Every few months, Moira collates all the "Thanks and Praise" messages that I receive and prints them out so that I can pass it all on to Alex and Paul. I get a lot. Maybe I should start to share some of them in the newsletter?
Here is a recent one, from Spider Bulyk in the USA, who has owned many famous brands of guitar.
Hi Roger,
First I’ll report that out of the case, and with some careful eye, the Orleans emerged from its voyage completely unscathed: nary a fingerprint and almost in tune. So…complete success in getting it here. Nice work, everyone involved…including those who didn’t realize they were involved.
Now as sunlight flooded the music room, I can tell you that you’ve built a truly beautiful guitar. The grain in both the rosewood and the spruce, while subtle, are both interesting and charming. The colour contrast of the timbers is marvellous: top to the neck and fingerboard, top to the back and sides, back and sides to the neck at the heel, and the headstock to fingerboard as well as the blending of the headstock warmth with gold of the tuners and Fylde logo. The red in the bindings sets off both the light and dark colour timbers while defining the overall shape. I could go on but, uncharacteristically, I’ll stop here. It is a striking piece, and one of great beauty: bringing a smile before my hands even get near it. I understand artisan work can have both predictable and unpredictable outcomes, but this baby came out wonderfully!
I’ve only started to play it for short periods this morning, mostly fingerpicking some ragtime and some classical/romantic repertoire. I haven’t had a "brand-new" guitar in my hands for a long while so was surprised by the initial stiffness of the sound….but it didn’t take long. By about the 3rd 10-minute session I felt it opening up, warming of its voice from bass to treble, extending of sustain, and ease of making each note. It’s early yet but I safely predict this is going to grow into one very sweet guitar. Even now the sustain feels unending.
I’ve tried to acquire (sometimes better than others) each next instrument as one that will somehow cause me to improve my playing, or at least prompt/tempt me to do something differently…perhaps better sounding. With the Orleans, very importantly to me was the 12-fret build and short-scale. I like the warmth of the voice. Not only does the scale give my (shorter) hands a better chance of landing in the next right place, but also the reduced tension, minor as it might be, reduces my mis-fretting or snubbing a note (or a whole damn chord). I can already feel the difference in my limited play on the Orleans.
At the end of "Casablanca", as Humphrey Bogart and Claude Rains walk off into the distance arm and arm, Bogart says, "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!" It captures how Spider is feeling about his new Orleans.
Thank you for building this wonderful guitar for me. I will work at playing it sufficiently well to honour the insights, understanding, and work you’ve put into it.
Stay safe; stay happy; and warm regards,
Spider
