Hear the Guitars

Chris Ruble has a couple of John's Guitars and recently recorded 3 songs on his Osthoff Guitars. The recordings were done with no effects, the EQ set natural, using a Sterling ST55 mic at the bridge, an AKG C1000 at the 12th fret, and a Sterling ST33 at the finger position.

For this first set of recordings, Chris used his Redwood/Koa AS (Auditorium Series) model. The guitar has a 26" scale length and is the one Chris is holding in his right hand.

• All Hail on AS Model
• Amazing Grace on AS Model
• Tis So Sweet on AS Model

Chris repeated the same songs keeping the same set-up but using his Sitka/Cuban Mahogany 12 fret-SD model on these clips. This guitar also has a 26" scale. The SD (slope dread) is the amberburst model Chris is holding in his left hand.

• All Hail on SD Model
• Amazing Grace on SD Model
• Tis So Sweet on SD Model

Keith Knight, BearClaw Music did a couple of demo clips a while back. Keith, being a profectionist wanted to get some studio quality clips put together so he wasn't completely thrilled when we just stuck a mic in front of him to get these quick recordings, but agreed to let us put them up until we get a chance to re-record them.

Keith used 3 different Osthoff guitars on these samples, 2 of them being his personal guitars.

Here are a couple of clips from Keith playing a 00-12 similar to the one shown in the photo This guitar has Carpathian Spruce Top, Walnut back and sides with a 24.9" scale length.

• Bastrop
• Jim Riley

Keith was always a fan of "bigger" guitars, but decided that he wanted to experiment with a slightly smaller bodied instrument and ordered this OM shown to the left back in 2004

He has been a fan of Macassar Ebony for back and side tonewood. Along with the Ebony, this OM is coupled with a European Spruce top

In addition, this guitar has the Bearclaw music logo inlayed at the 12th fret. It has a 25.4" scale. Here are some soundbytes from this guitar:

• Bastrop
• Black Dog Blues
• Chomp Man Blues

We put together this AS model for Keith back in 2007. This one also has Macassar Ebony and European Spuce for tonewoods.

This model has a longer scale length (27") not quite a baritone but long enough to do some cool alternate tunings.

Keith usually keeps heavier gauge strings on this guitar and leaves it tuned down a step or two.

• Sunrise Again
• Feelin Bad Blues
• Calimaica

Jeff King, one of the Berkshire's premier musicians did some recording on a guitar that John built for him a while back. It is an AS model with an Adirondack Spruce Top, Black Acacia back and sides. Here is clip from Jeff:

• Demo of Jeff's AS.

Jeff also came by one day and we had another AS model getting ready for final checkout. We stuck a mic in front of Jeff playing this Englemann/Brazilian AS.

• Jeff doing a riff on an AS model

Another clip was recorded on a Jumbo Series Guitar (Model JS-C.) This composition, The Transfiguration, was written and recorded by David Mitchell and released on the The 13thfret CD, Luthiers and Players. This CD features players and builders that visited the 13thfret.com Acoustic Guitar Forum.

Here is an audio sample of Dave's contribution:

• Dave's song, The Transfiguration

One afternoon a couple years ago Bill W stopped by. We stuck a mic in front of him. Here is another one of John's Auditorium Series (AS) Guitars. The model recorded here has a Sitka Spruce Top, Ziricote back & sides and was set-up with light strings. Here is an audio sample of Bill playing an Osthoff AS Model.

• Bill W picking on a AS model.

This is just one of a bunch of clips that was sent to John by Andrew Podolowski. Here is a part of a clip where Drew is playing his Italian Spruce/Brazilian 000.

• Bluesy clip in DADGAD.