Beautiful documentation of the creation of an heirloom instrument. What a delight! We are so proud and excited to be Driftwood Guitars first retail dealer, and couldn't be more excited to get this insane Session Model in our shop. See you boys soon!
@@TheBod76 how often do spend 400 hours and multiple thousands of dollars on something you intend to give away for free? $25,000 is steep, but if that's the type of money you're playing with then it's worth it. Quality and price both go up together, but quality is linear and price is exponential. If I was worth a million, I'd buy this guitar without even thinking about it.
@@Overgis4058 It is advertisement for his company. A free giveaway would mean he gets nothing in return. And that's part of the reason why he gave it such a ridiculous price tag. There a millions of very capable luthiers on this planet so it is hard to stand out unless you grab peoples attention by putting such a price tag on one of your products. Great guitar but insane price.
@@TheBod76 It's 60 bucks per hour. People charge more to repair guitars, not to made them. Their base price is: $20,000. Wait time is 2 years. So, their guitars can be much more than 25k.
@@intersanctum thats not even mentioning the build costs, wood to make guitars isn't cheap, nor are all the machines used in the video. Everything we see in the video is part of the investment that leads him to the 25k price point. Nothing in this video was free.
Sinker Cypress! Heck yea. I made an electric guitar out of sinker cypress. My late father was a carpenter by hobby, and living in southeast Louisiana, we knew a group of men that owned a mill. They specialized in dredging up old sinker cypress and milling it. We had several large slabs of it. It had a very specific smell to it when we were cutting & sanding it. Hard to explain. It's a breath-taking instrument with a crazy amount of sustain and tone. It has the body of an pre-war gibson acoustic, a strat neck, Schaller locking tuners, an LSR roller nut, and Bigsby roller bridge, P-90's, etc. We got as far as cutting out the rough shape of the guitar, and a few days later, by dad died. I couldn't bring myself to work on it for a little while, but I finally finished it about 6 months after he passed. I used Tung oil for it's finish. It has about 15 layers of Tung oil. It's an insanely cool guitar.
I’m sitting here watching going “hmm that’s really pretty, and well made” and all the usual stuff. Then you play the first notes and my jaw straight DROPPED. It’s so rich and warm sounding without being dark and muddy. Definitely a job well done
I can barely play and have always wished I could play but have never paid the price. As a cabinet maker and carpenter brother that is the most gorgeous instrument I have ever seen. What a work of art. If I weren’t putting children through college I would buy it even if it were to just rub it with a diaper and stair at the graining book-matching and phenomenal colors. What a work of art and impeccably crafted. You should be so proud, sir! Well done, Bravo!!!
As a woodworker (wood butcher)…. I appreciate the combination of new and old techniques and tools during the build process. The time, effort, cost and frustration to build all the jigs for this piece is way more than the layperson understands. They alone deserve mad respect. Well done team, well done indeed. Now if I only played the guitar I might buy one 🤔.
This is the best guitar building I've ever watched and it sounds so soothing. When you played that first bass note at 25:30 I knew it would sound so good and it really is. The amount of effort and precision you put into building it is incredible. Every step of the process, from selecting the wood to building the body, shaping the neck, and the finishing is done with care and attention to detail. You can truly feel the passion and expertise in every cut, carve, and finish. The sound it produces is a testament to your dedication and craftsmanship. It's not just an instrument; it's a work of art. Watching you put everything together and then hear it come to life with that first bass note is mesmerizing. It makes me appreciate not only the beauty of the guitar itself but also the skill and patience required to create something so perfect. Thank you for sharing this process with us-it's truly inspiring!
11:54 hi! Fellow luthier and dendrology nut here - a Janka hardness of 3800 without getting too much into the science (basically they use big steel balls and measure how much wood deflects along with a ton of math) is about 2-3x harder than maple. Curly maple is usually around 900 Janka and hard maple 1400. Rosewood is around 1700. burls since they are fungus usually fall in the 500-1000 range depending on the species. So no wonder the snake wood is…wait for it…snaking your tools! Basically it will wear through your tools at a rate around 2-3x as quickly as working with other softer “hardwoods”. If you get a minute between building absolutely gorgeous instruments it’s worth taking 5-10 minutes to learn about the Janka process and where everything is relatively speaking. Much love from Texas! 😎
So with all that wood knowledge, can you opine on rosewood vs ebony fingerboards? I'm happy to go to your channel if you have one for that answer. Thanks
@@TheRange7 great question haha! I’ve always told my peeps (and customers) that both are great cuts and species with their own beauty and benefits. On electric instruments I tend to focus on the aesthetics as the acoustic properties of the wood make very little difference (if at all - we don’t have to get into that hornet’s nest). I think a lot of companies would do well with just marketing their guitars as gorgeous cuts of woods and instruments and not have to wax poetically or even bend the truth on what the properties of one wood are over the other. Ebony vs. rosewood feels to me like part of that argument. I’ve really only ever worked with rosewood - it’s a beast to machine and work with - but it looks gorgeous when finished correctly. And it does come at a premium as it’s a premium material. But never would I try to sell you on how it’s magicial or has some crazy properties. 1) I can’t prove it. 2) I just put it there because I think it looks great. And you probably do to. Let’s leave it at that! 😎 If you want a really gorgeous fretboard material look at Ziricote. That’s byfar one of my favorites and preferred wood for fretboards. Again - just a gorgeous species. Simple as that. TL;DR I don’t personally believe wood plays a factor in the tonal performance of an electric instrument. Rather they’re just pretty and what you find pretty and makes you happy to play should be the one for you. Rosewood is great. Ebony is great. I personally prefer Ziricote. 😎
@@Ais4Drewit's not hard to work with... anyway he's using power tools & CNC the entire build & bending it with heat/water. It's kind of waxy wood anyway so it stands easily & is not hard to work with. He's just talking everything up to give it a $25,000 valuation when it's unjustified.
