Atkin guitars - my holy grail

[BenF]

What the heck is he saying at the beginning of the video? (Sorry, obnoxious American joke about accents...which I actually adore).

Go with your heart Ben and consider yourself lucky to be in love!!!!

no idea, he's from Englandshire, it's double Dutch to me too 

thanks Penner and Zohn

[Parlor Picker]

Bloody colonials!!   

[BenF]

I got a reply today from Alister Atkin, confirming that they do a wider neck to order at no additional charge (currently).  I had asked if they do 1 3/4 or 1 13/16ths, so I assume from his respnse they will do whatever is ordered. 

Just gotta raise some money now!!

[Mantula]

Here's my wishing for you to get there pretty soon, Ben 

[ncognito]

That is the price, very reasonable. That is the stores website.  The Lowden was 25% off at almost double that. The Atkin made it play and sound like an Esteban, seriously, the Atkin was that good. I felt like a school kid in a Ferarri today. Can't get it out my head.

Ben--

You might want to rephrase the Lowden/Esteban comparison.  Afterall, Northern Ireland can't be all that far from Scotland, and George could easily identify you from all the Youtube videos.   

          DAVE

[BenF]

Ha ha, maybe - I have been known to exagerate from time to time.  The Lowdens were all very nice, they just didn't grab me.  The look and feel terrific, and the O is certainly a unique sounding guitar.  I kind of don't get the appeal of the smaller bodies now though, having played other more traditionally shaped small guitars alongside them.  Maybe they were set up badly (certainly the O was horribly set up), but they didn't do anything for me.

If I ever wanted a big guitar, an O would be right up there on my list.

[PaulR]

Hi Ben,

Good to see you've discovered how good value some of the handmade British guitars are! I was in the market for a new guitar about a year ago and looked at Atkin along with some offerings from Moon and Brook. All were great guitars at a great price and I found they were the same price (and in many cases cheaper) than factory/machine built imported guitars from the US. I settled on a Rosewood Brook Taw in the end which I've been absolutely delighted with. You can now hear samples of them on the TAMCO website. (though to be honest I'm guessing most of them are played by Michael Watts at that shop who can make a cardboard box with elastic bands sound like a great guitar!).
I spent a very pleasant day at TAMCO playing loads of guitars but they didn't quite have what I was looking for so I ended up getting my Brook direct from the guys in Devon - another very pleasant day trying out their guitars and a tour round the workshop all included.
Good luck - it sounds like you've pretty much bought the Atkin already  

Paul

[BenF]

Brooks are lovely guitars too, and the dealer in Stonehaven who has the Atkins I tried has ordered three Brooks for his shop.  I hope to play them too in due course.  It is funny that I have never tried a Moon, even though they are made in Scotland.  I guess I assume they are brighter, more Taylor sounding like than I am looking for, just because that is what Dougie MacLean sounds like, but that is pretty naive, given that the strings, technique and recording medium will influence what it sounds like.  Maybe I will check them out too.

What drew me to the Atkin was my search for a traditional OO sized guitar.  Moon don't do anything smaller than an OM.  I will have a better look at the Brooks when they arrive in the shop though.  I love the way they sound.

[Mantula]

Yeah right, shame on you Ben - for not considering Moon    
I plan on getting me one so PaulR, if you read this, I'd be very interested in reading your thoughts (you can PM me not to derail Ben's thread).
I guess they're bright, but less than the Taylors (which to me sound rather tin-canny, sorry...)

That said, I'm going to see Dougie tomorrow night  

[BenF]

Derail away. Although I started this as a reaction to Atkin, it has been good to get views on other UK luthiers. Brook really appeal to me too, and a Moon OM would be sweet, but my priority is an OO. Happy for everyone to chime in with other builders. What about Ralph Bown, Nick Benjamin or Patrick Eggle. Anyone got any thoughts?

[Parlor Picker]

Just to keep stirring things up:

My cousin (check him out at billprince.co.uk) just bought a Patrick James Eggle 000 and it's a fantastic guitar. I'd previously seen some Eggles in a shop on the south coast and not been impressed, but this one seems to indicate that standards have risen dramatically.

Nick Benjamin is in the same county as me, his guitars are stunning but very expensive. I once heard a player called Terry Lees at a local folk club playing a new Brazilian Benjamin and it rang out as well as or better than any acoustic guitar I have heard in my life.

Ralph Bown in my home county of Yorkshire makes outstanding instruments - again, he's a bit pricey and there's quite a wait. My good friends the Hokum Hotshots in Newcastle play Bowns, as do some other musicians I know.

