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When I opened the case on this guitar, it was love at first sight. The Port Orford cedar is so warm and the luthier (who I was not familiar with) chose complementing colors for binding, neck, tailpiece and bridge (walnut). I just can't imagine how this design could be improved. It fits me like a glove at 16". The neck is a flat-ish C which is very comfortable. Thorell's top gives all notes a long and resonant sustain plugged or un plugged with just the right amount of overtones. This is my first cedar archtop. It is ALL cedar - top, back and sides. The top is carved from a single piece while the back is a traditional book matched set. Enjoy...
Cincy
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09-02-2022 05:58 PM
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Very nice looking guitar..
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That is a beautiful guitar. Congrats on a fine acquisition. May this guitar give you years of music making.
The only Thorell that I have seen (and only in pictures) is the one that Frank Vignola plays.
Do folks here know that for the Eastman FV-680 and FV-880 (Frank Vignola) models, the design is licensed from Thorell and are essential copies of the Thorell that Frank Vignola has?
So if you can't afford a Thorell (I have no idea what they cost), consider the Eastman licensed copy of Frank Vignola's. I am sure it won' be a Thorell, but still a nice low cost alternative.
The Thorell that the OP has is not the same as the one Frank has. I think the OP's is fancier and is certainly beautiful and I would imagine plays and sounds equally beautifully.
Tony
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Congrats!! Ryan (who lives close to me!) makes incredible instruments, and is the coolest cat! He uses some different woods (like sycamore) and gets great results. Cedar archtops are wonderful - enjoy your guitar!!
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Congrats Cincy! May she inspire your playing for many years to come. The L-5CESN that I bought from you continues to inspire my playing. Thanks again!
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Looking at the OP's pics again, it struck me that the Thorell he has is a work of art beyond being "just" an archtop. It is a functional sculpture!
Tony
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That is so good to hear! Thanks.
Originally Posted by Stringswinger
Cincy
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This one looks on par with the lushious looking instruments Maegan Wells turns out.
And this thread just begs for sound samples (unplugged, highlighting the entire range) but I guess we'll have to be patient while she's being broken in.
First time ever I hear of a guitar with cedar B&S btw!
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I’d be interested in hearing as well. I don’t think I have come across a cedar back and sides either. Originally Posted by RJVB
To the OP - congrats!! You’re on quite a run of world class instruments
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That is phenomenal, I love the cedar. Can't believe a one-piece top. Congrats. How are feeback issues?
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Cincy,
That's a real beauty!
Congratulations on your new guitar. I played Ryan's guitars several years ago at the LaConner Guitar Festival here in the Pacific Northwest and loved them. He is a great builder. His use of different woods opens up a wide door to interesting creations. And I agree 16" archtops are much more comfortable to play and can have great acoustic responsiveness, but tighter than a 17". Great guitar!
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Gibson's eventual return to the archtop arena won't be an uncontested victory parade. There's never been as many fantastic luthiers out there as today.
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Beautiful instrument!
Would love to hear it amplified not acoustic, curious how it would be for gigging.
I’m surprised there are not more cedar topped archtops. In the classical world cedar tops are synonymous with a full round mellow tonality. Any of our wood-knowledgeable friends know why?
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This is definitely true. However, I have played a few (not a lot...) of luthier built archtops and I personally would take my 1995 Gibson Citation over any of those I have tried. There is just something about a well built Gibson archtop and I don't think you have to go to a Citation to experience that. I experienced it with the Gibson Johnny Smith and others at their higher end. Originally Posted by Gitterbug
To be clear, this is a matter of personal preference rather than a statement that Gibson guitars are necessarily better than others. I just prefer Gibsons (so far...), though I wouldn't doubt that I could well encounter one or more luthier built archtops that would change my mind. The OP's Thorell is sure a stunner and I wouldn't turn down the opportunity to try it and feel that lust for a new guitar all over again.
Tony
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It'll sound like whatever the effects/modellers, amp and speaker make an electric guitar sound like Originally Posted by jazzkritter
Cedar has the same reputation in acoustic flat-top land. I think cedar is (a lot?) softer than spruce, which may make it less suitable for use in an archtop. A quick check in the violin universe confirms both: "awful to work with, splinters and damages easily" and "nice mellow sound but lacks brilliance and power".I’m surprised there are not more cedar topped archtops. In the classical world cedar tops are synonymous with a full round mellow tonality. Any of our wood-knowledgeable friends know why?
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What a downer! Originally Posted by RJVB
It'll sound like whatever the effects/modellers, amp and speaker make an electric guitar sound like
Cedar has the same reputation in acoustic flat-top land. I think cedar is (a lot?) softer than spruce, which may make it less suitable for use in an archtop. A quick check in the violin universe confirms both: "awful to work with, splinters and damages easily" and "nice mellow sound but lacks brilliance and power".
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Demands on violin and cello tops are very different from demands on archtop tops, and there's no soundpost in guitars (that could press into the top as can apparently happen with cedar violin tops). Note also that this guitar is Port Orford cedar which may have less of the undesirable properties. Originally Posted by AKA
FWIW, Maegan Wells just finished a redwood + walnut 15" archtop, and Fred Pons of Kopo Guitars has several nylon-string archtop models with red cedar tops.
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FYI, Port Orford Cedar is actually in the Cyprus family.
Originally Posted by RJVB
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Sweet! Congratulations, and play it in good health!
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Here are two plugged in samples: Originally Posted by RJVB
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Congrats on your new guitar! It's a beautiful piece and the videos prove that it's no slouch in the sound department. Enjoy!
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The word "cedar" gets used a lot and not all of it is really cedar at all. Spanish cedar is neither cedar nor Spanish and it mostly gets used in guitars as a sustitute for mahogany. Port Orford Cedar is beautiful, expensive and way harder than real cedar.
And contratulations to USNA75. That is a remarkably beautiful guitar from a wonderful builder.Last edited by Jim Soloway; 09-04-2022 at 10:20 AM.
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That’s a beautiful guitar!
I have a Rancourt 15” archtop with a one piece top of salvaged sunken cedar and walnut back and sides. It is by far the best sounding acoustic archtop I’ve played. I wish more guitar makers would use this wood.
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Port Orford Cedar is not cedar it is a cypress.
I live in Port Orford territory. I have quite a bit of it. It is protected in Oregon State forests. Permits required.
I use PO for tops . Many west coast USA luthiers use it for backs sides, and tops, especially Flamenco guitars.
Do a search for Les Stansell in Pistol River Oregon USA.. he was the leading pioneer using Port Orford and he
harvested and milled his own logs. He sold to major luthier supply companies as well as using it for his Flamenco
guitars and now ukuleles.
The Port Orford Cedar on the Thorell guitar does not look like any PO I have ever seen.
It looks more like Monterey Cypress or Western Big Leaf Maple, wild cherry or Oregon Myrtle ( which is Callifornia Bay Laurel. )
PO is a creamy yellow/ivory color and very tight grained, as much as 30 per inch.
I have a considerable amount of it locally harvested over 24 years. None of it, nor any other
PO I have seen, looks like the wood in this guitar. For samples and photos do a search for
Luthiers Mercantile and other US west coast suppliers.
Beautiful Guitar.
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Yes, aside from being a luthier, Les sells great woods from the Northwest. I have a flattop made from a set of Oregon Myrtle harvested and processed by Less 25-years ago.
Originally Posted by bohemian46
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