By far, the BEST guitar build video I've watched. The attention to detail and craftsmanship you put into your guitars is incredible; it's no wonder your waitlist is upwards of 2 years! I'm genuinely baffled by how beautiful the end result was. True artistry!
what he said....i am now almost 80, did professional woodworking, fixtures and architectural woodworking, cabinetmaking, and millwork, design, production, installation, for almost 50 years, even including teaching woodworking in Africa where the black limbe comes from, . A true shop rat, at one time had about $250,000. in personal hand tools plus floor equipment. I used Acrylic material for Jigs and Fixtures back in the early 1970s. I also was a semi-pro musician, guitar and bass player. My presentation instrument Was a Yairi custom build in Koa back in the 1980s and also, a hand built Drake 5 string bass. I loved your video, your shop, your love and respect for high quality materials, the refinement in your jigs and your ultra sharp Japanese hollowback chisels. AAahhh, yes, You Guys ! ! Many Thanks. You're the Progress i was hoping for. You are truly a master builder.
Ha! I did the math too, and I was happy to find your comment. I figure material cost is ~$1000, putting the hourly rate at $60, and that doesn't even consider all of the tools required. The rate is definitely far too low, but I suspect that the sheer willful ignorance of the average consumer with regard to the training and craftsmanship necessary to produce a result like this prevents the luthiers from pricing it much higher.
A plumber does a job for a lawyer. The bill comes to $2000 for 4 hours of work. Lawyer: "That is $500 dollars an hour you charge. I am a lawyer and I only charge $400 per hour." Plumber: "That is why I closed my law firm and became a plumber."
@@the.communist I charge 250 minimum. There is a joke among my employees that just to call me its 200 bucks. Some times it is FAR higher. You just have to believe in yourself and what you do. Never sell yourself short. Also one day this man will charge a far higher premium for his work. He just has to get his name out there.
The video ....to watch an entire build not in a series of videos, but in one video is a home run!! Not too long not too short. Really good commentary. This one came together just right.
The guitar is stunning….oh to play something as beautiful as this. The sound is rich and dreamy. As a child I played my guitar with my ear on the side so I could hear the sound. Watching this reminded me of that. Thanks so much for sharing
Wow! What a beauty. If I could talk my wife into leaving, and was actually a good guitar player, I would love to have an instrument like that. But I guess I will have to keep her, (she has been with me for 54 years!) stick with my Taylor’s and keep practicing. Great video. Loved watching it! Thank you. 🙏
Stunning. What an education. Personally, I found a real appreciation of the entire process of acoustic guitar building. Lots of patience required. And superior workmanship. Great brain power and craftsmanship.Lots of decision-making required throughout the entire process. You created a real masterpiece. I'd keep it and play it whenever I could. Thanks for an excellent video.
I like the "woody" sound the cypress provides without having the "metalic" sharp sound that I hear with maple. Also, the sustain kind of reminds me of walnut. For solo fingerstyle guitar being able to have those strings ring over each other gives feeling of depth and fullness. Really love that sound.
They said it all. I really enjoyed watching this video-thinking of the hundreds of years that has contributed to the knowledge it requires to craft such an instrument. The joy brought into the world through the making of such a guitar. I was contemplating all these things as I watched. To HEAR it then was superb. Thank you.
That's an incredible build Chris. Certainly one of a kind, and it sounds incredible. The tone takes my ear into Olson territory, but I can definitely hear the fuzzy tops of the notes, removing any spikiness. Beautiful.
Absolutely gorgeous guitar! I love all the flash and inlays of most of your builds, but the all wood look is so classy. I also think the sound of the guitar really matches its looks. Thanks for the great content!
I learned a lot from watching you build this stunning guitar. The way you tweaked the tone with the bracing was eye opening, for sure. I love the tonal range of this work of art. Highs, lows and mids, excellent. Just some other positive feedback is that I could hear the difference in tone on your video. I love this! Many thanks for posting.
You took the words right out of my mouth. The expression on his face when he was playing tells me it met his expectations. Maybe even surpassed them and that says a lot since they build only high quality instruments.
Probably the prettiest fret board I have ever seen. And the low end is just--dare I say--delicious? Deep and resonant with no muddiness at all. Thanks for sharing your videos. I love these. When I hit the lotto, I'll be calling. Got the winning numbers right here ;-)
Amazing work. As a random guy who has built a guitar before, it's so much fun watching all the similarities in techniques during the building process. I wish you well in your future projects!
This is my first visit to your channel and I loved watching the build! A good friend of mine is a luthier and I know he's going to love this video as much, if not more than I did. It's obvious that you have some big bucks invested in DNC machines etc, but to my ear the end result was absolutely stunning, both in the visual and auditory. I have a very nice set of old school Koss AAA headphones and all I could think when I heard you playing it was "I want that guitar!" but unfortunately at this point I can't even come close to affording it.. still though it is incredibly beautiful and some lucky person will get a wonderful instrument that will brighten their lives, and hopefully many others for years to come. Well done, very well done!
At 20:00. To rely on that holding the neck in place seems a bit "adventurous" to me. Was it just bolts and no glue? Or is there glue also? In that case it's good.
@@keithgossage90 😂 yeah I saw that. The reason the luthiers are selling these guitars at these values are simply bragging rights to show off to friends. “Money is wasted on fools. They cannot buy wisdom when they have no sense”. - Proverbs
Absolutely stunning. Really fantastic choice of woods for the final colours. And the attention to finish and detail is great to see. Even the bits no-one sees inside the body (because you know its there, right). I'd love to hear it not through digital source converted through UA-cam filters etc. It sounds amazing even through all that!
Prior to the major right brain stroke I had on December 11,2015 I played an acoustic guitar everyday , a Martin d18. Now I still have atrophy on the left side of my body to include arm and hand. Though it brings me to tears I still absolutely love acoustic music: volin,viola,cello,guitar,stand up bass, and even the hammered dulcimer!🙏🎼😘💐😊🎉😇!
Machinists everywhere are crying watching you use a surface plate for a glue fixture LOL. Thanks for sharing this. Reminds me I've got to get my old D-28 in for what sounds like some loose bracing.
It's alright to dream, but just start making a plan. Put your dream on paper. Don't sketch, but start writing. A story, documentation, agenda, anything. Or else, your dream will remain a dream and you will regret not fulfilling it.
