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NO GIBSON content - Dan Erlewine's Iris Guitar (ladder braced Kalamazoo KG-11 copy)


BluesKing777

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For the ladder braced guitar fans and Waterloo Guitar fans, Iris Guitars has this fab Kalamazoo KG-11 reissue made for Dan Erlewine, complete with screws for custom capos and banjo tuners! Pity Gibson acoustics aren't making things like this!

 

 

And Mr Miner playing one!:

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

 

Edited by BluesKing777
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The threaded inserts for capo usage and the neck/headstock alteration are quite inventive.

Its a good looking guitar with wonderful tone, one which I wouldn’t mind owning!

Realistically, my skills wouldn’t do this guitar justice!

Thanks for posting this!

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3 hours ago, Remmuts said:

"The threaded inserts for capo usage and the neck/headstock alteration are quite inventive......"

 

Ohhhh. Threaded capo inserts.

I thought they were the  heads of the pop rivets that held the neck together. 

In the end just another quality guitar that I neither want nor need.

RBSinTo

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I have more than a few ladder braced guitars in the house.  The top spots when it comes to sound and feel are occupied by a scary rare 1930s Oscar Schmidt-made Galiano Jumbo and a dime a dozen workhorse  Harmony Sovereign H1260.  That said, the Iris DE is one of the few new guitars out there which really piques my interest.   And with me these days that alone says something.  

Edited by zombywoof
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Their first 'success' was the Iris OG, based on Gibson LGs:

 

 

Also interesting to me - the all mahogany Iris CH!:

 

 

But as usual, nothing here as yet - they (Iris Guitars) have been out for a couple of years, so I guess...they ain't coming.....

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

Edited by BluesKing777
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5 hours ago, dhanners623 said:

I do love the sound of the DE-11.

Quality and sound aside, from a purely aesthetic standpoint, I find Iris’ headstocks ugly as sin.

 

Headstock isn't much, is it? Though I am getting use to seeing it now....

My Waterloos are sensational guitars but the headstock on those is a bit 'iffy'...feel like I could round off the point! Maybe a can of black spray paint for the Iris, the shape is ok but the logo? Like the Waterloos, the Iris is designed as a no frills acoustic that is built well and sounds good.

 

BluesKing777.

 

Edited by BluesKing777
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2 hours ago, BluesKing777 said:

 

Headstock isn't much, is it? Though I am getting use to seeing it now....

My Waterloos are sensational guitars but the headstock on those is a bit 'iffy'...feel like I could round off the point! Maybe a can of black spray paint for the Iris, the shape is ok but the logo? Like the Waterloos, the Iris is designed as a no frills acoustic that is built well and sounds good.

 

BluesKing777.

 

BluesKing777,

A piece of black adhesive vinyl to cover the Nephew Art logo is a quick fix.

However, the shape of the headstock, which is truly ugly, is another matter.

RBSinTo

 

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To me, the most appealing headstock shape is the plain rectangle used on nearly all Martin guitars, as well as on some other brands. I imagine that it is not a shape that could be copywritten, so that any Luthier could use it.

So when I see the ugly designs that appear on some guitar brands, I am always mystified.

Yes, they are distinctively different, but in most cases unsightly and amatuerish enough to keep me from even considering their guitars.

RBSinTo

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I like the Iris headstocks.  Reminds me of those adorning Edgmond, Marwin, Old Kraftsman and other offerings during the 1930s.  I prefer the Iris headstocks to the Gibson open book headstocks with the upswept "pointy" ends.  

Anyway, I was talking to my wife a bit about this DE Model.  "Then go buy yourself one" says she.

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On 3/23/2022 at 12:29 PM, RBSinTo said:

To me, the most appealing headstock shape is the plain rectangle used on nearly all Martin guitars, as well as on some other brands. I imagine that it is not a shape that could be copywritten, so that any Luthier could use it.

So when I see the ugly designs that appear on some guitar brands, I am always mystified.

Yes, they are distinctively different, but in most cases unsightly and amatuerish enough to keep me from even considering their guitars.

RBSinTo

I like Martins and Gibsons, but I think I prefer the Gibson headstock to the Martin. 

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  • 2 months later...
On 3/25/2022 at 3:56 AM, zombywoof said:

I like the Iris headstocks.  Reminds me of those adorning Edgmond, Marwin, Old Kraftsman and other offerings during the 1930s.  I prefer the Iris headstocks to the Gibson open book headstocks with the upswept "pointy" ends.  

Anyway, I was talking to my wife a bit about this DE Model.  "Then go buy yourself one" says she.

 

Have a look at the trailer on Youtube for the movie Hard Luck Love Song and tell what is guitar is, please ZW.

Round about 1.13:

 

 

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

Edited by BluesKing777
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12 hours ago, BluesKing777 said:

 

Have a look at the trailer on Youtube for the movie Hard Luck Love Song and tell what is guitar is, please ZW.

Round about 1.13:

 

 

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

Not sure but if I had to guess I would say an Epiphone Masterbilt probably an Olympic.  What do I win of I'm right?

Edited by zombywoof
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1 hour ago, zombywoof said:

Not sure but if I had to guess I would say an Epiphone Masterbilt probably an Olympic.  What do I win of I'm right?

 

Win?

Nothin’ ....

.......but my deepest respect...😄

But it sure looks similar, maybe the ‘Century’ version?

 

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

Edited by BluesKing777
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1 minute ago, BluesKing777 said:

 

Win?

Nothin’ ....

.......but my deepest respect...😄

But it sure looks similar, maybe the ‘Century’ version?

 

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

Yeah, based on the headstock shape and finish I would say it is one of the RIs.

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P.S. 

I read in another forum that Iris are doing custom orders. The OG is LG based, so a new LG with 1 3/4” nut and 2 5/16” bridge space (their max), chunky neck, baked top, x braced and a range of finishes.....hooray! And give me the black top with the firestripe on a ladder braced, oh yeah.

Hmm, some other company should be doing this...hint.

 

BluesKing777.

 

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6 hours ago, Red 333 said:

She's a keeper! Wonderful lady.

Red 333

For close to 20 years her one and only acoustic 6 string has remained that 1960 J200.  There is nothing else out there she has found she likes better.  How could you not love a woman like that

Edited by zombywoof
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13 hours ago, zombywoof said:

For close to 20 years her one and only acoustic 6 string has remained that 1960 J200.  There is nothing else out there she has found she likes better.  How could you not love a woman like that

 

Did you buy the guitar?

This one  (Iris OG mahogany top) looks a lot like the 59 LG-0 (ladder braced) I used to have....sounds a little bit better.....😗:

 

 

 

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

Edited by BluesKing777
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11 hours ago, BluesKing777 said:

 

Did you buy the guitar?

This one  (Iris OG mahogany top) looks a lot like the 59 LG-0 (ladder braced) I used to have....sounds a little bit better.....😗:

 

 

 

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

Nah, not yet.  But I never seem to be in a hurry when it comes to guitars these days.  

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