BluesKing777 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 A guy on another forum asked about guitars with African Ebony back and sides, so I recorded a slow instrumental with my Cargill custom to highlight the tone and thought some here may like to hear it - (Gabon) African Ebony, Italian Spruce top and mahogany multi-piece neck, all born just last October and opening up beautifully now! PS. It is not tape hiss you hear on the recording - it was raining heavily on the veranda roof next to my music room and at the end you can hear a frog calling its friends, or a snake! https://soundcloud.com/bk7-3/sadgad777 Some older photos: BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly campbell Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 That back is f-ing sweet. Yes it is.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly campbell Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 Beautiful...Sounds good BBK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted August 25, 2017 Author Share Posted August 25, 2017 Thanks FZ and KC! So, the choices that were made last year when it was ordered: If you look at the guitar top, a very nice piece of Italian Spruce that is supposed to be 'softer' than Sitka and better for fingerpicking - I had read some tops with no finish left and others with minimal finish applied let more sound out and a couple of old guitars I have bear that up to be correct, I think, so I asked for a very thin matt finish on the top. Seems to have worked! And it is opening out very quickly. I wouldn't be flaying into it with a pick though. The neck is a fat C multi-piece construction ala Lowden necks - said to be the best for low altered tunings. Works! (The tune above is in a DADGAD but tuned down 2 steps!) The nut is 1 3/4" as ordered and the bridge spacing is 2 3/8" as ordered - my Martin OM18V is similar. And of course, the back and sides are fabulous in the Gabon African Ebony, which I have read that in the wrong luthier's hands can sound poop, but not this puppy! And the bracing is 'high and narrow' ala Lowden style bracing. So it is a very heavy and reflective wood and it marries nice with the soft top, great neck and all to make - a great sounding fingerpicking guitar as hoped for! BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 That was sweet BK.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 Wow, that sounds SWEET!! It put me in mind a little of Martin Simpson's beautiful Sobell guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted August 25, 2017 Author Share Posted August 25, 2017 Thanks KB and Jinder! I could probably buy 7 or 8 Cargill customs for the cost of buying and importing a Sobel here! But the Cargill compares nicely here with my Lowdens, so comparing to the lofty heights of the Sobell are not fully out of the question. I think my choice of specs have worked out very well - it would be weird to pick up another with the slim neck, like another I got to play. I don't think I would change any of the specs, well, 9 odd months since birth anyway, perhaps I would have the whole guitar in a thin matt finish like the top, but the neck and p,ayability ate great - as is! Another one waiting for the owner to pick up, probably moments after I played it for a minute - had a wider neck like mine but with a slotted headstock. The top was black and while it looked great, I think it was a fingerprint magnet. If you look again at my matt finish top, prints are hard to see! I wipe it over with an old t shirt after playing, but I have never polished it! I played 3 more new Cargills when I was there getting a new nut on another guitar a few weeks ago - look similar but the specs were very different, but I would not say no to any of them, including the Australian Blackwood back and sides! I think it is a shame Gibson acoustic doesn't have a Custom Shop anymore, this has been incredible fun and spec'ing custom Gibson acoustics would be sensational....... though there was a Martin Custom Shop spec sheet where the price escalated alarmingly if you went too far off piste, and a custom Gibson would be the same. BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 It’s a beautiful guitar that no doubt about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatbaroque Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 Enjoy your playing on that wild African beast - and the photos are a great bonus.Best photos on the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted August 26, 2017 Author Share Posted August 26, 2017 Thanks BBG and FB! Hey, I saw guitarist Thomas Leeb talking about his signature Lowden guitar and he said he went for plain walnut and sitka in the spec because he 'didn't want to create another dentist's guitar.' Ha, I am not sure if he means a fancy guitar only a dentist can afford - or you come out of the dentist chair after seeing your life flash before your eyes and go and buy that real fancy guitar! BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted August 26, 2017 Author Share Posted August 26, 2017 "And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like" etc quote Frank. Well, I take most photos outside with my Nikon so as to avoid using the dreaded flash..... So here are a couple more shots of the Cargill custom - first one I caught it in a pensive mood staring at the eclipse? And here is the Hiscox in ivory finish that I bought in a panic from interestate as I thought it was the last one in the country that my 00 shape would fit in...and guess what? It was the last one I have seen for sale here! And last but not least is the multi-piece neck and the Shaller M6 tuners with the real ebony buttons, which are great, great tuners. Did I say they were great? BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted August 26, 2017 Share Posted August 26, 2017 She's certainly a beauty. As is the ivory Hiscox case, I've never seen one in ivory and I love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted August 26, 2017 Author Share Posted August 26, 2017 She's certainly a beauty. As is the ivory Hiscox case, I've never seen one in ivory and I love it! It is a bit of a 'steal me' case in ivory.....stands out from the anon black cases! Hey, looking at my own photos of the Cargill, I noticed something I haven't since November and all the times I have played it/looked at it - the soundhole is in the wrong place! The neck and bridge are all correct but the soundhole is off centre! Big clue is the rosette not meeting the neck at the same level on the frets, and then the gap from the strings to the edge of the soundhole......oh well, it does sound and play incredible and I hope it doesn't affect anything! BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted August 26, 2017 Share Posted August 26, 2017 Barely noticeable alignment anomaly - Kudos for focusing on the 'instrument' and not the 'furniture" aspect of this beauty. Remember - there are guitars where they actually place the sound hole in the left upper bout and make it an oval. Like most issues people can bring up - pick guard placement for example, 99% of the people who see the guitar will never notice them - they'll be too absorbed with its overall beauty. And, of course the stellar sound. As far as someone stealing your case - put a nice bumper sticker on it: In the US, something like "Protected by Smith & Wesson" usually works ! Great playing - as always! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted August 26, 2017 Share Posted August 26, 2017 It is a bit of a 'steal me' case in ivory.....stands out from the anon black cases! Hey, looking at my own photos of the Cargill, I noticed something I haven't since November and all the times I have played it/looked at it - the soundhole is in the wrong place! The neck and bridge are all correct but the soundhole is off centre! Big clue is the rosette not meeting the neck at the same level on the frets, and then the gap from the strings to the edge of the soundhole......oh well, it does sound and play incredible and I hope it doesn't affect anything! BluesKing777. I'd bet that the off centre soundhole is an intentional design feature. I'd be interested to know, if you end up asking Cargill about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted August 26, 2017 Author Share Posted August 26, 2017 Fortunately, it is one of the holes (4000) sent to the Albert Hall and though they thought that was the correct amount after counting them all, the Blackburn, Lancashire holes were larger and a bit skewed and didn't fit and a few were returned. So Cargill got some of these expensive and quite famous holes and as an added extra, put it in my custom! These holes have proven treble enhancement properties as they were once part of the Sea Of Holes! True! BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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