1998 C-2 16" Blackwood & Sitka Jumbo

More interesting visitors.... I first saw this guitar five or six years ago it belongs to a musician here in Melbourne who I bump into from time to time a bass player by trade but like some bass players they most likely came from a back ground of guitar so its an instrument that is essentially in there quiver ...

This particular guitar was bought in, in not so good condition it had at some stage taken a heavy blow to the left hand lower bout and split the top in two places along the grain from rim to rim and a break across the grain in between ...repaired at some stage although a little on the rough side ...but well enough for the next chapter in life .

I had been in contact with the owner about getting some photos of this one ... there was something about this guitar when I first saw it that was saying done a shit load of gigs travelled a bumpy road and life isn't over it had character all over it.

Like life you wear it on your face.... same with guitars to a large degree ... there are those that get looked after with a lot of care ...those that travel the middle road... those that fall into the hands of different owners over a long period that sort of tell it all really ... good times well used....cared for and finally if unlucky treated a bit roughly only to have a reprieve .... this is one of those guitars.

 

The mid 1990's was an interesting time .... I was just getting a handle on guitar making ...but not one at a time , I had bigger ideas driven by the practicalities of proccess time efficiency and the rigours of a touring musician ... you add all of that up and the mid to late 90's was time that most of my production was in this model.

I produced a C-2 in a Dreadnought a 16"Jumbo and a 00.... and later on an 0 size all in figured Blackwood back and sides from Lavers Hill South Western Victoria... a Sitka spruce top with solid 3.0mm Rock Maple Bindings and finally a beautifully quartered Honduras Mahogany Neck with Indian rosewood fingerboard finished off in no less than 4-5 coats of satin Nitro straight off the gun ...its still my favorite finish ...durable and sits close to the wood ... enough transparency to give depth to the material that lays beneath ... Humble in many ways.

The first C-2 guitars I produced were built in a batch 18 in total influence by Bob Taylor at that time for his understanding and in sight to the bolt on neck joint ...he knew what most makers were dealing with back then with the problem of collapse between body and neck over a long period of time ...or in some cases a short period of time depending on environmental fluctuations and other nuances ...

There is a lot that can happen ... I wanted more control it all made sense from a number of perspectives and it still does today ... so 18 guitars straight of the bat with Bolt on necks ... I had done all the design and pre production work ... assembly time was a breeze took the stress straight out of it ..

This guitar didnt need to have a neck reset just yet but after 15 years or so there was a very slight sign of probable collapse ... its nice when you can tell the owner ... bring it in in a years time lets look at it then ... if it needs to be reset the neck is out in 20 mins ...it wont be painfull !  

I built quiet a few of these C-2 guitars ... they represented excellent value for money and still do if I could get hold of one ... good design and materials ... well made service able it goes along way ...history allways tells .. I look back and these guitars are still following me ... enough said for now .... hope you liked my post for this week

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