Thank You so much for sharing this build! I’m currently in a Guitars for Veterans program offered by my local Veterans administration. After visiting the Driftwood’s website, I noticed a patriotic themed inlay used on one of the guitars. It featured stars, stripes, and an image of the liberty statue. That, along with the craftsmanship and sound quality produced by this guitar, enhanced my desire to experience one for myself!
It’s about to get buffed out and assembled. We don’t get paid for that guitar, so we gotta run the business first. We work on it when we can. Stay tuned.
You guys are brilliant artists. Thank you for sharing this journey with all of us. The amount of love and care that you put into your instruments is inspirational. I have always wanted to try and build a guitar and you guys have set such a high bar for quality. I appreciate that you educate people on the process of building when you could easily keep your talents to yourselves. And your personalities are perfect for UA-cam. When you finally played the instrument, I was almost brought to tears because it sounded so gorgeous and knowing how much you put into it made it even more amazing! You guys are a blessing to music.
Great job, Chris. At the 30A Songwriters Festival a few years back, you graciously let me and a friend play one of your acoustics with the sound hole on top. Still one of my favorites.
Thank you for making this video, I am truly amazed by your techniques. The finished product is the most beautiful guitar I have ever seen. Bravo to everyone who had a hand in building this magnificent instrument. 👍👍👍👍👍
Wow. This was.... I am in awe. So much care and dedication. This company is endeavoring to be the Rolls Royce of guitars. And it looks like the mission is going just fine. Such excellent work. Thank you so much for sharing!
This video was amazing. The voicing portion was so ethereal feeling. I like the idea of helping the instrument find it's voice. Very Zen. Thanks so much for this experience.
Oh my Gosh, this guitar is really beautiful. I love it! And the sound... is sweet and harmonious and the box reflects and expresses the love with which it has been made. It's perfect!! Congratulations!! You have done an extraordinary job!
Hey first time viewer and definitely subber. Here's a reference for high wood density positively affecting the resonance qualities of musical instruments. The Italian violin/viola/cello crafting family, Stradavari, especially Antonio, had access to a particularly dense wood that was traced to trees having grown during the Little Ice Age. Why is this significant you might ask? Well, during the Little Ice Age, circa 1300 to about 1850, not a real Ice Age but a period of regional cooling of the North Atlantic region, the density of woods in north and central Europe was much more than during other periods. Paleontologists and botanists have compared the differences of trees that grew during this time to other times. They found that the width between rings in trees that grew during the Little Ice Age were quite a bit more narrow than other periods. This in turn leads to a denser wood and therefore structurally stronger and more resonant. More rings per unit measure means more and better sound propagation than wood with wider rings. EDIT: Here's a video that goes into the scientific basis for why Stradavarius violins sound so much different (better?) than other luthier's crafts who were his contemporaries. ua-cam.com/video/zOtQQRf0Fzc/v-deo.html
Great job 👍. Lots of information for an old handyman like myself. Not sure I would want to buy all the necessary tools. But it is tempting. You guys definitely laid out the blue print for anyone willing to try.
Unusual and creative restoration. I am still geeking out over how you saved that headstock logo. That final product is weird in the best possible way. Incredible.
This is easily the best looking acoustic guitar I have ever seen in my miserable little life..."Hat's Off" to Driftwood Guitars!...Fantastic choice of materials, and the thought that has gone in to this instrument is IMMENSE!..This is ingenuity at it's staggering best!..Love and Best Wishes...x...
Such incredible work … thanks for the transparency of showing the wins and the lessons learned. And that tone … dear god that tone … wow Your work is absolutely epic.
I was absolutely mesmerized by each and every step (yes, even the misstep with the first neck!). You build an incredible guitar - aesthetically and musically. My lottery "dream list" has a new #1 desire at the top...a Driftwood guitar. Thank you for sharing this process with us.
Congratulations on such a beautiful work of art. The sound through my large JBL sound system was one i would describe as a mixture of what i like about a Martin d28 and a high-end Taylor guitar. Your playing demonstrated the guitars potential nicely. Well done, sir.
As gorgeous as this guitar is... the sound blew me away. Sounds like a jumbo guitar. If I had this kind of money to spare, I would buy it in a heartbeat.
Fantastic build video, I’ve always understood the basics of voicing the top, but hearing the before and after for the tap test is someone I was always curious about. Thanks!!!
A thing of beauty and pride and watching the work, time and level of detail gives a better appreciation. I'm blown away by the unique, quality look and sound. It got me inspired to go play my guitar today! Maybe someday, I will get one of these Magnificient guitars. Thank you for this video.
That's not a guitar - that's a work of art. That is such a beautiful piece! As a fellow woodworker, I can truly appreciate the level of detail and attention and TIME that you took in the finishing process. The time was surely justified. Got yourselves a new sub!
This is just a masterpiece! What a beauty and what a sound. It has low but also mid and clear high. I love it. And it looks amazing. You can be very proud of this one.
Love watching you guys work, as a hobby wood worker and beginner guitar player, this is the best combination of both hobbies. Amazing craftsmanship and attention to detail. Absolutely insane level of care goes into these builds and it's great to hear the explanations during the build.
I have an old Alvarez Yairi with a cedar top, so I'm drawn the sound of it. The dread body size seems let me almost overdrive it like a speaker cone. It's my reference for hearing this guitar. It sounds bigger than it looks! It sounds tighter than cedar, but the bloom or envelop reminds me of cedar. Maybe the size, waist and hips of the body focus it differently. Seem quite loud, but with lots of headroom. A really great voice! It sounds very unique and beautiful. Nice work on a very special guitar.
Sounds incredible! Low E is just as magnificent and high E. Deep, rich, like running molasses. How soothing the sound!!!! I have a Breedlove J5 Master Class, hand made, Brazilian Rosewood and Adirondack top. Sounds similar. I'm headed to Eddies! Was up that way yesterday. I'm headed back on Saturday (live 1 hour south of St Louis).
Stunning guitar. Looks amazing, really like the subdued colours with flashes of interesting highlights, sounds good too. The limba neck is beautiful and the snakewood is a really interesting variation.
