A question for Light:

[SHEPPARDB.]

What is your opinion on this product and company?Do you know
of a place to buy it for less?
My uncle has it on his 64 martin and it does seem to sound real
good.(but that guitar has always sounded good)Is this stuff whorth the money?I was thinking of getting some for my Taylor
and letting a local guy install it.(same guy that did my uncles)
http://www.guitarivory.com/frame.htm

 

[Light]

I like fossilized ivory. I don't know that it makes a big difference sound wise, but it looks cool, and it has a good cool factor, which I like. We have used it a fair bit on guitars which we want to have look a little more "vintage". I don't think I would bother with it on a Taylor, because it would not really look consistent to me.

There are people who think they can hear a difference, but I don't really buy it. It is sort of like the people who argue about whether the bridge pins or the bridge should be slotted. I don't buy it. I think what happens with that (and most of the other "hot rod" mods for acoustic guitars) is that you bring or send your guitar to someone, and they put new strings on it. When you get it back with fresh strings, it sounds brighter and you are happy with the results. A setup makes a real noticeable difference, and you of course want to do everything you can to insure the structural stability, but there is not much you can do to make a guitar sound "better."

I guess I am saying that while I like fossilized ivory for new guitars, and it is a good choice if you need to replace the nut and saddle anyways, I would not go out of my way to use them if your current nut and saddle are in good shape.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi