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NGD - Finished! custom Avalon L7-390 FC Ziricote/Sinker Redwood 12 fret jumbo Florentine + soundport

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ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
edited July 2020 in Acoustics
(NB: hosting of the photos changed, the photos are here:
Finished: https://boards.wetransfer.com/board/shgdtzqdq1116kze420200720205848/latest
Build: https://boards.wetransfer.com/board/stikm6rqc48tr4txv20200721091501/latest
Spray coat: https://www.facebook.com/697995037244256/videos/414205572861603)

I travelled to the Avalon workshops near Belfast yesterday to meet the team and commission a custom guitar 

Their "custom shop" models are the "Ard ri" and ARC ranges. You can spec everything, and choose the pieces of wood

They have an excellent deal - if you fly over there, they'll pick you up from the airport or local hotel, and return you at the end of the day, give you a personal workshop tour, and take you out for lunch. You can select the woods for your Ard ri guitar, and they will knock off £100 as a reward for visiting them to place the custom order

I have ordered a very fine-tuned spec, which should tick every box for me

edit: 
Final result was this:

0reaction image LOL 7reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
«13456710

Comments

  • earwighoneyearwighoney Frets: 3491
    I travelled to the Avalon workshops near Belfast yesterday to meet the team and commission a custom guitar 

    Their "custom shop" models are the "Ard ri" and ARC ranges. You can spec everything, and choose the pieces of wood

    They have an excellent deal - if you fly over there, they'll pick you up from the airport or local hotel, and return you at the end of the day, give you a personal workshop tour, and take you out for lunch. You can select the woods for your Ard ri guitar, and they will knock off £100 as a reward for visiting them to place the custom order

    I have ordered a very fine-tuned spec, which should tick every box for me
    Nice. 

    What specs did you go for? 

    Have you ordered custom before?  I've done a few times, two of the times being with Spanish guys who spoke no English, and I speak no Spanish....
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • thomasross20thomasross20 Frets: 4423
    When will it be ready? :) 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Andy79Andy79 Frets: 888
    Exciting times. Will you be involved along the way? Or just wait for the bill. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    I'll see the photos as it gestates for 10 weeks!

    Ard Ri L7-390FC-Custom

    12 fret Jumbo

    46mm nut
    Ziricote
    Sinker redwood
    Florentine Cutaway
    Carved Sound Port

    The sinker redwood is very attractive, and had excellent tap test results
    the ziricote is also excellent
    0reaction image LOL 1reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789

    0reaction image LOL 4reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • thomasross20thomasross20 Frets: 4423
    I'd never heard about sound port until recently! ;)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    I'd never heard about sound port until recently! ;)

    Here's the port I had added to another Avalon (after buying it, not as part of a build)
    https://boards.wetransfer.com/board/s6b9ahpb2y6pcb6xk20190617184554/latest




    0reaction image LOL 2reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • GTCGTC Frets: 261
    I've also got a custom Ard Ri lefty on the way - hopefully due for shipment next week. I couldn't get out there in person but the guys were very helpful in finalising the spec details - providing photos of the tonewood sets available so that I could choose and even suggesting some possible improvements along the way for me to choose.

    The spec is for a small body 12 fretter with cutaway - redwood top and 3,500 yr old bog oak back and sides. 46mm nut and a tree of life 12th fret inlay.The bindings are snakewood and I asked for a matching snakewood back seam inlay. During production they suggested it might look better without it as it distracted from the beautiful grain of the bog oak. They did a mock up with and without for me to decide - and they were dead right!

    They've kept me up to date with production steps via a photo board throughout the ten weeks production time.

    I ordered this one after being incredibly impressed with a 2018 L2-20 jumbo lefty I bought from them back in April. With this one coming I'm reluctantly selling the L2-20 lefty to maintain domestic harmony. <SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT>  My L2-20 is currently for sale by auction on eBay (ends Sunday evening, SP £850)
    0reaction image LOL 2reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • thomasross20thomasross20 Frets: 4423
    That's a great deal on that. 
    And they are mega helpful guys!
    Looks amazing @ToneControl !!

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    GTC said:
    I've also got a custom Ard Ri lefty on the way - hopefully due for shipment next week. I couldn't get out there in person but the guys were very helpful in finalising the spec details - providing photos of the tonewood sets available so that I could choose and even suggesting some possible improvements along the way for me to choose.

    The spec is for a small body 12 fretter with cutaway - redwood top and 3,500 yr old bog oak back and sides. 46mm nut and a tree of life 12th fret inlay.The bindings are snakewood and I asked for a matching snakewood back seam inlay. During production they suggested it might look better without it as it distracted from the beautiful grain of the bog oak. They did a mock up with and without for me to decide - and they were dead right!

