A guitar I built in 1986 has come back to me!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Scott Baxendale
  • Start date Start date
Scott Baxendale

Scott Baxendale

Well-known member
IMG_3117.webp
IMG_3132.webp
IMG_3134.webp
IMG_3135.webp
IMG_3129.webp
IMG_3122.webp
Here is a guitar I built in Dallas Texas in 1986 that recently came back to me. I just finished doing a neck reset, plane and refret, a new ebony bridge, new bone nut and saddle. This guitar sounds amazing.

 
Cool! Looks Martiny in style and sounds Martiny too.
Our goal was to build a new guitar that compared to the Martins made between 1934-1938 when they made their best sounding instruments.

What’s interesting to me is now this guitar is as old or older than the pre-war Martins we were lusting for in the late 1970’s. When I was restoring vintage guitars in Nashville in 1978 a 1934 Martin was only 44 years old. This guitar is already 38 years old. I have another similar guitar I built in 1982 that is now 43 years old. The first guitar I ever built is now over 50 years old…..dang…
 
It sounds pretty good from the video. It looks like it's been played and loved on for 40 years which is usually a good sign. Obviously not a closet queen!

I always roll my eyes a bit when people say that Clapton's Beano guitar was so good because the wood had aged. Uh, in 1966 that '59 LP would be 7 years old. My 74 Guild should be phenomenal since it's now 50 years old! My old Yamaha dread is 45 yrs old. My H157 is 22 yrs old.

But we're never ones to let facts get in the way of our beliefs! ?
 
Great vid. What a lovely guitar! I'm in love with the ebony finger board.
If only I could...
 
My 74 Guild should be phenomenal since it's now 50 years old! My old Yamaha dread is 45 yrs old.
My 1980 Alvaez Yairi DY55 still sounds as great as it did 45 years ago when i bought it. I don't buy into the myth that acoustic guitars sound better as they age simply because the wood has aged for decades.
YMMV
 
Back
Top