New Avalon Day

TheMadMick · April 2022

Well, it arrived this morning as predicted - safe and well.

Tried to post pics but the system baulked at that.

In short, it's a lovely guitar, tonally I was afraid it would be very bright but if anything it's a bit muted. However, that may be the coated strings and / or it needs played in.

I have to say that the pics I got were OK but the actual instrument is superb. The bearclaw spruce top is to die for.

If anyone can help by posting a couple of pics for me, I'd be obliged.

bertie · April 2022

how are you doing it ?

go to the pic which should be hosted on a web sharing site/page (you cannot upload pics straight to this site), right click and "copy image source"

then open the "attach imgage/file" drop down and copy the link to the image, (I press space at this point to check the link works) then "enter"

Tannin · April 2022

Brilliant! At last!

Email them to me and I'll host the pictures for you @TheMadMick (Message me for my email details.)

Vinny · April 2022

Congratulations @TheMadMick ;
I changed the strings within a few days of getting mine. They come with D’Addario and I’m an elixir fan.

Shadow · April 2022

Very exciting, congratulations. An Avalon or a Lowden is my aspirational guitar. Looking forward to photos and maybe sound samples?

Mellish · April 2022

Pleased for you mate. Glad it arrived safe and sound

artiebear · April 2022

Good to know that it’s in your hands. Enjoy and keep us updated

TheMadMick · April 2022

Tannin said:

Brilliant! At last!

Email them to me and I'll host the pictures for you @TheMadMick (Message me for my email details.)

PM'd

GTC · April 2022

TheMadMick said:

In short, it's a lovely guitar, tonally I was afraid it would be very bright but if anything it's a bit muted. However, that may be the coated strings and / or it needs played in.

Congratulations. It sounds as if it was indeed worth the wait. It probably does need to be played in to open it up. If you are impatient, then a Tonerite session might be worth a try. It worked wonders on my S7 OAK (sinker redwood top).

I've found I get the best results by setting the Tonerite up on the guitar for a full five days and then let it rest for another five (I know, more waiting) to recover. It worked well for me.

However, some people think the Tonerite is the work of the devil and the only way to play in a guitar is - well- to play the hell out of it. That was my view until I tried it on a couple of classicals after reading that Ramirez use it on their new instruments.

Enjoy it - and like many others I look forward to seeing the photos.

ToneControl · April 2022

GTC said:

TheMadMick said:

In short, it's a lovely guitar, tonally I was afraid it would be very bright but if anything it's a bit muted. However, that may be the coated strings and / or it needs played in.

Congratulations. It sounds as if it was indeed worth the wait. It probably does need to be played in to open it up. If you are impatient, then a Tonerite session might be worth a try. It worked wonders on my S7 OAK (sinker redwood top).

I've found I get the best results by setting the Tonerite up on the guitar for a full five days and then let it rest for another five (I know, more waiting) to recover. It worked well for me.

However, some people think the Tonerite is the work of the devil and the only way to play in a guitar is - well- to play the hell out of it. That was my view until I tried it on a couple of classicals after reading that Ramirez use it on their new instruments.

Enjoy it - and like many others I look forward to seeing the photos.

Avalon use a Tonerite overnight before shipping a new guitar

Some of my guitars have needed at least a couple of days

I have another gadget that you would think is more natural, but makes a lot of noise, it uses transducers on the soundboard, but basically it converts your guitar into a loudspeaker.

Tannin · April 2022

Ahhh ... the perils of time zones. @TheMadMick sent me a PM but I was in bed recovering from my sins.

Now I've replied but he (if he has any sense) will be in bed sleeping the sleep of the just.

So we have to wait for him to wake up and send me the pictures, then we have to wait for me to wake up and post them.

TheMadMick · April 2022

I was simply gonna play it. Oddly, while "commissioning" it the tone improved but my fingers started to hurt (I did it after my standard practice). Now, I've little patience so when I next got the opportunity, I gave it a quick play but it had closed down again. I've never had a guitar that did that so quickly and so distinctly.

Anyway, onward and upward.

GTC said:

TheMadMick said:

In short, it's a lovely guitar, tonally I was afraid it would be very bright but if anything it's a bit muted. However, that may be the coated strings and / or it needs played in.

Congratulations. It sounds as if it was indeed worth the wait. It probably does need to be played in to open it up. If you are impatient, then a Tonerite session might be worth a try. It worked wonders on my S7 OAK (sinker redwood top).

