfather the Abalone Monster. You are a good man Stevie ! You deserve everything God blesses you with.
You reap what you sow in life. Just goes to show you are doing things right. P.S. your guitar skills deserve that axe.

You are a very humble man and I know you probably didn't want to post your new axe but we are all glad you did.
Do enjoy your new love affair. I know Jimmy is smiling from Heaven.

**Max405** · 07-19-2017, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by vinnyv1k

We call The Godfather the Abalone Monster. You are a good man Stevie ! You deserve everything God blesses you with.
You reap what you sow in life. Just goes to show you are doing things right. P.S. your guitar skills deserve that axe.

You are a very humble man and I know you probably didn't want to post your new axe but we are all glad you did.
Do enjoy your new love affair. I know Jimmy is smiling from Heaven.

Great Post bro.

**QAman** · 07-19-2017, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by vinnyv1k

We call The Godfather the Abalone Monster. You are a good man Stevie ! You deserve everything God blesses you with.
You reap what you sow in life. Just goes to show you are doing things right. P.S. your guitar skills deserve that axe.

You are a very humble man and I know you probably didn't want to post your new axe but we are all glad you did.
Do enjoy your new love affair. I know Jimmy is smiling from Heaven.

Thanks for the kind words Vinny - I'm thoroughly enjoying the Borys - especially since I'm off work until 8/1.

**wintermoon** · 07-19-2017, 03:03 PM

looks great!
it's intersting how some builders use 1 piece necks, others laminate.
John D. made them one piece until almost the end when he laminated them here and there.
I'm guessing Roger uses them as Jimmy D did.

**vinnyv1k** · 07-19-2017, 03:32 PM

Jimmy had strong reasons for a 1 piece neck which now I completely understand with all the walnut strip shrinkage issues I have had on laminate necks.

**coolvinny** · 07-19-2017, 03:44 PM

Great looking guitar with fantastic specs. I dig the slightly-smaller-than-16 size and reduced depth. Every Borys I've heard sounds great particularly through an amp.

**QAman** · 07-19-2017, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by vinnyv1k

Jimmy had strong reasons for a 1 piece neck which now I completely understand with all the walnut strip shrinkage issues I have had on laminate necks.

After thinking about this, I would say the majority of my best sounding archtops have one pc necks. When doing custom builds I usually request a slighly thicker cross section and modified V instead of D profile - the later of which provides better fretting leverage. Jimmy always believed a wider / thicker neck adds tone.....in my experience I would have to agree.

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk

**QAman** · 07-19-2017, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by coolvinny

Great looking guitar with fantastic specs. I dig the slightly-smaller-than-16 size and reduced depth. Every Borys I've heard sounds great particularly through an amp.

Cool Vinny,
Nice to hear from you and thank you. This is really a great guitar that just sounds fantastic - and I'm hearing this from other Borys owners as well.

**Cunamara** · 07-19-2017, 07:31 PM

Shpadoinkle! That is magnificent!

**medblues** · 07-19-2017, 09:31 PM

Enjoy your beautiful new instrument in the best of health and wealth! We would like to hear it too if possible

**QAman** · 07-19-2017, 09:44 PM

Cunamara,
Thank you - its real fun to play.

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk

**QAman** · 07-19-2017, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by medblues

Enjoy your beautiful new instrument in the best of health and wealth! We would like to hear it too if possible

Medblues,
Thanks ! I will try and make a recording soon.

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk

**Greentone** · 07-20-2017, 10:22 AM

I've wanted a B120 for about 35 years. Beautiful, great sounding guitar.

QAman, I definitely admire your tastes in guitars. Unerringly, you seem to come across the good ones.

**QAman** · 07-20-2017, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by Greentone

I've wanted a B120 for about 35 years. Beautiful, great sounding guitar.

QAman, I definitely admire your tastes in guitars. Unerringly, you seem to come across the good ones.

Greentone,
Thank you . This is a terrific guitar and I hope you get yourself one. I'm very , very selective about what I buy . Most important is to buy " no excuse" instruments at the right price - that you really like.

**coolvinny** · 07-20-2017, 06:47 PM

QAman: how does the Borys compare to the Trenier laminates? I think you either purchased one of those Treniers or played one a couple years ago.

**QAman** · 07-20-2017, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by coolvinny

QAman: how does the Borys compare to the Trenier laminates? I think you either purchased one of those Treniers or played one a couple years ago.

Coolvinny,
The Borys is heavier in weight and has more of a carved Archtop tone - very fat / round tone with a touch of reverb. Nothing thin sounding at all - great volume for a laminate. The tonal palette Is like a hybrid of an early 60's Es175 single PU and a (real) mid eighties D'Aquisto / D'Angelico excel- with little less volume acoustically than the later.
The Trenier electric is ultra light, with a warm creamy woody sound - with a softness and responsiveness thats just incredible . It sounds exactly like Jimmy's Jazz electric - good acoustic volume - but not quiet as loud as the Borys.
Both are different in fantastic ways. I haven't spent enough time with either one plugged in to compare. Both are 24-3/4 scale and effortless to play - no cramping on either and I had Borys neck made similar to the Trenier - but the Trenier neck shape is just exquisite - exactly like a D'Aquisto.
Ive owned many guitars over 38 plus years - including both single and double pick up ES175's with original PAF's - and to me the Borys and Trenier laminates posses something extra - they exude a very high level of tonal excellence , which the player realizes immediately. Not sure a laminate can get too much better -of course that's just my opinion. Thanks for the inquiry .

