Port Fairy Guitars

[Bob Connor]

Here's some pics of the guitars we took to show at the Port Fairy Folk Festival. Some were a little underdone. As you can see there are no logos in them yet. Most of them didn't get strung up until Wednesday last week so things were a little frantic.

The Coco Dread and Tiger Myrtle OOO were pre-ordered and both of the guys saw their guitars at the weekend and I'm pleased to report the were well happy with them both.

There's a Blackwood/King Billy O-model missing from the pics - I'll throw that up when I get some pics because it has some interesting features that are worth discussion.

As far as sound goes the Red Spruce OOO's have plenty of bottom end and the Dread has plenty of top end. So everyones happy.

The redwood guitar I built for myself for fingerstyl and it's very lush sounding, lots of overtones in the top end so I'm happy.

Tiger Myrtle OOO

Red Spruce top, Ebony Bindings, Mahogany/Blackwood/Tiger Myrtle Neck, Ebony Bridge











Blackwood/Red Spruce OOO

Bindings are Blackwood, Bridge and Fingerboard Brigalow, Blackwood neck









Cocobolo/Red Spruce Dreadnought

Cocobolo bridge and fingerboard. Thanks to Uncle Bob for getting all the Coc bits to me on time. The top was one of his as well,













Redwood/Honduras Mahogany OOO

Redwood top from Uncle bob cefalu and the hondueas Rosewood came from Steve Roberson at Colonial Tonewoods

[DarwinStrings]

There's a Blackwood/King Billy O-model missing from the pics - I'll throw that up when I get some pics because it has some interesting features that are worth discussion.

Waiting with interest on that Bob. It's like you have just written the end of a soap opera episode, we have to wait till next time to find out what those "interesting features" are.

Aside from that, another handful of smooth as silk guitars from you, thanks for the squiz.

Jim

[ozziebluesman]

It's a pleaseure to view these guitars Bob. They are all stunning. Hard to pick my favourite. Is that the Honduran Rosewood you spoke about after your USA trip? I remember you were taken by the great tap tone.

Thanks for sharing the pics.

Cheers

Alan

[Dennis Leahy]

What a bunch of gorgeous guitars, Bob! Well done! Wish I could play them!

Dennis

[Nick]

All stunning guitars Bob, you should be extremely proud of the work you produce. Think my favourite is the Redspruce/Blackwood OOO, something about a OOO shape, maybe it's the narrow waist
Nice touch binding the fingerboard with the same wood, is that a standard feature on your guitars?

[Mark McLean]

Very impressive Bob (and Dave). Beautiful work and stunning wood. I would love to smell them! Does the cocobolo one have that cigarbox aroma? It would also be great if you could tell us what you think of the sound of the different timbers. I've never played a tiger myrtle guitar - what are the tone characteristics? Mark

[Kim]

Great work getting this lot together in time for the festival Bob. I like them all too, especially the Blackwood with sap the Honduras RW, the Coco and the Tiger Myrtle

Cheers

Kim

[Dominic]

Love the rich colour of the coco Bob. My favourate wood. I can't wait to get into the 3 sets I got in our group by from BobC.
Dom

[Bob Connor]

Thanks for the generous words everone.

Yeah Jim - the next episode on the King Billy topped guitar might be like Blue Hills, episode 15,582.

Alan that is the Honduran Rosewood and I'm still very taken by the huge sustain when this stuff is tapped.

Nick - most of them have different binding on the neck to the fingerboard. The Tiger Myrtle one had an ebony fingerboard with ebony bindings but our binding scheme on the neck always follows what the body has been bound with.

Mark I think that the biggest influence on the sound of the instrument is it's shape, followed by the top wood and how it has been tuned and the back has the least influence. Throw into this mix that every builder will have their own sound that seems to become attached to their guitars the more they build I find it fairly difficult to pin down what these back woods actually do sound like once they've got sides and strings and things glued to them.

Most of these guitars had Red Spruce tops so they sound ballsy and fundamental with lots of head room and sustain.

For the record Tiger Myrtle sounds very similar to a cardboard carton before it is made into a guitar. Once it is constructed I don't believe that it adds much to the tone at all. It's reasonably transparent and what you are hearing is predominantly the top. Makes a nice sounding instrument though and they seem to be loud.

If you don't mind pink guitars straight grained Myrtle would probably be a better sounding wood - it certainly taps better than the Tiger variety.

To me the Tiger is a bit more punky - almost like the fungus has softened it up a bit.

It looks pretty sharp though.

[Stephen Kinnaird]

Beautiful, all, Bob.
Especially taken with the Redwood/Honduras Mahogany-Rosewood.
Oh, and I really like the Tiger Myrtle.
Almost as much as the Blackwood....
But, hey, that Cocobolo, now THAT'S my favorite!

You guys are fast!

Steve

[gratay]

Looking at these has given me a bad case of choice paralysis..
All of them are just georgeous ,Bob.

[Runn3r]

...beautiful guitars Bob...

...tht Tiger Myrtle is a new one to me and quite a wondrous wood it looks like!

[Lillian]

Bob, I've lost count at the number of times I've gone through this thread. Your guitars are beautiful. They have such an understated elegance. I've tried and tried to settle on just one, but I can't. Thanks for sharing them with us.

[pjpalfi]

There is so much inspirational stuff on this forum - loving it all