Mission one has failed. It is not the loudest guitar ever. On the contrary, without an amp it is quite tight in its sound. But the Sitka has to open up in the coming months.
Mission two has succeded very well. The amplified sound in a band. Last week I took it to our rehearsal with my new AER amp (stunning amp!) and it did just great in the noise we make. My friends told me it performs fabulous.
I compared it with my alltime Ovation Balladeer and the Jumbo wins with two fingers in the nose (as we say over here). Me happy man.
Specs:
Top: Very stiff Canadian Sitka Spruce. Left it a bit thicker (3 mm, 0.12”)
Back/sides: Sapele (tough wood to bend, no beginnerswood)
Fingerboard: Cocobolo (it stains the laquer and sidedots, grrr)
Rosette and headplate: Wengé
Bindings: Snakewood (also very hard to bend)
Neck: Honduran Mahogany (as always easy stuff)
Pickup: Piëzo L.R.Baggs Active Element
To achieve the lesser sensitivity for feedback:
- A bit thicker top as I would make usually
- A shallower body depth (90 mm, 3.5”)
- Bigger soundhole (110 mm, 4.5”) It raized the body resonance ½ a tone
- A bit shorter scale (25”), bridge out of centre of the lower bout
- Therefore opened X braces (100 degree), but no foreward shifting.
The soundport gives the player a bit more volume, but to the amplified sound it has minimal effect. The pattern is a salute to Mandelbrot who made formulas that shows infinite patterns. I like a more delicate solution here better than just a hole in the side.
How much silk do you want in a nice top?