I've found I get the best results by setting the Tonerite up on the guitar for a full five days and then let it rest for another five (I know, more waiting) to recover. It worked well for me.

However, some people think the Tonerite is the work of the devil and the only way to play in a guitar is - well- to play the hell out of it. That was my view until I tried it on a couple of classicals after reading that Ramirez use it on their new instruments.

Enjoy it - and like many others I look forward to seeing the photos.

Tannin · April 2022

And oh what a beauty it is!

Image: https://tannin.net.au/other/dpr/20220413_104859_01.jpg

Image: https://tannin.net.au/other/dpr/20220413_104739.jpg

A lovely bit of bear claw there.

Soupman · April 2022

Oh what a gorgeous instrument. I'm not a fan of bling, so the design of this is perfect as far as I can see. I particularly like the cutaway and the sounhole rosette. Well worth the tortuous wait! Congratulations

Mellish · April 2022

Very nice Avalon. You must be a very proud owner, Mick. And thanks @Tannin for letting us see

TheMadMick · April 2022

It's even better than the pics show. The top is to die for. Absolutely amazing. Can't wait for it to mature.

WindmillGuitars · April 2022

Congrats @TheMadMick - beautiful guitar .. health to enjoy

Mellish · April 2022

Worth the wait then? I'm sure that's a daft question! Just play it mate and it will open up a treat

drofluf · April 2022

That is very nice!

Smellyfingers · April 2022

Congrats.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think Avalon fits recommends D'addario strings.

They're OK, but a bit bland. Eventually I fitted
La Bellas to my 12 string Avalin and I found a marked improvement in tonal character, they're expensive though.

TheMadMick · April 2022

Mellish said:

Worth the wait then? I'm sure that's a daft question! Just play it mate and it will open up a treat

Afraid the Good Lord didn't bless me with patience. However, as I play it, it gets more and more comfortable and I trust it will open up. It will be fun trying to judge when it's fully played in.

One thing that surprised me was that the neck seemed fractionally sticky but after playing for a few minutes it eased up. I don't think I have particularly greasy skin but this was a surprise.

Mellish · April 2022

Gloss neck or satin?

Tannin · April 2022

More lovely guitar porn:

Image: http://tannin.net.au/other/dpr/themadmick3.jpg

Image: http://tannin.net.au/other/dpr/themadmick4.jpg

Image: http://tannin.net.au/other/dpr/themadmick5.jpg

Image: http://tannin.net.au/other/dpr/themadmick6.jpg

Did I miss the memo or did no-one tell me what the timbers are?

I'll hazard a guess at a spruce top but struggle to say which one. Probably not Red, one of the others. Back and sides, I'm thinking walnut, and the same for the central stripe in a mahogany neck. Am I in the ballpark?

Whatever that back is, it's lovely.

Mellish · April 2022

Just gorgeous

Vinny · April 2022

If it sounds as good as it looks, it must sound lovely.
I’d say you’re spot on re woods @Tannin I can’t make out the rosette but neck looks like mahogany, purple heart and walnut.

earwighoney · April 2022

@Tannin looks like bearclaw Sitka, Claro Walnut.

Lovely looking 5 piece neck as well.

Sitka as other species or Spruce do not usually have bearclaw as much the above.

TheMadMick · April 2022

The finish is semi gloss nitro, the back and sides are as Vinny says, walnut and sitka spruce top (as I recollect).

As you can probably guess, the fingers ache but my heart is beating a bit faster, it's opening up like fun and the balance across the strings is exactly as I would wish. Watch this space.

Soupman · April 2022

@TheMadMick ; - what are the back & sides that go with that corker of a spruce top?

TheMadMick · April 2022

Soupman said:

@TheMadMick ; - what are the back & sides that go with that corker of a spruce top?

Try Walnut. It has some funny sort of species designation I don't remember.

guitarjack66 · April 2022

Is it a classical,or a sort of classical look to a traditional acoustic? It does look a beauty of a guitar though whatever it is.

TheMadMick · April 2022

guitarjack66 said:

Is it a classical,or a sort of classical look to a traditional acoustic? It does look a beauty of a guitar though whatever it is.

Steel strung mid sized Jumbo. Quite a comfortable size for me but I'm not a small person.

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