When I saw the title $25K guitar, I laughed..... After watching the video and LISTENING to the sound, I almost cried..... I have never heard any guitar at any price sound so ANGELIC........ Any chance to have James Taylor play this instrument? With his amazing talent and that guitar, I can only imagine where this might go !! Very best to you and your crew of fine instrument builders !!!!
Easily the most beautiful acoustic guitar i have ever seen. I listened through cheap ear buds and it sounded amazing. Wish I could afford one of your guitars. wow.
This is so satisfying to watch a craftman's journey when making a guitar, and it is particularly awesome to witness all of these intricate and personal details that leads to your very own unique way of making an instrument. Congrats on building such a wonderfull instrument. The neck looks SO GOOD tho, it's out of this world. On a side note, and from my personnal experience as a guitar player, i've had so much pleasure playing on jescar nickel frets, compared to stainless steel, wich is totally fine, but the difference in tone and playability has been a real shock to me, and i never thought that frets could impact the sound so much.
Amazing job!!! That’s a gorgeous guitar, too many details and the end result is just mesmerizing. Not to mention that the guy is also a great guitar player. Hands down for this man 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
as a boat carpenter and an old guitar player I am in awe of what you did. I sat spellbound as I watched you create that beautiful instrument. The sound is so sweet and lovely I could never describe it. God bless you and your skill.
I am literally speechless right now. What an incredible, complex, sound! The detail in the tones is remarkable, a really sweet chime, but the resonance came in waves that bloomed completely differently each time around! I was waiting for you to put the pleck down, I know it will sound perfect played with fingers alone., either that or a slightly lighter gauge string. But, totally blown away, it's as rich as a Steinway piano! Hat's off to you, brother. And so wonderful to see what true craftsmanship can achieve.
I'm listening on studio monitors in a studio control room since I'm an engineer and it sounds fantastic! Big full sound and clear as a bell. Aii the highs, mids and lows are there and good sustain. That's a good one!
Such a beautiful guitar, both in sound and appearance and a very interesting, high-quality video! Years ago, I lived on the Oregon coast (Bandon Oregon) and I ran into a luthier from Iowa who built violins and guitars and was purchasing Port Orford Cedar, a local wood that I believe is also referred to as Lawson's Cyprus, for his instrument tops. He said that he had used Englemann Spruce and Sitka Spruce but believed that Port Orford Cedar was superior, and most similar to the Mediterranean Spruce used by 16th and 17th century Cremonese violin makers. The mill he purchased the wood stock from closed years ago, but, to my knowledge, Metcalf Sawmill and a few other south coast Oregon mills process and sell this wood.
I was only going to watch a few minutes of this video, I'm truly glad I watched the the whole video. Fantastic guitar build. The damn thing is gorgeous. I'm also very pleased that you didn't put fret markers on the neck. Great job guys.
Final tonal aspects of this piece blew me away. Beautifully warm - like cedar; but also sharp AND crisp - like spruce. $25K? YES! So as a retired structural engineering designer, allow me to add that slotted headstocks provide TWO POINTS OF ANCHOR for each tuning machine - thereby stiffening the connection of string to body. Think of a standard tuning machine as a cantilever - allowing a minute amount of "flex" in its shaft - wasted energy, right? Gorgeous instrument! Superb craftsmanship.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Beautiful documentation of the creation of an heirloom instrument. What a delight! We are so proud and excited to be Driftwood Guitars first retail dealer, and couldn't be more excited to get this insane Session Model in our shop. See you boys soon!
Insane price you mean.
@@TheBod76 how often do spend 400 hours and multiple thousands of dollars on something you intend to give away for free? $25,000 is steep, but if that's the type of money you're playing with then it's worth it. Quality and price both go up together, but quality is linear and price is exponential. If I was worth a million, I'd buy this guitar without even thinking about it.
@@Overgis4058 It is advertisement for his company. A free giveaway would mean he gets nothing in return. And that's part of the reason why he gave it such a ridiculous price tag.
There a millions of very capable luthiers on this planet so it is hard to stand out unless you grab peoples attention by putting such a price tag on one of your products.
Great guitar but insane price.
@@TheBod76 It's 60 bucks per hour. People charge more to repair guitars, not to made them. Their base price is: $20,000. Wait time is 2 years. So, their guitars can be much more than 25k.
@@intersanctum thats not even mentioning the build costs, wood to make guitars isn't cheap, nor are all the machines used in the video. Everything we see in the video is part of the investment that leads him to the 25k price point. Nothing in this video was free.
Sinker Cypress! Heck yea. I made an electric guitar out of sinker cypress. My late father was a carpenter by hobby, and living in southeast Louisiana, we knew a group of men that owned a mill. They specialized in dredging up old sinker cypress and milling it. We had several large slabs of it. It had a very specific smell to it when we were cutting & sanding it. Hard to explain. It's a breath-taking instrument with a crazy amount of sustain and tone. It has the body of an pre-war gibson acoustic, a strat neck, Schaller locking tuners, an LSR roller nut, and Bigsby roller bridge, P-90's, etc. We got as far as cutting out the rough shape of the guitar, and a few days later, by dad died. I couldn't bring myself to work on it for a little while, but I finally finished it about 6 months after he passed. I used Tung oil for it's finish. It has about 15 layers of Tung oil. It's an insanely cool guitar.
I’m sitting here watching going “hmm that’s really pretty, and well made” and all the usual stuff.
Then you play the first notes and my jaw straight DROPPED. It’s so rich and warm sounding without being dark and muddy. Definitely a job well done
Eh. It sounds okay, not as great as my son’s Yamaha guitar.
Sounds great!
The look is gorgeous, but that sound, especially the sustain, is unbelievable.
WHAT ! YOU DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD HAVE ANY ?
You're hearing the microphone, etc.
I can barely play and have always wished I could play but have never paid the price. As a cabinet maker and carpenter brother that is the most gorgeous instrument I have ever seen. What a work of art. If I weren’t putting children through college I would buy it even if it were to just rub it with a diaper and stair at the graining book-matching and phenomenal colors. What a work of art and impeccably crafted. You should be so proud, sir! Well done, Bravo!!!
