I'm so happy you've found Showalter! I discovered him when visiting the Shenandoah in 2016. Long story short, when I got back to Alabama the sound of #43 just kept calling to me until I called Steve and, finding it was still for sale, had him ship it to me. It is my best guitar! (Dreadnaught, torrified spruce top, Osage Orange (we call 'em "mockorange" in Alabama) back & sides, 25.4"). That guitar has "grown" on me so much that I ordered a custom build (#94, OM with sycamore top, Osage B&S, 24.9" scale). WARNING! If you visit Showalter you'll likely find the guitar that you just have to have!
Oooo....I want to know what an all-Sycamore guitar sounds like!? These are some seriously cool guitars That parlour in particular punches above its weight class.
Cutting that Osage orange with a chain saw mill must have been a very slow process. I mill some (when I can get a decent piece) and love it, after getting past the thorns, along with other local "exotics" like persimmon, sycamore, & sassafras.
Awesome guitars . So cool they are made with local woods. Wish I was in the market for a new guitar or at least in the area so I could check them out in person.👏
Sound beautiful. Glad to see no pick guards - a pet peeve of mine. Small parlor size reminds me of the Baby Taylor . Great sustain but not the bass that the others have. A comparison with similar back and sides and spruce top compared to sycamore would be interesting.
Ive made a couple of guitar necks with osage. One of them I stuck on a walnut bodied guitar. Osage is very hard, locust is too. Also very dense that should lend to bright, high end.
My choice was the black walnut. Warmer with more bass. Nice to see domestic woods being used with good success. Builders are moving away from the norm. Thanks for making us aware of other options.
Hooray for local craftsmen, working with local materials! it's responsible, it's energizing, and it's a great way to get something a bit different than what everybody else has.
The looks of the top and the shape and even the tone makes me think its a nylon classical...perhaps a teardrop pickguard would erase that expectation....it looks like and sounds like a great build...
Very beautiful guitars. The sound of them may take some getting used to. I haven’t warmed to them yet… BUT, I love the look of that parlor guitar. I think it looks great and having owned a couple of true parlor guitars, I could really go for that one. It fits a place for sure. Thank you
@@JeremySheppard Very true. I have been trying more retro strings, and found two of my guitars really shine with them. Strings sure can make a difference. Thank you!
I have a Martin Model America 1 with beautiful Sycamore back and sides - but am totally unfamiliar with Sycamore as a soundboard! Very interesting - it sounds like will open up with age and playing (like Red Spruce). I've been wondering about Osage Orange for a while - beautiful wood and it also should sound even better with age! Now I'm wondering if Stephen has ever used Persimmon (I've heard it called American Ebony)?
The strange impression that I have is that the parlor guitar seems to be choking or sputtering on the chords, like it's having a hard time getting all the notes out at once. I hate dreadnoughts and for my first acoustic thought I might like a parlor sized instrument. I did like the size, but that one sounded like a banjo. Ended up going with a 000, which feels great.
Sycamore is part of the maple family isn't it? I'd have thought it would be more appropriate as a B&S wood with spruce or cedar on top. Yamaha use sycamore (laminated) on their current MIJ 335 type.
Great channel.. I am in love with Osage orange! Thank you for video.
Not the sound profile I would go for, but it's a really cool idea!
Great video, awesome guitars. Honestly I was not expecting such a warm sound. Very cool !
I'm so happy you've found Showalter! I discovered him when visiting the Shenandoah in 2016. Long story short, when I got back to Alabama the sound of #43 just kept calling to me until I called Steve and, finding it was still for sale, had him ship it to me. It is my best guitar! (Dreadnaught, torrified spruce top, Osage Orange (we call 'em "mockorange" in Alabama) back & sides, 25.4"). That guitar has "grown" on me so much that I ordered a custom build (#94, OM with sycamore top, Osage B&S, 24.9" scale). WARNING! If you visit Showalter you'll likely find the guitar that you just have to have!
Man! That sounds like a wonderful guitar. I'm starting to dream of owning one.
Oooo....I want to know what an all-Sycamore guitar sounds like!? These are some seriously cool guitars That parlour in particular punches above its weight class.
Those are beautiful in so many ways. Steve should be very proud!
The Osage turns golden
That cut away florantine is awesome
Right?!
Cutting that Osage orange with a chain saw mill must have been a very slow process. I mill some (when I can get a decent piece) and love it, after getting past the thorns, along with other local "exotics" like persimmon, sycamore, & sassafras.
Locust & Osage are the hardest woods in the eastern USA
Osage Orange makes an excellent guitar wood. Just clunking chunks of firewood together will tell you that.
Nice demos and guitars. Really like the Parlor guitar.
I love the look of and sound of these, having myself a Wayne’s World Moment with that 00.
Awesome guitars . So cool they are made with local woods. Wish I was in the market for a new guitar or at least in the area so I could check them out in person.👏
Sound beautiful. Glad to see no pick guards - a pet peeve of mine. Small parlor size reminds me of the Baby Taylor . Great sustain but not the bass that the others have. A comparison with similar back and sides and spruce top compared to sycamore would be interesting.
Ive made a couple of guitar necks with osage. One of them I stuck on a walnut bodied guitar. Osage is very hard, locust is too. Also very dense that should lend to bright, high end.
My choice was the black walnut. Warmer with more bass. Nice to see domestic woods being used with good success. Builders are moving away from the norm. Thanks for making us aware of other options.
They seem to have a very stiff sound. Not a lot of overtones or projection. Nic looking though.
Hooray for local craftsmen, working with local materials! it's responsible, it's energizing, and it's a great way to get something a bit different than what everybody else has.
The looks of the top and the shape and even the tone makes me think its a nylon classical...perhaps a teardrop pickguard would erase that expectation....it looks like and sounds like a great build...
Very beautiful guitars. The sound of them may take some getting used to. I haven’t warmed to them yet… BUT, I love the look of that parlor guitar. I think it looks great and having owned a couple of true parlor guitars, I could really go for that one. It fits a place for sure. Thank you
I think with different strings and specialized setups, they could be killer.
@@JeremySheppard
Very true. I have been trying more retro strings, and found two of my guitars really shine with them. Strings sure can make a difference. Thank you!
That guitar on the wall, third from the left is interesting. I've never seen a guitar with the neck offset like that.
I have a Martin Model America 1 with beautiful Sycamore back and sides - but am totally unfamiliar with Sycamore as a soundboard! Very interesting - it sounds like will open up with age and playing (like Red Spruce).
I've been wondering about Osage Orange for a while - beautiful wood and it also should sound even better with age!
Now I'm wondering if Stephen has ever used Persimmon (I've heard it called American Ebony)?
They are pretty.
The strange impression that I have is that the parlor guitar seems to be choking or sputtering on the chords, like it's having a hard time getting all the notes out at once. I hate dreadnoughts and for my first acoustic thought I might like a parlor sized instrument. I did like the size, but that one sounded like a banjo. Ended up going with a 000, which feels great.
Sycamore is part of the maple family isn't it? I'd have thought it would be more appropriate as a B&S wood with spruce or cedar on top. Yamaha use sycamore (laminated) on their current MIJ 335 type.
I'd describe the sound of my Showalter sycamore top/ osage B&S as "warm; buttery smooth"
osage orange is a photo sensitive wood and will turn black over time
I make bows out of osage... Hardest Most durable wood in u. s. a.... Aka bodark
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