alex, is the builder able to document that his wood is in fact "old growth" wood? What's his definition of old growth wood as this term has ben used loosely somettimes?
How is he able to guarantee that it will sound good like you mentioned? From what I recall in previous threads, they are not able to predict if a guitar will sound good until the finish product is done, regardless of parts and build technique used right?
I am planning to ask for papers but if you are experienced in wood you can see in the picture that some of the tops are at least 60 years old. I cannot reveal yet which one because it might bias selection.
Again, I would like to point out that there is no guarantee that he will get it because it is the first time I am ordering from him. Even if he gets it the first time around, I need to have a 2nd guitar made to prove a certain level of consistency. That's why I have named this thread appropriately as biting the bullet because of the risk involved. I just got tired of traveling abroad to test 100 Custom Shop guitars and rejecting them not only because it looks silly trying to explain to the salesman why it doesn't sound good -- by the way the salespeople in New York are generally more tolerating and they don't take it against you. Salesmen in Asia -- Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippines -- generally do not understand. But more importantly, after trying over a hundred Gibson Custom Shops and Fender Custom Shops in a day with PRS Ten Tops all sounding dead -- you start to look at these brands as CRAP. Nakaka baba ng confidence and it just kills the excitement.
On the positive side, he seems to exhibit some indicators that he is capable of building MAGIC into guitars. And this is why I decided to do a custom order to try to experience a custom build which will lead to MAGIC.
In my initial correspondence with him, he seems to have an intensity and drive and passion for his work that none of the local luthiers have. He is clearly the expert in this specific field of guitar making.
