So FedX is bringing me something special tomorrow. Something I ordered last September. Signature required. I am going to be worthless at work tomorrow. I plan to bail at lunch to be home when it arrives. NERVOUS. I can work from home, that's the ticket...

Hint: by far the most expensive purchase I've made on a guitar! In my defense, I have guitars worth MUCH more, worth another decimal place even, but I got them cheap by luck or good fortune back "in the day". This is a brand new custom build by a ... well ... a custom builder.

So stay tuned for the blissful unboxing, and hopefully not a FedX rant with lamentation and gnashing of teeth.

Did I mention I am NERVOUS.

ETA pics down a few posts...

Tap, tap, tap <--- my foot

Raining hard. Still waiting for FedX to bring me my new banjo-killer dreadnought. Sorry to tease the shredders. I'm a flatpicker now.

It's here! Box looked ok, case unmolested. Letting it acclimatize a bit before cracking the case. Pics soon, but I gotta webex thing and some work to do...

SORRY! Having to re-host photos because fuck photobucket. I have my own domain and web hosting, but not running yet!

Open the damn box!  You live in GA.  It's summertime.  Do you have the a/c at 50 degrees or something?  I don't have all day to see what you bought.  Oh wait, yes I do.  Nevermind.

safe thread

Case is open!

SORRY! Having to re-host photos because fuck photobucket. I have my own domain and web hosting, but not running yet!

ETA: It is a Preston Thompson model D-EIA dread, east Indian rosewood with adirondack spruce top, based on a 1929 Martin D-28. I had him make it with a "fat-C" neck profile as my "14 Martin D-18 has a rather thin "performance neck" profile that cramps my left hand up. This feels great to me, like an old Gibson or 50's Fender. The D-18 will be kept for recording and as a spare, and also for my daughter to learn on. Got one more meeting and conf call and then I can start picking on it...

Very nice!  





Be sure to wear your Rat Hat while playing it.

I never had a rat hat. I was a transfer.

Gorgeous!  

Did you ever play any gigs at the Tunnel Pub?

I don't recall playing there. Mostly back in the day I played in blues bands that gigged mostly no-name restaurants, sports bars, and such. Later we got better and played blues venues like Fatt Matts, Fuzzy's, Blind Willie's, etc. I have not been in a band in several years; I gave up that scene and am learning bluegrass flatpicking now. I hope to have enough fiddle tunes worked up by next St Patrick's day to play a bar gig.

That's cool.  I went to Tech '85-'87 before transferring to Purdue where I graduated in '90.  I remember going to the Tunnel Pub which was on the other side of the 3rd St. tunnel from the Tech campus.  Probably not there anymore.  Pretty much a dive but easy drunken walk back to the dorms.

Congrats!

It'd be alot cooler if I could see the pics, though. 

Looks like photobucket is fucking everyone up.  I've seen that same 3rd party graphic on a lot of sites recently.  

Shit. Just saw this. Time to find a new photo host! Stand by...
PS been playing the shit out of this thing! Feels good, and sounds great, man!

SORRY! Having to re-host photos because fuck photobucket. I have my own domain and web hosting, but not running yet!

OP has got butt reamed by photobucket.

Yes I have, on every god damned place on the web. FUCK PHOTOBUCKET! I am deleting my PB account. I have purchased my own domain and web hosting from Host Gator and am working on getting it running. Currently waiting for my name-servers to propagate, and as soon as I do my site will go live. Also purchased domain and hosting from GoDaddy for my pro engineering consulting business. Been up till 3AM 2 nights in a row writing html and css files. Why? Because I can.

Sorry about the pics to all. I will have them back up soon.

Here is a link to Preston's site with pics of the guitar I bought: Preston Thompson Guitars - EI Dread photos
The box:

The nice Harptone case it came in:

Ooo, first look:

Headstock pearl inlay:

Nice Adirondack spruce top with herringbone purfling:

Time to tune it up and pick!


Using imgur for hosting for now... kma PB!

Wow Very Nice!
love the herringbone binding

Nice!

