#4,5,6 & 7

Ryan Mazzocco · Post by **Ryan Mazzocco** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 1:06 am

Just finished these....

From left to right Maple, Walnut, Cherry, Walnut (cutaway)

a few more...

I am very happy with these. Still not pro quality but easily my best effort so far.

Peter Wilcox · Post by **Peter Wilcox** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 2:06 am

Wow, they look pro quality to me, at least from a distance! Congratulations -I'd be very happy with those too - great work.

Michael Lewis · Post by **Michael Lewis** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 2:39 am

Well then, Ryan, what areas and details keep your work from being professional quality? (don't answer) As long as YOU know there is room for improvement your job is to make it so. If you know something is not up to standards it is YOUR job to set it right.

How are you going to sell these if they are not "pro quality"? (rhetorical question)

I'm just asking these things to get you to think Remember that your work (instruments) speak for your abilities and make your reputation. The photographer Ansel Adams would take many many photographs but would show only his best ones, as he knew the work he showed would be his reputation. Think about it.

Paul E Buerk · Post by **Paul E Buerk** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 8:04 am

I thought I was going to see the start of a beautiful plane collection, but this will do just fine instead. Nice work!

Bryan Bear · Post by **Bryan Bear** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 10:32 am

Wow! You guys have been busy. Am I going to see any of these Saturday?

I too thought this was going to be a plane collection. I am not disappointed though!

Post by **Mark Swanson** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 2:07 pm

Pretty nice! Can you tell us how you perceive the differences between them, and which one's tone you like best?

Ryan Mazzocco · Post by **Ryan Mazzocco** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 7:57 pm

Thanks everyone.

Bryan Bear wrote:Wow! You guys have been busy. Am I going to see any of these Saturday?

I don't know... it's a lot to carry.... Yes of course I'll have them.

Peter Wilcox wrote:Wow, they look pro quality to me, at least from a distance! Congratulations -I'd be very happy with those too - great work.

It's best to keep them at a distance and in low light.

Michael Lewis wrote:Well then, Ryan, what areas and details keep your work from being professional quality? (don't answer) As long as YOU know there is room for improvement your job is to make it so. If you know something is not up to standards it is YOUR job to set it right.

How are you going to sell these if they are not "pro quality"? (rhetorical question)

I'm just asking these things to get you to think Remember that your work (instruments) speak for your abilities and make your reputation. The photographer Ansel Adams would take many many photographs but would show only his best ones, as he knew the work he showed would be his reputation. Think about it.

Yes, Michael, this is always foremost in my mind. I am always trying to figure out what I am doing wrong, how to improve and make each guitar progressively better. Even when I do a big run like this one, I might mess something up on the first couple, but by the time I get to the 4th one I'm doing a much better job. These guitars are going to find homes with friends of mine who understand the process that I am going through right now. I don't like letting mistakes go, but sometimes I am limited in my resources, whether it's materials, money or time (but it's usually all 3) which doesn't always allow me to fix mistakes. I do any time I reasonably can. Just because a guitar of mine has a couple of warts or imperfections I don't see it as a wasted effort. (And I'm not suggesting that's what you were saying.) Right now I'm looking at my #1 and #7 builds side by side. The difference is night and day. Admittedly, these guitars represent where I am, not where I want to be. But I don't think that means I should hide them away not to be seen for fear that someone I don't know may bad-mouth me on a message board somewhere and ruin my future as a luthier. But I can also control that by making sure I know and trust whoever is getting them.

Paul E Buerk wrote:I thought I was going to see the start of a beautiful plane collection, but this will do just fine instead. Nice work!

Oops.. yeah sorry, no planes to share.

Ryan Mazzocco · Post by **Ryan Mazzocco** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 8:42 pm

Mark Swanson wrote:Pretty nice! Can you tell us how you perceive the differences between them, and which one's tone you like best?

I'll give it my best shot Mark.

Maple: it's very bright with clear defined notes from top to bottom. I'd say it's pretty balanced overall.

Walnut: This one was tough. When I first got it set up and started to jam on it I was very disappointed. The sound was very harsh, like the mids were turned all the way up to max, bleeding out the highs and lows, and the individual notes seemed to get lost in the noise. I thought it was a failure. but about 12 hours later it started to balance out and now sounds like a guitar. Very similar to the Maple, but still more in the mids.

Walnut (cutaway): This one is more balanced closer to the Maple, but a bit brighter with very good clarity.

Cherry: This one is much warmer than the others with great clarity and note definition. Pick of the litter!

Overall: I'd like to get more bass response on all of them. I expected the Maple to be the brightest, but found the walnut to be a little brighter... at least in this small sample.
One thing I was very pleased with was that all the guitars really Boom. I was amazed at how loud they are, especially when someone else is playing them at me from 15 feet away.

Ryan Mazzocco · Post by **Ryan Mazzocco** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 10:02 pm

Take a listen for yourself if you like. Here's a short recording of all 4 guitars played separately for comparison.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2rzv4trl4w6p8 ... 7.mp3?dl=0
This is just a straight up, raw recording with absolutely no effects or EQ adjustment.

Michael Lewis · Post by **Michael Lewis** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 3:24 am

Ryan, If you are not yet where you want to be just look back and see how far you have come from your beginning. You are well on your way.

Bryan Bear · Post by **Bryan Bear** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 11:11 am

I got to play all of these Saturday. I'm with Ryan, the cherry was my favorite but they all boomed. Good seeing you guys!

Post by **Barry Daniels** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 1:07 pm

I would wager that the referenced flaws are finishing issues. Takes a lot of experience to pull off a blemish free finish.

Ryan Mazzocco · Post by **Ryan Mazzocco** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 6:30 pm

Thanks Michael.
Bryan, yes it was awesome seeing you and all the other guys this weekend. I love your mandolin and my offer still stands to take it off your hands.

Barry... could be.. but Michael told me I can't tell

I almost immediately regretted posting the link to the sound file. a quick recording on my smart phone is not a very good representation.

Bryan Bear · Post by **Bryan Bear** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 10:24 am

Too late, it is out there now <G>
Actually, I didn't listen to the clips since I got the real thing. . .

Edit: As I told you at the show. I'm quite sure you can manage to replicate that mando on your own and I'll be happy to provide measurements and stuff.

MIMF

#4,5,6 & 7

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