New SD-60BZ

Started by prof_stack, July 09, 2011, 07:42:23 PM

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Jason @ Notable Guitars was nice enough to send me a new guitar.  It arrived today and I'm pretty pumped about it.

Backstory:  Last month I turned 60 years young.  My wife encouraged me to get a really nice guitar.  On Monday we wil celebrate 30 years of marriage.

I played my birthyear Martin guitar (a 1951 000-18) in Eugene last month and was not impressed with the thin sound, $4.8k price, and condition.  Two Brazilian Martins from the 60's were really good, at about the same price, but didn't grab me.  I already have an '08 Martin D-18GE so the vintage sound is already in the house.  Decent 1951 D-28 guitars are somewhere north of $10k, which is too rich for my teacher blood.

While perusing several guitar sites, I saw that Jason was getting in this guitar, and in a few weeks the deal was made.  Is it worth about 4 forum guitars?  Hey, for my 60th birthday it sure is!   :wink:

Here are some pictures.  The rosewood is pretty dark and glossy dark guitars are hard to photograph.

I will post my thoughts about the guitar after I play it a lot more.  But I will say that it sure is a cannon.





Jason was nice enough to put a bone saddle in place of the Tusq original.  The strings are EJ17's.













I love the little knot in the back.  It gives a great stamp of uniqueness to this guitar.


Here is Orion giving it a cat scan.   :laughin:
Play it daily for best results.

How totally awesome for you!!

Congrats, and just for the special occasion I will avoid being jealous.  :humour:

Norman
Larrivee LSV-11E, LV-10E, Limited Edition D-03 IS/MH
Schecter Stiletto Studio 5 bass, Ovation 12-string
{GASSING for RS-4}

Wowsers!!

Beautiful! And Happy birthday :nana_guitar

Geez I am only a year behind you but doubtful such a gift is in MY future  :roll :thumbsup
Chris
Larrivee's '07  L-09 (40th Commemorative); '09 00-03 S.E; '08 P-09
Eastman '07 AC 650-12 Jumbo (NAMM)
Martin   '11 D Mahogany (FSC Golden Era type)
Voyage-Air '10 VAOM-06
-the nylon string-
Goya (Levin) '58 G-30
-dulcimer-
'11 McSpadden

OH MY!  :drool: How sweet is that!

Congrats on your 60th and the new heirloom.  :cheers   And,,,,30 yrs. of marital bliss.
A Hebrew, under the Spell
Pain is a good thing

I know its a great guitar. congratulations on 60yrs and 30 of marriage.

beautiful wood. I know the tone will be outstanding.
Randy R., Georgia, USA
Opinions available. Inquire about qty discount.
Forum Guitar III LS03 #15 ser no 108519

Looking back at those pictures, the closeup of the top looks like the spruce on my oo-03. The tone coming from it tonight is intoxicating.
A Hebrew, under the Spell
Pain is a good thing

Happy birthday and wedding anniversary Prof  :donut :donut2 :coffee
And a mighty congrats on that guitar. It looks stunning - I love the look of those ivoroid bridge pins, and the Brazz looks fabulous.
:smile:
"To me...music exists to elevate us as far as possible above everyday life." ~ Gabriel Faure

Good for you  :thumbsup

If Larrivees were pianos, then the SD model would be a Steinway Concert Grand  :smile:

Happy Birthday and Anniversary Professor.

Wow!  I was lucky enough to play a braz SD-60 once before and it was special. Congrats!
Love the close up of the bridge pins...

nice lookin guitar.  i just got an sd-50 hog myself and it too is a fine guitar. I want to put a bone saddle in as well and was wondering where you got the fossil bridge pins ?

Thanks guys!  The honeymoon phase is now, so I will attempt to be objective.   :tongue:


  • I once had a SD-50 and loved it until the D-18GE blew it out of the house.  The 1934-inspired Martin is a true cannon, louder than this new SD.
  • The top is Sitka spruce, which is a little warmer sounding than Adi or Italian spruce.  I'm glad for that.
  • Although it doesn't affect sound, runout on the top really bugs me.  There is none of that here.
  • The notes are heard clearly at each string and fret.  Fingerpicking is my usual style and the SD-60 is exceptional for that.
  • Related, the notes leap off the guitar, moreso than the lovely Forum IV.
  • There have been no problems in shifting from this wide neck (iirc, 1 7/8") to the 1 3/4" guitars.

Here's a photo Jason took when he received the SD:
Play it daily for best results.

That cat has good taste.  Congratson multiple milestones. :cheers  I'm itching for an SD lately, and no one here seems to be helping...Or maybe everyone is just helping.
This ain't quite heaven and it ain't quite hell
ain't no angels playin harps
ain't no devils with tails

Larrivee OO-03R
Martin D-18

Well, the 72 hour return window to Notable Guitars has come and gone.  But the SD-50BZ is staying!

- This morning my bro cut me a check for the Forum III LS-03R.  I showed him how to change strings.
- Jason is sending the OEM Tusq saddle and a taller bone saddle.  I'll try them out later.
- Yesterday I played a $7k used Tony Rice Santa Cruz BZ dread (#3 of 10).  At any cost, the SD is better.
- This guitar has a really nice vibe to it.  The lows are powerful and the highs are sweet.  The midrange is smooth.
- The nut is 1 13/16".  That's a really good fingerstyle width.  My SD-50 was 1 7/8 and it felt wide.
- GAS is gone. 


Play it daily for best results.

Well done, professor. :beer  That's a great looking instrument to say the least.

I concur that the 1 7/8 is rather wide.  I love my FIII LSV-03R, but find a little more nut width and string spacing to be more comfy.
OM-03R 2008 Twelfth Fret SE 5/12
LSV-03R 2009 Forum III 55/78

She is lovely! I agree that the knot in the back gives it a stamp of individuality. Do you know if Larrivee has switched to 1 13/16 at the nut for all SD guitars now?

Quote from: GA-ME on July 15, 2011, 07:22:51 AM
She is lovely! I agree that the knot in the back gives it a stamp of individuality. Do you know if Larrivee has switched to 1 13/16 at the nut for all SD guitars now?

The website says 1 7/8 for the SD models, but this one is a one-off "custom".  I think the 1 7/8 is a turn off for many guitar players. 
Play it daily for best results.

Congratulations on the milestones and the beautiful instrument, thats some of the nicest looking BZ I've ever seen.



Quote from: prof_stack on July 13, 2011, 06:05:23 PM
- GAS is gone. 

Okay, I've heard that before and didn't believe it then either.   :laughin:
Roger


"Live simply so that others may simply live"

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