[bert]

Neil, welcome to the forum.

Heavy vs Light, man that’s good one. I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s the sum of all components and the builder’s talents. Just the weight of a heavy truss rod might take it over the top, so many factors. Mr Hoover would be the man to ask, he can build most anything you might want is what I believe.

btw, my SCGC VJ is considerably lighter than my Collings CJ.
bert

[bert]

Thanks Andy for the demo, they all sound very good.

tad… re: 2018 Eastman El Rey 4
The two things I had to work out:

Strings: Since I don’t play melancholy elevator jazz… finding the strings that work for me took a good bit of trial. I found that either D’Ad NYXL 11-49…. or EXL110+ 10.5-48 hit my spot. ER4 comes with NYXL 12-52, perfect for a lounge player. No throaty bass with the lighter sets.

Amp: Chris Roberts (Nashville) built a custom 40w clean tube amp for me in 2018 in trade for my Eastman AR805ce archtop. It is perfect for my Duncan Tele but a bit overkill for the ER4. I recently picked up a used Roland Jazz Chorus 40, ‘got the right one baby’ as bro Ray Charles used to say. Solid state JC-40 is as clean as they come plus the vibrato/chorus work so well with the acoustic vibe of the ER4.

[bert]

1946 Gibson ES150, I had this guitar for 30yrs. Bought it in 1974 from a guy who was a member of the house band at the Grand Old Opry. He said ‘here, take it, it ruined my life’… probably did was my thought from appearances. These were very popular in the early days because of the soap bar pickup but, they were laminated and lifeless unplugged.

After I sold it, I went looking for a more modern design. Archtops are just like acoustic flattops, so many choices makes it difficult to find the right one. The Eastman El Rey 4 hybrid is perfect for me… right between a trad archtop and std hollow body elec. I gave my AR880ce John Pisano to my son when he finished his masters degree.  all’s well

[bert]

Like others have said the mic position is most important, you’ve got some good chops is the best news.

I’m a BlueChip player, I have ones in diff thickness for various acoustics and diff tunes. TD41,42,43,45,48,50,52….. so on.  The thickness of the picks above go from bright to dull sounding.

I’ve done a few demos along the way, learn as you go has been my experience… so many parameters. I found that a small diaphragm condenser works best for acous guitar and wide diaphragm for vocal.

This is a demo I did a couple years ago for some folks who were curious about the torrefied top Eastman E20OM-TC (thermal cured), I’m using my Shure SM81 into Cakewalk – out to the mic in on my Canon camcorder.  Notice the position of the mic, the hiss in the background was the central heat vent, always something to degrade a recording.. uhh.  For a demo like yours you might go no more than 30sec/pick would be my suggestion.  keep em coming,  bert

[bert]

Who knows what might be good or bad with the Harmony until you dig in. My first look says that the tailpiece is just wrong, it appears to be sitting on the lower bout… gotta be dampening the vibe of the spruce top. Why someone would go that route is a mystery.

The trapeze type tailpiece is normally used to free the top so the bridge can most effectively vibe the top. This pic shows how to make the tailpiece attractive and functional, my El Rey 4:

[bert]

Here your go:

https://youtu.be/D5hSrcsR-k0

[bert]

you know, monkeys do die.

[bert]

uhh humm … I ain’t in this mess.

[bert]

Welcome Jeff..

To the OP, one thing I might add is that Euro Spruce (Italian, German, Norwegian, Carpatian etc same species) is commonly stiff the first year or two, can be much like red spruce (adi).  Once it opens up, you may find that to have been your issue.  I’m currently on my 3rd Euro which at eight months old is kinda stiff.  Euro is good from day one but excellent when it opens in my experience.   .02c

bert

[bert]

Well said Matt, I have similar experiences. First of all, custom shops like SCGC are so very diff than big factory assembly lines like Martin, Taylor, etc recipe guitars.

Two very similar slope shoulder body style guitars but.. very diff tone characteristics. My SCGC VJ is the best all-arounder ever for me, sometimes call it the best D18 ever built. This guitar can make me happy with anything I play or try to play.
They both are honduran mahogany with the diff spruce, sitka VJ and red spruce CJ. The VJ is full scale and CJ is short scale. The VJ has tapered xbrace and tone bars, the CJ has scalloped xbrace and tone bars. The CJ is loud and punchy but can have a tamed warmth using a lighter touch. Light gauge Curt Mangan round core strings on the VJ. Lights can’t drive the red spruce top of the CJ, so D’Ad True Medium EJ24s.    note:  the old style K&K is being replace with a new one…. sometimes along the way.      02c bert

[bert]

tad, that is outstanding.. a guitar to behold. I have never played a granadillo guitar (once knew a dog who chased armadillos). From what I understand of the wood, the redwood top should make a great combo. My pao rosewood/redwood 00 has a sweet tone like no other, makes the world go round.

Great imagination in design of that guitar. bert

[bert]

Santa Crusin, nostalgia lives, on the R is yours truly on my 74′ D1218 along with my duo buddy on his D18 in late Dec 1977. Me too tad,my first real guitar.

[bert]

Thanks for the link, what a great sounding 12er. When I was living in Santa Cruz in the late 70s, I bought a CFM D1218 from the Music Box on Walnut Ave. When it needed a tweak I took it over to Richard, he was to go-to for a lot of people I knew back then. I later sold it and got a 71′ Guild F112, still have it.. Byrds,etc, old school…I know.

Great memories from those days and what a treat to see the OM Grand 12er, turn turn turn.
bert

[bert]

My 2003 SCGC Tony Rice (sitka) could pull in the bass like no other, my main guitar for 6yrs. Slopes are my fav dread style, I moved to my current 2001 VJ for a tad less bass and the mahogany vibe which keeps my toe tappin. I gave up on dreads a while back, afraid there’s no fiddle tunes sneaking out when I play, rock on.

EIR dreads have a special kind of rhythmic bass which is great for many things. A good 17″ jumbo can have a very different kind of bass, like a piano bass or what ever I’m trying to say. My 2014 Eastman AC630 maple/engelmann 17″ jumbo has that covered… sold my Goodall.

Wish I could be of more help help.  bert

[bert]

Just want to thank everyone for making this such a fine place to kick around and share a vibe or two.

Like Dylan once wrote, how many chucks does a wood chuck have to chuck… before they can call him a chuck,

or something like that.  bert

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