Played the Thompson for a family get together yesterday,including my Dad (he's a vet of Korea, 'Nam, getting on now. Has had bad hearing since Korea when he was 21, 2nd Lt, Infantry platoon leader). He turned up his hearing aids and was tapping his feet. After a brisk 30 min set I took a break and he didn't like it, gave me the Red Foreman look, and said "you're going to play some more later, right? "Sure, Dad". I recall as a teenager he hated my playing!

Before I left he said "you're going to make me a CD, right?". Yes, Dad.



I'll get a sample recorded soon. Neighbor is having a party!

I could only imagine how nice that plays and sounds!
I saw one of their barebones mahogany dreadnoughts at Elderly instruments for $4750.00!
I need to play the lottery and order one of their shipwreck Brazilian rosewoods with all the 'fancy stuff!'
"Happy Picking!"

Couple quick recordings I made for my mando player to learn from. Supposed to play a Red Cross benefit/BBQ soon; no pay but good cause.
D-18 rhythm on left and Thompson on the right. No effects, one take, warts and all!
Used a Fathead II ribbon mic and either a Oktava SDC or an AT 4047 LDC mic, Avedis MA5 or Neve Portico pre into Lynx Aurora ADC into Fireface DAW -> Reaper..

Flame suit on.

Texas Gales

Dominion Reel

PS I know, Soundcloud sucks, gonna have to try some other means to post tunes.

I regret to say the guitar is on its way back to Oregon for a neck reset already! After it stabilized in its new home (my basement studio is rock-solid 50% humidity, plus I keep Boveda 49% Rh humipacks in the case) the action came up, too much to fix at the saddle. At least I have my D-18 to play in the meantime.

I just got my Martin back about two weeks ago from having the neck reset. Five year old guitar that never was right.
I had to shave the saddle right out of the box to make it playable and cut it down once more after that. Martin stepped up and covered it under warranty. Sweetwater did the work and it turned out great. 

Preston and crew make a hell of great guitar.  I met him, Christine and Dan when they came to Cincinnati for a grand opening at the guitar shop I worked at.  Good people.  Their Shipwreck Brazilian guitars are insane.  

I always had trouble playing his guitars though.  Something about the neck that just threw me off.  On the rare occasion I did get it down I would strum the hell out of em'.  They are loud!

He's got the neck off mine right now.

When I bought my Thompson (as I mentioned) I had him make mine with a custom fat round "C" profiled neck instead of his standard profile. Kinda more like a "50's model Gibson or Martin, because I like the vintage feel the best, and find I don't cramp up after a couple hours like I do on the D-18 (a 2014 model with the "performance neck"). Most of my guitars have fat necks. I use custom necks from Musikraft on my strats (4). My thumb ball joint used to get sore but the fat necks fixed that.

Anyway I got the strings as low as I could and could rip on the thing, but could not get it low enough, so it went back. After this reset I should be able to get the setup I like: measured at 12th fret with capo on the first, 5/64" high E and 6/64" low E. I'm getting pretty good at setting up acoustics.

The best playing acoustic I have is an Ovation, but the tone is not that great, and the DI tone is absolutely unusable. It does play like butter, though. I put a Baggs Lyric in the D-18 and that is working very well for me, doing the bluegrass and fiddle tunes. Got a gig coming up I wish I would have the Thompson back for, but the D-18 will work fine.

Here's a quick recording of Salt Creek on the Ovation (a 1981 10th anniversary model): not bad at all acoustically (excuse the clam notes). I recorded it in stereo using 2 condenser mics in XY config foolin around.
soundcloud link

That's some fine flat pickin' !
I also prefer a wide neck due to big hands.
I have a 1973 D-18-S that I bought new in Boston while in the Coast Guard. Today it looks like something in Willie Nelsons yard sale. Suffice to say I've played the hell out of it!...
The tonal quality is the finest but .. dayum.. it needs serious work. The bridge has lifted beyond any fix I can apply so its looking like a couple trips to PA to get things fixed.
Have you ever gotten into finger picking?
Here's a great youtube channel.. Almost 400 videos from beginner thru advanced. It's my current favorite go to site for new material.
https://www.youtube.com/user/LickNRiff
Good luck with the new axe & keep us posted.
..FN..

edit... i forgot to add the link so now I feel stoopid

Nice playing dude