McIlroy meets McNally

tomjax · May 2023

This forum is such a great place to hang out.

Had the pleasure of meeting up with forum member @Shadow today, for a bit of guitar fun.

I own a McIroy and he owns a lovely new McNally guitar. As these both share some Lowden DNA (both builders worked with Lowden before they set up on their own) we thought it would be great to meet and compare the two. They're both spruce over rosewood.

Each is a really beautiful guitar; both builders are at the top of their game when it comes to finishing and build standards. Playability is exceptional on both.

And although they share that Irish build heritage, they have their own distinct voices without much overlap I'd say, and certainly neither sounds like a Lowden. The Mcilroy had a slightly fuller tone to my ears, but it has a deeper body and 17 years of playing on it. The McNally was more balanced with quite a modern, articulate tone. Both are fabulous and a joy to own.

A real pleasure to meet @Shadow and have opportunity to compare these two lovely guitars.

thomasross20 · May 2023

Damn that sounds amazing... And indeed this is a great place full of great people

Tannin · May 2023

Wow, that's a great thing. Good for you two.

This whole Irish guitar theme is something I have yet to explore. We very seldom see any of them here in Oz.They sound great on You-tube but there is nothing like playing instruments in real life.

In the same vein I believe that @thomasross20 is going to drop in and have a go on my little collection of Matons as soon as he figures out how to get the Number 9 bus to stop in Tasmania.

tomjax · May 2023

thomasross20 said:

Damn that sounds amazing... And indeed this is a great place full of great pride

Yes, great fun. And if you're ever down Yorkshire way, there's an open invite. We threw a Furch and a Brook into the mix as well.

Your ears must have been burning by the way, we were discussing L'Arrivee guitars!

tomjax · May 2023

@tanin your ears must have been burning too, we were discussing your encyclopedic knowledge of woods and your fantastic string review database!

There are some fabulous guitars coming out of Ireland!

Tannin · May 2023

Actually, I'll be in Yorkshire come July ... but for such a ridiculously brief time that it's not really worth mentioning. Mrs Tannin and plan on staying with our in-laws in Croatia for 3 weeks - they are great fun and we will have a brilliant time. Out of those 3 weeks, I am stealing 1 week to (a) travel by train and ferry from Zagreb to Portsmouth vis Zurich and Paris (2 days), (b) visit a very good friend in the south of England (3 days), (c) slip down to Devon to order a Brook (1 day), and (d) travel both ways along the Settle-Carlyle line through the Yorkshire Moors and loop around the Cumbrian coastline and into Scotland before flying home to Zagreb (2 days). It is a ridiculously tight schedule and that is entirely my own fault.

tomjax · May 2023

Next time... But that sounds a mighty fun schedule! Enjoy...

thomasross20 · May 2023

tomjax said:

thomasross20 said:

Damn that sounds amazing... And indeed this is a great place full of great pride

Yes, great fun. And if you're ever down Yorkshire way, there's an open invite. We threw a Furch and a Brook into the mix as well.

Your ears must have been burning by the way, we were discussing L'Arrivee guitars!

Sounds like heaven tbh... Can't wait to try a Brook (what was the Larrivee chat?)

(And per Tannin post, I've always wanted to visit Australia)

bertie · May 2023

thomasross20 said:
. Can't wait to try a Brook

* cough *

and bring yer ££

PCT57 · May 2023

Tannin said:

Actually, I'll be in Yorkshire come July ... but for such a ridiculously brief time that it's not really worth mentioning. Mrs Tannin and plan on staying with our in-laws in Croatia for 3 weeks - they are great fun and we will have a brilliant time. Out of those 3 weeks, I am stealing 1 week to (a) travel by train and ferry from Zagreb to Portsmouth vis Zurich and Paris (2 days), (b) visit a very good friend in the south of England (3 days), (c) slip down to Devon to order a Brook (1 day), and (d) travel both ways along the Settle-Carlyle line through the Yorkshire Moors and loop around the Cumbrian coastline and into Scotland before flying home to Zagreb (2 days). It is a ridiculously tight schedule and that is entirely my own fault.

That sounds great. Have you any idea on which Brook guitar you might order?

stickyfiddle · May 2023

Awesome! Did you take any pics (or even better, videos!)?

I’d love to do this. Y’all should come meet me in Abu Dhabi!

tomjax · May 2023

Sorry we didn't take any pics or video, didn't even think of it to be honest! Maybe next time...

tomjax · May 2023

thomasross20 said:

twhat was the Larrivee chat?)