    They've kept me up to date with production steps via a photo board throughout the ten weeks production time.

    I ordered this one after being incredibly impressed with a 2018 L2-20 jumbo lefty I bought from them back in April. With this one coming I'm reluctantly selling the L2-20 lefty to maintain domestic harmony. <SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT>  My L2-20 is currently for sale by auction on eBay (ends Sunday evening, SP £850)
    I think I saw a fancy fingerboard inlay

    I also opted to miss the back seam inlay, since the ziricote is a very figured piece
    I thought about the bog oak, but after buying an S7-390, decided that ziricote is amazing for me
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • earwighoneyearwighoney Frets: 3491
    I'll see the photos as it gestates for 10 weeks!

    Ard Ri L7-390FC-Custom

    12 fret Jumbo

    46mm nut
    Ziricote
    Sinker redwood
    Florentine Cutaway
    Carved Sound Port

    The sinker redwood is very attractive, and had excellent tap test results
    the ziricote is also excellent
    Wow.  All out it seems, no holding back!  
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • GTCGTC Frets: 261
    That's the nicest piece of ziricote I've seen!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • TimmyOTimmyO Frets: 7350
    Really looking forward to hearing more about this :-) 
    Red ones are better. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    edited July 2019
    GTC said:
    That's the nicest piece of ziricote I've seen!
    They had one even nicer looking, also nice sounding, but slightly too small for a Jumbo
    the photo above is the sinker though
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    I travelled to the Avalon workshops near Belfast yesterday to meet the team and commission a custom guitar 

    Their "custom shop" models are the "Ard ri" and ARC ranges. You can spec everything, and choose the pieces of wood

    They have an excellent deal - if you fly over there, they'll pick you up from the airport or local hotel, and return you at the end of the day, give you a personal workshop tour, and take you out for lunch. You can select the woods for your Ard ri guitar, and they will knock off £100 as a reward for visiting them to place the custom order

    I have ordered a very fine-tuned spec, which should tick every box for me
    Nice. 

    What specs did you go for? 

    Have you ordered custom before?  I've done a few times, two of the times being with Spanish guys who spoke no English, and I speak no Spanish....
    not custom before, no
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    GTC said:
    I've also got a custom Ard Ri lefty on the way - hopefully due for shipment next week. I couldn't get out there in person but the guys were very helpful in finalising the spec details - providing photos of the tonewood sets available so that I could choose and even suggesting some possible improvements along the way for me to choose.

    The spec is for a small body 12 fretter with cutaway - redwood top and 3,500 yr old bog oak back and sides. 46mm nut and a tree of life 12th fret inlay.The bindings are snakewood and I asked for a matching snakewood back seam inlay. During production they suggested it might look better without it as it distracted from the beautiful grain of the bog oak. They did a mock up with and without for me to decide - and they were dead right!

    They've kept me up to date with production steps via a photo board throughout the ten weeks production time.

    I ordered this one after being incredibly impressed with a 2018 L2-20 jumbo lefty I bought from them back in April. With this one coming I'm reluctantly selling the L2-20 lefty to maintain domestic harmony. <SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT>  My L2-20 is currently for sale by auction on eBay (ends Sunday evening, SP £850)
    I'd put teh L2-20 on buy it now at a much higher price for a few months. Especially as a lefty.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    I'll see the photos as it gestates for 10 weeks!

    Ard Ri L7-390FC-Custom

    12 fret Jumbo

    46mm nut
    Ziricote
    Sinker redwood
    Florentine Cutaway
    Carved Sound Port

    The sinker redwood is very attractive, and had excellent tap test results
    the ziricote is also excellent
    Wow.  All out it seems, no holding back!  
    glad someone noticed, yes I turned all the dials to 11
    It was going to be a 12-fret dread
    I didn't go for fancy inlays though!

    But I did ask for a very lively shell rosette: Paua Paua Abalone

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • ToneControlToneControl Frets: 11789
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • GTCGTC Frets: 261
    GTC said:
    That's the nicest piece of ziricote I've seen!
    They had one even nicer looking, also nice sounding, but slightly too small for a Jumbo
    the photo above is the sinker though
    Well - that's me failed on the boy scout tonewood identification badge then! Let's try again - that's the nicest piece of sinker redwood I've seen.
    I ordered this one after being incredibly impressed with a 2018 L2-20 jumbo lefty I bought from them back in April. With this one coming I'm reluctantly selling the L2-20 lefty to maintain domestic harmony
    I'd put teh L2-20 on buy it now at a much higher price for a few months. Especially as a lefty.
    If the object was money then you are right - but we are talking about domestic harmony here ;)  
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • thomasross20thomasross20 Frets: 4423
    I'm going to learn left handed guitar just so I can get this deal! Lol
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
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