I've tried one Brook and been very impressed. Apparently they are (like Larrivées) quite sturdily constructed and take a few years to play in.

[BenF]

Thanks PP, this is even more encouraging. None of these descriptions hold the same appeal to me. I am interested that you think the Brooks are a heavier build. The lightness of build is top of my wish list, and is what grabbed me most re. the Atkin.  I also saw Nick Benjamin as a custom builder rather than a producer of standard models. Some of his innovations are fantastic though. The industry needs someone to push the boundaries.

Ralph Bowns guitars appeal a lot, but the price and wait doesn't.  I have a friend who has had 2 Eggles, and sold them on quite quickly.

[PaulR]

Yeah right, shame on you Ben - for not considering Moon    
I plan on getting me one so PaulR, if you read this, I'd be very interested in reading your thoughts (you can PM me not to derail Ben's thread).
I guess they're bright, but less than the Taylors (which to me sound rather tin-canny, sorry...)

That said, I'm going to see Dougie tomorrow night  

To be honest it was a year ago and I can't really remember too much about the pros & cons of each and I wasn't able to compare them all side by side. I do remember I wanted a rosewood guitar though as I already had some mahogony guitars. I think the moon I tried was mahogony. I do remember thinking I'd quite happily own any of them though!
Since then I've pruned my collection and I'm  down to two - the Rosewood Brook Taw and the Mahogony Larrivee Parlour (P05). I've not looked at another guitar since.

Surprised by the comments that Brook are a heavy build. They seem (to me) quite light compared to the Larrivees I've tried and are very responsive. It's all subjective though.

[BenF]

What Traditional body shape is the Taw most like Paul?

[Parlor Picker]

>>Surprised by the comments that Brook are a heavy build. They seem (to me) quite light compared to the Larrivees I've tried and are very responsive. It's all subjective though.

To be fair, I only played one example quite briefly. That was the impression I gained and am quite open to the suggestion I might be wrong.

Everything still points to an Atkin, doesn't it Ben?

Interestingly, Alister Atkin is also good at the PR bit and if you check his website, Atkin guitars are played by a few big names in the UK.

[PaulR]

What Traditional body shape is the Taw most like Paul?

It's OM sized. The Brook Torridge would be closest to the Atkin 00 you looked at. The Brook Lyn is about the same size as the Torridge but normally made with a slot head and 12 fret join to the body.

Probably best to go and buy that Atkin since it's already in your head as your Holy Grail! - If you wait and someone else buys it you'll never find one quite the same again...

[BenF]

Ha ha, I wish. Finances don't permit I'm afraid. I didn't like the heavy bear claw on the one I played either, and would be ordering one from Alister to my own spec. No bear claw and a wider neck. I will be broke for a while yet, so will probably get to try a brook before I can take the plunge.

[stoneysteve]

Hi Ben,

Since you are not in a hurry I suggest you take a look at the Steve Agnew guitar that will be coming in to Celtic Chords in February. I have a Parlour made by the Luthier who is based in Edinburgh and took it to Pete at Celtic Chords to let him see and he was straight on the phone with an order.

I'm just up the road from you in Stonehaven and would be happy to let you try mine if you wanted. I could also let you try my Moon 0003 with 1-3/4" Nut that I am about to put up for sale  as I have tendonitis and need something smaller.

[BenF]

Hi Ben,

Since you are not in a hurry I suggest you take a look at the Steve Agnew guitar that will be coming in to Celtic Chords in February. I have a Parlour made by the Luthier who is based in Edinburgh and took it to Pete at Celtic Chords to let him see and he was straight on the phone with an order.

I'm just up the road from you in Stonehaven and would be happy to let you try mine if you wanted. I could also let you try my Moon 0003 with 1-3/4" Nut that I am about to put up for sale  as I have tendonitis and need something smaller.

Hey Stoneysteve, that is really nice of you to suggest it.  Maybe we can arrange something.  I am guitarless at present, so perhaps we should meet up when I get my forum III back so you can try it out too.  I never thought I'd come across another forum member so close to home on a primarily American/Canadian forum.

I assume that you have played the very Atkin that inspired this thread?  I am therefore very intreagued that you are recommending something different, if you know what I mean.  I'd love to try the Moon as well, although my financial limitations are not going to be resolved overnight.  I am probably 2 years off another guitar purchase, and I also need some recording gear.

Fire me an email at ben.freeman4 at btinternet.com if you want to get together for a jam sometime.  I work in Banchory, so am up your way quite a bit.

Cheers

Ben

[PCT57]

Hi Ben

If you don't know already there is an itersting article on Atkins in the latest Acoustic mag