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Artisan Master  # 095

"Galadriel--The Lady of the Wood"

Body: Chambered Honduran Mahogany
Top / Fretboard / Headcap: Cocobolo
Neck: Honduran Mahogany
Pickups: WCR Fillmores with cocobolo bobbins
Bridge: Thorn 1-pc. Tremolo
Electronics: Ghost piezo/midi with plenty of switches
Fretboard Inlay: Celtic Tree-of-life
Knobs / Tuner buttons / toggle tip / mini switches / trem arm tip / back plates: Cocobolo
Color: All natural
Weight: 9lbs - 3oz.

Over 2 years in the making. From the unique (for a Thorn) wood selection, the one-off fretboard inlay, the midi controls, to the all-cocobolo components - this guitar epitomizes a "custom" guitar. This was Steve's vision from the very first conversation we had, and practically nothing has changed during the build.

Initial Tone Report:

I really didn't have a good idea how this would sound with the wood combo. The cocobolo is very heavy and dense, much more than maple. The result isn't as bright as I suspected, instead it is a very tight and focused tone. A lot of midrange, with an almost snarly tone. The Fillmores are hot enough that when the OD is kicked in, the tight low end really grinds. The highs and articulation are clean and crisp.
The piezo set-up adds in the expected acoustic element which really works well, especially when blended in with the neck pickup.
The midi system is ideal for those bassoon tones.:p

Visually, this guitar is amazing. There is so much going on that it requires a few minutes to take it all in. I feel this is as close to art as a guitar can get.

Steve, hopefully #102 kept you preoccupied while I plugged away on #095. Thank you very much for your patience during the build..I hope it was worth it.

Ron

 
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Steve sent me a rough image of the overall look he was going for. The tree's roots are stabilized buck-eye burl. The Celtic knot work below is ziricote and maple. The shrubery is an inlay secret that I'll keep to myself :p

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After much trial and error on the pickup rings, Steve and I determined that a gold ring sitting on a cocobolo riser would be the ticket. I felt that the stock rings left too much open space around the uncovered pickups so I machined the riser to have an inner boss of cocobolo to take up some of the space.
You have got to love those cocobolo bobbin Wagners, just too cool :smokin 		Cocobolo good! All of these parts were machined from the top's remnant pieces. I dig the mini-toggle switch's cocobolo "caps".
 I called in my friend Roger at THG Knobs to help knock-out these cocobolo tuner buttons - they look insanely perfect.