Oh, just discussing how fretboard radius affects playing and how Larrivee used to be quite flat fingerboards.

Shadow · May 2023

It was a real pleasure to meet @tomjax yesterday and have the opportunity to play a couple of his lovely guitars.

The McIlroy is a beautiful instrument, lovely full, rich tone, and the sitka top has aged wonderfully, a lovely deep honey colour which could hardly be more different to the light, creamy coloured top on my McNally... you'd hardly think they were the same wood.

The Brook Torridge is also a lovely instrument, OO sized and very easy to play. As it happens I'm looking for a OO at moment but unfortunately I'm going to have to set my sights a good bit lower, the McNally only having been in the house for three months and domestic harmony needing to be maintained!

Tom also got the seal of approval from the cat... normally when anyone visits she spends the whole time under a bed but she popped in to give him an approving sniff!

All in all a fun afternoon.

Tannin · May 2023

PCT57 said:

That sounds great. Have you any idea on which Brook guitar you might order?

Yes. And no.

Most of the small questions I either know exactly what I want (e.g., scale length, nut width, no cutaway, no fretboard markers, flat headstock, modest decoration) or don't really care (e.g., bridge type, brand of tuners). It's only the big questions I'm still at sea on!

I think body type and timbers will have to wait until I can play a couple of examples and talk them over with Simon or Andy. But smaller rather than larger (probably 0 or parlour), and so far as possible, all-British timbers. I could end up with something like cedar on walnut, but first I want to talk to them about the options in a hardwood top. I suspect that hardwood tops work better on larger guitars, so that might push me up to a 00 or even 000. We will see.

Until I've played a couple - here in Oz I've never even seen a Brook, or any other British-made acoustic, let alone played one - I can't go much further. I am catching a midday train in Exeter, so my Monday morning visit to Brook is going to require some quick decisions. I am OK with that. It will be fun and I have every confidence in their craftsmanship - I'm sure that whatever it ends up being will be lovely.

By the way, @PCT57, two or three of your videos have been a very useful to me in learning about the make and the way it sounds. So thank you!

bertie · May 2023

Easterbrook isnt a place a taxi driver will thank you for choosing to go to, also best check with Simon if they're carrying any demo/for sale models - Project Music in Exeter itself carry a few Brook's .

Tannin · May 2023

Cheers @bertie. I have a native guide/chauffeur. (Well, another Aussie by birth but he's lived in the UK for 30-something years and apparently likes it. Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if he ups and orders one for himself as well. He does love a nice instrument.)

Simon says I'll be able to play his own two plus whatever happens to be floating around in the workshop at the time. I'm actually buying via Project Music (but ordering direct) as the export paperwork is too hard for Brook.

Mellish · May 2023

Apologies @tomjax but @bertie, what are the better residential areas of Bristol? I'd like to make sure our daughter knows.

bertie · May 2023

@Mellish ;;;

PM'd

guitarjack66 · May 2023

Mellish said:

Apologies @tomjax but @bertie, what are the better residential areas of Bristol? I'd like to make sure our daughter knows.

Clifton is very nice,based on visits to an Auntie and Uncle who live there.

bertie · May 2023

guitarjack66 said:

Mellish said:

Apologies @tomjax but @bertie, what are the better residential areas of Bristol? I'd like to make sure our daughter knows.

Clifton is very nice,

and very expensive

guitarjack66 · May 2023

bertie said:

guitarjack66 said:

Mellish said:

Apologies @tomjax but @bertie, what are the better residential areas of Bristol? I'd like to make sure our daughter knows.

Clifton is very nice,

and very expensive

I'm sure it is. It wouldn't be a better residential area if it wasn't,I imagine.

Mellish · May 2023

@bertie and @guitarjack66 thanks both.

bertie · May 2023

guitarjack66 said:

I'm sure it is. It wouldn't be a better residential area if it wasn't,I imagine.

yeah - way beyond my ££ bracket, and to be totally honest, a bit too "middle class" for me (not that they'd allow me to live there

)

guitarjack66 · May 2023

bertie said:

guitarjack66 said:

I'm sure it is. It wouldn't be a better residential area if it wasn't,I imagine.

yeah - way beyond my ££ bracket, and to be totally honest, a bit too "middle class" for me (not that they'd allow me to live there )

You and me both! That is why it was only a 'visit.'
Nice to see how the other half lives though.

Ungulate · May 2023

When I was a student I lived in a squat on the edge of Royal York Crescent in Clifton village...it was great...for a while. Could not afford to live in Clifton now!

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McIlroy meets McNally

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