As a woodworker (wood butcher)…. I appreciate the combination of new and old techniques and tools during the build process. The time, effort, cost and frustration to build all the jigs for this piece is way more than the layperson understands. They alone deserve mad respect. Well done team, well done indeed. Now if I only played the guitar I might buy one 🤔.
Wootcher xD
This is the best guitar building I've ever watched and it sounds so soothing. When you played that first bass note at 25:30 I knew it would sound so good and it really is. The amount of effort and precision you put into building it is incredible. Every step of the process, from selecting the wood to building the body, shaping the neck, and the finishing is done with care and attention to detail. You can truly feel the passion and expertise in every cut, carve, and finish. The sound it produces is a testament to your dedication and craftsmanship. It's not just an instrument; it's a work of art. Watching you put everything together and then hear it come to life with that first bass note is mesmerizing. It makes me appreciate not only the beauty of the guitar itself but also the skill and patience required to create something so perfect. Thank you for sharing this process with us-it's truly inspiring!
11:54 hi! Fellow luthier and dendrology nut here - a Janka hardness of 3800 without getting too much into the science (basically they use big steel balls and measure how much wood deflects along with a ton of math) is about 2-3x harder than maple. Curly maple is usually around 900 Janka and hard maple 1400. Rosewood is around 1700. burls since they are fungus usually fall in the 500-1000 range depending on the species.
So no wonder the snake wood is…wait for it…snaking your tools! Basically it will wear through your tools at a rate around 2-3x as quickly as working with other softer “hardwoods”. If you get a minute between building absolutely gorgeous instruments it’s worth taking 5-10 minutes to learn about the Janka process and where everything is relatively speaking. Much love from Texas! 😎
JankA*
@@flapjack413 you’re totally right haha. How’d I miss that - editing accordingly 😂
So with all that wood knowledge, can you opine on rosewood vs ebony fingerboards? I'm happy to go to your channel if you have one for that answer. Thanks
@@TheRange7 great question haha! I’ve always told my peeps (and customers) that both are great cuts and species with their own beauty and benefits. On electric instruments I tend to focus on the aesthetics as the acoustic properties of the wood make very little difference (if at all - we don’t have to get into that hornet’s nest). I think a lot of companies would do well with just marketing their guitars as gorgeous cuts of woods and instruments and not have to wax poetically or even bend the truth on what the properties of one wood are over the other. Ebony vs. rosewood feels to me like part of that argument. I’ve really only ever worked with rosewood - it’s a beast to machine and work with - but it looks gorgeous when finished correctly. And it does come at a premium as it’s a premium material. But never would I try to sell you on how it’s magicial or has some crazy properties. 1) I can’t prove it. 2) I just put it there because I think it looks great. And you probably do to. Let’s leave it at that! 😎
If you want a really gorgeous fretboard material look at Ziricote. That’s byfar one of my favorites and preferred wood for fretboards. Again - just a gorgeous species. Simple as that.
TL;DR I don’t personally believe wood plays a factor in the tonal performance of an electric instrument. Rather they’re just pretty and what you find pretty and makes you happy to play should be the one for you. Rosewood is great. Ebony is great. I personally prefer Ziricote. 😎
@@Ais4Drewit's not hard to work with... anyway he's using power tools & CNC the entire build & bending it with heat/water. It's kind of waxy wood anyway so it stands easily & is not hard to work with. He's just talking everything up to give it a $25,000 valuation when it's unjustified.
That guitar is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen, seriously.
By far, the BEST guitar build video I've watched. The attention to detail and craftsmanship you put into your guitars is incredible; it's no wonder your waitlist is upwards of 2 years! I'm genuinely baffled by how beautiful the end result was. True artistry!
what he said....i am now almost 80, did professional woodworking, fixtures and architectural woodworking, cabinetmaking, and millwork, design, production, installation, for almost 50 years, even including teaching woodworking in Africa where the black limbe comes from, . A true shop rat, at one time had about $250,000. in personal hand tools plus floor equipment. I used Acrylic material for Jigs and Fixtures back in the early 1970s. I also was a semi-pro musician, guitar and bass player. My presentation instrument Was a Yairi custom build in Koa back in the 1980s and also, a hand built Drake 5 string bass. I loved your video, your shop, your love and respect for high quality materials, the refinement in your jigs and your ultra sharp Japanese hollowback chisels. AAahhh, yes, You Guys ! ! Many Thanks. You're the Progress i was hoping for. You are truly a master builder.
Dann hast du tatsächlich noch nicht sehr viele gute Videos gesehen
$62.50 an hour (including materials and overhead, so it’s actually less) seems very low for this level of craftsmanship. Much respect to you.
I agree, someone will be getting a great deal at that!
Ha! I did the math too, and I was happy to find your comment. I figure material cost is ~$1000, putting the hourly rate at $60, and that doesn't even consider all of the tools required. The rate is definitely far too low, but I suspect that the sheer willful ignorance of the average consumer with regard to the training and craftsmanship necessary to produce a result like this prevents the luthiers from pricing it much higher.
A plumber does a job for a lawyer. The bill comes to $2000 for 4 hours of work.
Lawyer: "That is $500 dollars an hour you charge. I am a lawyer and I only charge $400 per hour."
Plumber: "That is why I closed my law firm and became a plumber."
Is this sarcasm or are you serious? 62 dollars an hour, jesus, not even the president earns that much.
@@the.communist I charge 250 minimum. There is a joke among my employees that just to call me its 200 bucks. Some times it is FAR higher. You just have to believe in yourself and what you do. Never sell yourself short. Also one day this man will charge a far higher premium for his work. He just has to get his name out there.
The video ....to watch an entire build not in a series of videos, but in one video is a home run!! Not too long not too short. Really good commentary. This one came together just right.
Gorgeous guitar and I love that it's plain and simple, no silly, useless ornamentation anywhere. A pure beauty that doesn't need to shout.
The sustain has a beautiful decay, the harmonics clearly take over when you let it ring out. An amazing guitar. BRAVO!
The guitar is stunning….oh to play something as beautiful as this. The sound is rich and dreamy. As a child I played my guitar with my ear on the side so I could hear the sound. Watching this reminded me of that. Thanks so much for sharing
Wow! What a beauty. If I could talk my wife into leaving, and was actually a good guitar player, I would love to have an instrument like that. But I guess I will have to keep her, (she has been with me for 54 years!) stick with my Taylor’s and keep practicing.
Great video. Loved watching it! Thank you. 🙏
I'll take your wife
I will also take your wife
@@JohnnyAllan-vj7sj :-)🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Don't we all love the casual misogyny of pretending women are objects that belong to men :)
I wouldn’t say it was a classical tone, but it sure is joyful. The finish is too good, It should be in an art gallery. Just stunning!
What a delight to be able to see the journey of this build. It turned out amazing! Love this kind of content and channel. Keep it up!
Stunning. What an education. Personally, I found a real appreciation of the entire process of acoustic guitar building. Lots of patience required. And superior workmanship. Great brain power and
craftsmanship.Lots of decision-making required throughout the entire process. You created a real masterpiece. I'd keep it and play it whenever I could. Thanks for an excellent video.
I like the "woody" sound the cypress provides without having the "metalic" sharp sound that I hear with maple. Also, the sustain kind of reminds me of walnut. For solo fingerstyle guitar being able to have those strings ring over each other gives feeling of depth and fullness. Really love that sound.
They said it all. I really enjoyed watching this video-thinking of the hundreds of years that has contributed to the knowledge it requires to craft such an instrument. The joy brought into the world through the making of such a guitar. I was contemplating all these things as I watched. To HEAR it then was superb. Thank you.
That's an incredible build Chris. Certainly one of a kind, and it sounds incredible. The tone takes my ear into Olson territory, but I can definitely hear the fuzzy tops of the notes, removing any spikiness. Beautiful.
Absolutely gorgeous guitar! I love all the flash and inlays of most of your builds, but the all wood look is so classy. I also think the sound of the guitar really matches its looks. Thanks for the great content!
I learned a lot from watching you build this stunning guitar. The way you tweaked the tone with the bracing was eye opening, for sure. I love the tonal range of this work of art. Highs, lows and mids, excellent. Just some other positive feedback is that I could hear the difference in tone on your video. I love this! Many thanks for posting.
25:53 thats the smile of a hard working man which his hard work pays off
You took the words right out of my mouth. The expression on his face when he was playing tells me it met his expectations. Maybe even surpassed them and that says a lot since they build only high quality instruments.
Professional craftmanship. Until this video I had no idea about how crucial is to make the body resonate. Excellent work
Probably the prettiest fret board I have ever seen.
And the low end is just--dare I say--delicious? Deep and resonant with no muddiness at all.
Thanks for sharing your videos. I love these. When I hit the lotto, I'll be calling. Got the winning numbers right here ;-)
You just brushed over one of the most important components of the build!
"Stop frequently and admire your handiwork!"
Amazing work. As a random guy who has built a guitar before, it's so much fun watching all the similarities in techniques during the building process. I wish you well in your future projects!
That fretbdard is high quality craftment. Very well done
This is my first visit to your channel and I loved watching the build! A good friend of mine is a luthier and I know he's going to love this video as much, if not more than I did. It's obvious that you have some big bucks invested in DNC machines etc, but to my ear the end result was absolutely stunning, both in the visual and auditory. I have a very nice set of old school Koss AAA headphones and all I could think when I heard you playing it was "I want that guitar!" but unfortunately at this point I can't even come close to affording it.. still though it is incredibly beautiful and some lucky person will get a wonderful instrument that will brighten their lives, and hopefully many others for years to come. Well done, very well done!
The second piece you played gave me goosebumps.
If I had deep enough pockets, I would go this.
Beautiful.
Fire and rain by James Taylor?
At 20:00. To rely on that holding the neck in place seems a bit "adventurous" to me. Was it just bolts and no glue? Or is there glue also? In that case it's good.
Glue as well.
$25,000 for this guitar is criminal.
Too high or too low?
My guess is low. Retro Martin’s sell for more
Agreed...but someone will buy it for bragging rights.
The Brit young lady luthier, built one for a Tampa Florida man for $36,000.00 no inlays.
@@keithgossage90 😂 yeah I saw that. The reason the luthiers are selling these guitars at these values are simply bragging rights to show off to friends. “Money is wasted on fools. They cannot buy wisdom when they have no sense”. - Proverbs
The notes sound very round and warm. Resonant. Fascinating watching you build it.
Amazing build, the guitar came out beautiful. All the snakewood details are a lovely touch. Thank you for showing us.
Absolutely stunning. Really fantastic choice of woods for the final colours. And the attention to finish and detail is great to see. Even the bits no-one sees inside the body (because you know its there, right).
I'd love to hear it not through digital source converted through UA-cam filters etc. It sounds amazing even through all that!
Prior to the major right brain stroke I had on December 11,2015 I played an acoustic guitar everyday , a Martin d18. Now I still have atrophy on the left side of my body to include arm and hand. Though it brings me to tears I still absolutely love acoustic music: volin,viola,cello,guitar,stand up bass, and even the hammered dulcimer!🙏🎼😘💐😊🎉😇!
My God man that instrument is not only beautiful but the sound is heavenly... Great job !!
Machinists everywhere are crying watching you use a surface plate for a glue fixture LOL. Thanks for sharing this. Reminds me I've got to get my old D-28 in for what sounds like some loose bracing.
You have no clue what I've seen people do to surface plates. This is relatively tame. 😂
Hair on my neck stood up listening to that. Beautiful tone. I'm 20 years into luthierie and can only dream of producing something like that. 👌🏻
It's alright to dream, but just start making a plan. Put your dream on paper. Don't sketch, but start writing. A story, documentation, agenda, anything. Or else, your dream will remain a dream and you will regret not fulfilling it.
Thank You so much for sharing this build! I’m currently in a Guitars for Veterans program offered by my local Veterans administration. After visiting the Driftwood’s website, I noticed a patriotic themed inlay used on one of the guitars. It featured stars, stripes, and an image of the liberty statue. That, along with the craftsmanship and sound quality produced by this guitar, enhanced my desire to experience one for myself!
