| At the January Namm show, 2008 I bumped into
Michael Dunn at the National Resophonic booth as he finished playing a
set with Bob Brozman. It occurred to me to ask Michael to build us another
of his incredible Maccaferri style guitars.
Michael said "fine…but I’m building mostly Weissenborns these days"
…so I ordered one on the spot !
Last week Michael called me to confirm that the guitar is done and
ready to ship.
"I think you will like this Koa…it is pretty nicely figured". Wow…understatement
of the year I must say !
In my humble opinion, this is the most incredible looking Koa Weissenborn
guitar I have ever seen.
Appointments include: Rope binding top and back, heavily figured
Flame Hawaiian Koa woods throughout, Ebony peghead overlay and fretboard.
Nitrocellulose lacquer and Sperzel tuners.
Construction is feather light. The entire instrument weighs only
2.95 pounds !!
( a typical Ramirez classical guitar averages about 4 pounds)
When played the entire instrument resonates on my lap. Pick it up
while the strings are still ringing and everywhere on the body and neck
I sense equally strong vibrations through my fingertips. It seems to be
giving off sound from every surface !
And sustain until the cows come home !! I count 15 full seconds before
a normal strum dies away. Incredible !
After a lifetime of building fine guitars, Michael just keeps on
putting out incredible instruments. This year he moved his entire workshop
to a new setting. A very tough job but well worth the effort and clearly
he has settled into his new digs. This is one of the first guitars to come
out of the new shop.
Grant MacNeill
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