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It’s almost exactly 34 years since Dave Wilson started finishing my guitars.  He started at Overwater Guitars (whose spray-booth I shared) on the 4th January 1987 and was taught by Overwater finisher Jack Clark (who later made my mandolin, cittern and guitar cases).

Dave learnt fast; he’s a perfectionist, constantly assessing and working on finishing techniques. He has come to terms with all the many changes in lacquer over the years, including the big switch to 2007 compliant lacquer in (surprisingly) 2007 and adapted his techniques to get the best out of each. His is a combination of skill, experience and always taking the necessary time; I have never seen better finishes than those he is producing now.

Many years ago he set up on his own, finishing for UK (and some foreign) builders including many of the very best in the country. And his reputation for refinishing is outstanding, to the point where his regular customers rave about him.

In the 35 years working together, we’ve become firm friends. Dave’s a chatty man and we talk about cars, bikes, instruments, family, customers and just about anything going on in the world around us.

I have never even considered going elswhere for finishing.  Dave is simply the best.

I have built many D guitars since building my first in 2004.  This first was based on my Model 1 redesigned as a 12 fret to the body standard guitar with two extra frets added to the nut.  So giving a long scale 14 fret to the body guitar tuned a tone lower than standard.

Fitting a capo to the second fret turns it into a standard guitar; standard pitch with standard strings at standard tension, with 12 frets remaining to the body. It’s a truly versatile guitar.

In 2013 Maurice Condie asked me to build him a D guitar on a Model 2 body, as this was already a 12 fret to the body model. This was an excellent suggestion, and my current D guitars are built to this design.

In 2018 Darrell Scott was visiting the UK and asked me if I had anything interesting to show him.  I showed him a figured Sitka and African Blackwood Model 2D, thinking this would amuse but not seriously interest him. He fell in love with it instantly and took it away with him.

Earlier this year I wanted to hear how a slightly shallower D guitar would sound. I built it with African Blackwood back and sides and a German spruce soundboard.  This has turned out to be my favourite; I’ve hung on to it and play it every day. Yes, the nut is a long way away, and as I’m short with a limited reach it’s a bit of a stretch for me.  But I’m used to it now and it’s worth it: a wonderful rich dark sound, clear and strong in both treble and bass.

I love it so much that while I don’t have a commission for one, I’ve just finished an Anniversary version, with dark Brazilian rosewood back and sides and an aged German spruce soundboard. It’s currently in the spray-booth; I’m impatient to have it back and play it. Here are a couple of photos showing it ready for lacquer.

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Martin Simpson playing the original Model 1 based D guitar in 2004

Maurice Condie with his brainchild, the first Model 2D in 2013. He says now ‘It is still, in my opinion, the best guitar I have ever played (once you get used to the long stretches)’.

Darrell Scott in 2018 playing the Model 2D he took back to the US

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I am now taking orders for 40th Anniversary guitars, as announced in my previous post.  I will be building twelve in total, four are spoken for so I can take orders for another eight.

Details at
https://www.sobellguitars.com/40th-anniversary-model-guitars/

Anniversary guitars can be any of my current flat-top models, with options for soundboard wood, neck wood and binding/trim. All will be built with my CITES compliant Brazilian rosewood, and certification will accompany every guitar.

Please contact me for details and to discuss specifications.

Telephone +44 (0) 1434 673567
Email:  stefan@sobellguitars.com

In the early 2000s I built up a stock of Brazilian rosewood, famous for building special sounding guitars. As CITES legislation changed and I didn’t keep up with it, I left it on my workshop shelves for many years.  But now I have brought it up to current CITES certification.  Having sorted it into guitar sets, it’s clear I have more than I can ever use, so am putting some up for sale.

It can be seen at     https://www.sobellguitars.com/brazilian-rosewood-for-sale/

Back view, showing three piece African Blackwood back. I love the look, and there is no difference in sound as compared with a standard two piece back.

Indeed, I have built guitars with five and six piece backs, Martin Simpson’s Brazilian rosewood MS 2 model was one of these.  I was able to use lovely colourful old Brazilian scantlings, 3″ x 2″, and the guitar sounded wonderful.

There is of course a history of multi piece backs. In past centuries, when transport and shipping was not as easy as today, makers used varied woods and sizes as a matter of course.

More recently,  the Martin Guitar company introduced the three piece back D35 in 1965, so as to be able to use the narrower pieces of Brazilian rosewood they had available. It became a popular model and has stayed in their catalogue to this day.

I’ve heard it said that the three piece back gives a different sound to that of the two piece back D28, but I hardly believe this. If there is a different sound, there will be some other change to account for it.