I don't think I have ever seen a more beatiful looking and sounding guitar in my life.
Na dann schau und hör dir mal *Greenfield-Guitars* an🎉
@@deutsche_lyrik Not as good.
@@stevemuzak8526 The joke was good😂🎉 Then you have little or no idea about instrument making....
@@deutsche_lyrik I own both.
I don't play any instruments but I love watching true craftmanship. That is such a beautiful project. Thank you for sharing.
That’s all good, but. WHERE IS THE 3000 YEAR OLD GUITAR?!?!?!?😢
I agree where’s it gone
Think they called it a harp back then.
@@allencottell4241 nah brother. I think they called it a lyre back then
It’s about to get buffed out and assembled. We don’t get paid for that guitar, so we gotta run the business first. We work on it when we can. Stay tuned.
@@DriftwoodGuitars wow!!! That’s really amazing!!!!!! Can’t wait!!!
You guys are brilliant artists. Thank you for sharing this journey with all of us. The amount of love and care that you put into your instruments is inspirational. I have always wanted to try and build a guitar and you guys have set such a high bar for quality. I appreciate that you educate people on the process of building when you could easily keep your talents to yourselves. And your personalities are perfect for UA-cam. When you finally played the instrument, I was almost brought to tears because it sounded so gorgeous and knowing how much you put into it made it even more amazing! You guys are a blessing to music.
From a 50 + year Musician ~ That is a Stunningly Beautiful Guitar. Amazing Job and Sweet Sounding.
Thank you for muting all natural build sounds and adding the intrusive repetitive background music throughout the video. Enjoyable to watch.
Great job, Chris. At the 30A Songwriters Festival a few years back, you graciously let me and a friend play one of your acoustics with the sound hole on top. Still one of my favorites.
By far, one of the best guitars I've ever seen and heard! I'm really amazed by its sound ... and of course the craftsmanship!!!
Thank you for making this video, I am truly amazed by your techniques. The finished product is the most beautiful guitar I have ever seen. Bravo to everyone who had a hand in building this magnificent instrument. 👍👍👍👍👍
The look and the sound and the time that you put on building of such a guitar!!!! You are artists!
Wow. This was.... I am in awe. So much care and dedication. This company is endeavoring to be the Rolls Royce of guitars.
And it looks like the mission is going just fine.
Such excellent work. Thank you so much for sharing!
This video was amazing. The voicing portion was so ethereal feeling. I like the idea of helping the instrument find it's voice. Very Zen. Thanks so much for this experience.
Oh my Gosh, this guitar is really beautiful. I love it! And the sound... is sweet and harmonious and the box reflects and expresses the love with which it has been made. It's perfect!! Congratulations!! You have done an extraordinary job!
Master piece! So much behind the building!
Hey first time viewer and definitely subber. Here's a reference for high wood density positively affecting the resonance qualities of musical instruments.
The Italian violin/viola/cello crafting family, Stradavari, especially Antonio, had access to a particularly dense wood that was traced to trees having grown during the Little Ice Age. Why is this significant you might ask? Well, during the Little Ice Age, circa 1300 to about 1850, not a real Ice Age but a period of regional cooling of the North Atlantic region, the density of woods in north and central Europe was much more than during other periods. Paleontologists and botanists have compared the differences of trees that grew during this time to other times. They found that the width between rings in trees that grew during the Little Ice Age were quite a bit more narrow than other periods. This in turn leads to a denser wood and therefore structurally stronger and more resonant. More rings per unit measure means more and better sound propagation than wood with wider rings.
EDIT: Here's a video that goes into the scientific basis for why Stradavarius violins sound so much different (better?) than other luthier's crafts who were his contemporaries.
ua-cam.com/video/zOtQQRf0Fzc/v-deo.html
Great job 👍. Lots of information for an old handyman like myself. Not sure I would want to buy all the necessary tools. But it is tempting. You guys definitely laid out the blue print for anyone willing to try.
Unusual and creative restoration. I am still geeking out over how you saved that headstock logo. That final product is weird in the best possible way. Incredible.
Oh My My. Goosebumps and chills, nothing like I have ever heard or seen before. Bravo!
This is easily the best looking acoustic guitar I have ever seen in my miserable little life..."Hat's Off" to Driftwood Guitars!...Fantastic choice of materials, and the thought that has gone in to this instrument is IMMENSE!..This is ingenuity at it's staggering best!..Love and Best Wishes...x...
Such incredible work … thanks for the transparency of showing the wins and the lessons learned.
And that tone … dear god that tone … wow
Your work is absolutely epic.
It sounds "bright" / subdued / full and much more. What a work of art.
I was absolutely mesmerized by each and every step (yes, even the misstep with the first neck!). You build an incredible guitar - aesthetically and musically. My lottery "dream list" has a new #1 desire at the top...a Driftwood guitar. Thank you for sharing this process with us.
I barely got five minutes into the video before I subscribed. Unbelievable work. Simply stunning!!!
Gorgeous looking and sounding! All the elements come together beautifully!
Glad it’s going to Eddies, I’d love to hear Matt put it through paces.
Congratulations on such a beautiful work of art. The sound through my large JBL sound system was one i would describe as a mixture of what i like about a Martin d28 and a high-end Taylor guitar. Your playing demonstrated the guitars potential nicely. Well done, sir.
As gorgeous as this guitar is... the sound blew me away. Sounds like a jumbo guitar. If I had this kind of money to spare, I would buy it in a heartbeat.
Thank you for documenting the process. The outcome is absolutely stunning.
Fantastic build video, I’ve always understood the basics of voicing the top, but hearing the before and after for the tap test is someone I was always curious about. Thanks!!!
A privilege watching you guys work (and play). Thank you for doing what you do - and for sharing the ride. Looking forward to the next one...
Can’t get over that sustain! Incredible
WOW! Such a full sound with full range of tones from the bright to the reverbing bass! Amazing! Great job you done Sir!
A thing of beauty and pride and watching the work, time and level of detail gives a better appreciation. I'm blown away by the unique, quality look and sound. It got me inspired to go play my guitar today! Maybe someday, I will get one of these Magnificient guitars. Thank you for this video.
That's not a guitar - that's a work of art. That is such a beautiful piece! As a fellow woodworker, I can truly appreciate the level of detail and attention and TIME that you took in the finishing process. The time was surely justified. Got yourselves a new sub!
This is just a masterpiece! What a beauty and what a sound. It has low but also mid and clear high. I love it. And it looks amazing. You can be very proud of this one.
Love watching you guys work, as a hobby wood worker and beginner guitar player, this is the best combination of both hobbies. Amazing craftsmanship and attention to detail. Absolutely insane level of care goes into these builds and it's great to hear the explanations during the build.
I have an old Alvarez Yairi with a cedar top, so I'm drawn the sound of it. The dread body size seems let me almost overdrive it like a speaker cone. It's my reference for hearing this guitar.
It sounds bigger than it looks! It sounds tighter than cedar, but the bloom or envelop reminds me of cedar. Maybe the size, waist and hips of the body focus it differently. Seem quite loud, but with lots of headroom. A really great voice!
It sounds very unique and beautiful.
Nice work on a very special guitar.
Bro stop making love to your guitar 😂
Sounds incredible! Low E is just as magnificent and high E. Deep, rich, like running molasses. How soothing the sound!!!! I have a Breedlove J5 Master Class, hand made, Brazilian Rosewood and Adirondack top. Sounds similar. I'm headed to Eddies! Was up that way yesterday. I'm headed back on Saturday (live 1 hour south of St Louis).
Great job. Excellent video documentation. Passion and Craftmanship.
Sounds really nice. Lots of natural sustain. Mellow. With high end. Nice.
Stunning guitar. Looks amazing, really like the subdued colours with flashes of interesting highlights, sounds good too. The limba neck is beautiful and the snakewood is a really interesting variation.
Great video. So much work went into both the making of the guitar and the video too. You are an artist!
When I saw the title $25K guitar, I laughed..... After watching the video and LISTENING to the sound, I almost cried..... I have never heard any guitar at any price sound so ANGELIC........
Any chance to have James Taylor play this instrument? With his amazing talent and that guitar, I can only imagine where this might go !!
Very best to you and your crew of fine instrument builders !!!!
Wow! Beautiful guitar and the sound is rich! You are a master of your craft and you also play well! Thank you for capturing this journey!
Easily the most beautiful acoustic guitar i have ever seen. I listened through cheap ear buds and it sounded amazing. Wish I could afford one of your guitars. wow.
This is so satisfying to watch a craftman's journey when making a guitar, and it is particularly awesome to witness all of these intricate and personal details that leads to your very own unique way of making an instrument. Congrats on building such a wonderfull instrument. The neck looks SO GOOD tho, it's out of this world.
On a side note, and from my personnal experience as a guitar player, i've had so much pleasure playing on jescar nickel frets, compared to stainless steel, wich is totally fine, but the difference in tone and playability has been a real shock to me, and i never thought that frets could impact the sound so much.
Amazing job!!! That’s a gorgeous guitar, too many details and the end result is just mesmerizing. Not to mention that the guy is also a great guitar player. Hands down for this man 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
as a boat carpenter and an old guitar player I am in awe of what you did. I sat spellbound as I watched you create that beautiful instrument. The sound is so sweet and lovely I could never describe it. God bless you and your skill.
Woah! Absolutely gorgeous. My mouth literally waters. Expert craftsmenship and a truly one of a kind look. Sounds spectacular as well!
I am literally speechless right now. What an incredible, complex, sound! The detail in the tones is remarkable, a really sweet chime, but the resonance came in waves that bloomed completely differently each time around! I was waiting for you to put the pleck down, I know it will sound perfect played with fingers alone., either that or a slightly lighter gauge string. But, totally blown away, it's as rich as a Steinway piano! Hat's off to you, brother. And so wonderful to see what true craftsmanship can achieve.
Man that’s a gorgeous guitar! I have a big bucket list to build a guitar/ bass collection of acoustic and electric 1 of each
I'm listening on studio monitors in a studio control room since I'm an engineer and it sounds fantastic! Big full sound and clear as a bell. Aii the highs, mids and lows are there and good sustain. That's a good one!
Perfect tone! Sparkling highs, sweer mids and warm brown lows.
That is just gorgeous! The butterfied back is ababsolutely beautiful! I am blown away with it, and then you played it, I am at a loss for words.......
Wow !!!!! that sound was warm and bright at the same time when you played it....amazing work !!!!
To co zrobiłeś z tym drewnem to sztuka sama w sobie - piękno i precyzja.
Such a beautiful guitar, both in sound and appearance and a very interesting, high-quality video!
Years ago, I lived on the Oregon coast (Bandon Oregon) and I ran into a luthier from Iowa who built violins and guitars and was purchasing Port Orford Cedar, a local wood that I believe is also referred to as Lawson's Cyprus, for his instrument tops. He said that he had used Englemann Spruce and Sitka Spruce but believed that Port Orford Cedar was superior, and most similar to the Mediterranean Spruce used by 16th and 17th century Cremonese violin makers. The mill he purchased the wood stock from closed years ago, but, to my knowledge, Metcalf Sawmill and a few other south coast Oregon mills process and sell this wood.
What a beautiful mellow full bodied sound that guitar projects. Definitely worth every cent. And the finish is absolutely astounding!
I was only going to watch a few minutes of this video, I'm truly glad I watched the the whole video. Fantastic guitar build. The damn thing is gorgeous. I'm also very pleased that you didn't put fret markers on the neck. Great job guys.
Final tonal aspects of this piece blew me away. Beautifully warm - like cedar; but also sharp AND crisp - like spruce. $25K? YES!
So as a retired structural engineering designer, allow me to add that slotted headstocks provide TWO POINTS OF ANCHOR for each tuning machine - thereby stiffening the connection of string to body. Think of a standard tuning machine as a cantilever - allowing a minute amount of "flex" in its shaft - wasted energy, right? Gorgeous instrument! Superb craftsmanship.