**coolvinny** · 07-20-2017, 09:35 PM

Cool, thanks for the response QAman! While I am tempted by a Borys, I'm already very lucky to have my archies (one carved, one laminate, and a couple smaller backups for good measure) so I'm going to hang tight and just practice more.

**sgcim** · 07-20-2017, 10:34 PM

Roger's B-420 model, a carved archtop, is the closest thing to a D'Angelico NYer or D'AQ carved top I've ever played on.
I told him that at his shop, and he said that was the best compliment he ever received.

**ccroft** · 06-20-2021, 04:10 PM

I've been thinking on Borys 120/Wyble type for a few years.

I have identified my Great White Whale. It'll take me a year or two to ready my harpoon. I want to be prepared when The Great Beast finally breaks the surface, so I have a question or two for owners here. Particularly Q'Aman and Jabs, who seem to own a half dozen or so between them.

I've read everything on Roger's site about specs. It seems he customizes the basic design for his clients. EG: I've noticed 120 deluxe with and without fret board inlay, and with the deluxe banner at the top of headstock.

Neck profile: Do they vary like inlays do, or do they tend to one shape in particular? I'd be most interested in a flattish 'D' on the thin side (front to back). My Eastman Pisano 880 is a perfect neck for me, if you happen to know that one and can compare.

Wyble VS 120: I understand the spec differences. Do you notice much difference in sound and playability between them? I switch back and forth between 24 3/4 and 25 all the time so that doesn't matter much to me. I guess I'm wondering more about the longer body & thinner laminated sides of the Wyble.

Upper access: I do play up there and I have fat hands. In the pics the cut-away seems a bit narrow, but the horn seems shortish. I'm thinking access would be just fine. My Eastman is pinchy. My Lehmann is great (shorter horn). Any comments?

Are there other physical variations I should be aware of?

I guess it's clear by now that I live in an archtop wasteland, and may have to buy sight unseen (done it before). Unless one shows up in the Pacific Northwest, in which case I'd happily take a trip down to meet it in person.

Thanks in advance for any and all input!

**sgcim** · 06-20-2021, 05:10 PM

All I can tell you is to deal with inches, and not millimeters. RB doesn't do MMs. Let's leave it at that...

**gitman** · 06-21-2021, 05:59 AM

Roger's guitars are in a league where you won't have to worry about a re-sale in case your Great White Whale doesn't comply with your requirements re dimensions etc. The tone of his guitars is well known, as is the playability and the response and the rest is up to you and your dilligence/willingness to make the instrument work for you. Good luck for your chase !

**Jabberwocky** · 06-21-2021, 07:40 AM

Roger has a selection of carved necks of different neck profiles where you could go and try each one for best fit. The best thing to do for a perfect fit is to call on Roger in Hoboken. I could not be there in person so I asked for a 1959 Gibson neck profile, 0.875" under the first fret, erring on chunky. Roger came close and gave me a neck of 0.885" under the first fret. Good enough for me. Send Roger your Eastman 880 Pisano profile. I am sure he can nail it.

Inlays are optional. If you ask for them, Roger will make them.

I received two B120s. I have no experience with the Jimmy Wyble. Roger's Jimmy Wyble is based on the form of Jimmy's 1928 Gibson L5. It is a little longer in body length than the B120, with a shallower cutaway. The B120 is really comfortable and is Roger's best known model. There is a 17" B120 Custom that Tony Dicaprio plays. I have both. Both my B120s have the 25" scale length. I have a B120 that used to belong to a woman guitarist from Vermont. That one has a 24.75" scale length.

Oh yes, I asked for a 3" rim depth. Roger recommends 2.75" rim depth but you may order them as shallow as 2.25" deep, I think.

B120 Borys deluxe in Amber finish-img_2980-1-1-jpg

B120 Borys deluxe in Amber finish-img_2980-1-1-jpg

B120 Borys deluxe in Amber finish-img_2993-jpg

**QAman** · 06-21-2021, 09:49 AM

Jabs pretty much summed up the details. As for my Bory’s guitars, the necks are quite similar in shape. Since I’m able to visit Rogers shop - I communicated my needs and he nailed it precisely.
I had my neck cheeks slimmed slightly to approximate a smooth V/C shape. I do not like D shaped shoulders.

As for my B120 and Wyble, the B120 has an outstanding acoustic tone , and the Wyble is close. But I find the Wyble more comfortable to play. The slightly longer body and positioning of the body side on your leg seems a bit less cramped, and the scale length is proportionately perfect for me.

Both of these guitars are outstanding examples - and arguably some of the best laminated offerings on the market. Many, many pros play these guitars.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk