New Custom Nationals have landed!

[Kris]

My two custom Nationals are finally with me! Its been a long wait but well worth it. I'm extremely happy with the beautiful job National have done. 

Remember a little while back I had asked your thoughts on my Roman numeral fingerboard idea? Here are the results! (I was originally inspired by George Beauchamp's '32 in the Mark Makin book.) I've called this beautiful 12 fret NRP Dark Sister. I asked for a weathered steel which appeared dark pewter and they certainly delivered on that. I think this will age very nicely. I just love the smoke burst on the maple headstock and neck. The abalone inlay really sets it off for me. Waverly tuners of course! This is very much my guitar of a lifetime and I can't believe it is finally in my hands! 

Apologies for the Instagram links, I hope this shows up for everyone? I was struggling to upload images. 

http://instagr.am/p/B1RPDbgnd35

http://instagr.am/p/B1RPGrMn_qR

http://instagr.am/p/B5shRHnnWwr

 


I appreciate the Reso Rocket is not going to be for everyone but I wanted something rather different and am thrilled with it, this baby is very aptly named Neptune! I have been toying with the idea of having the headstock adorned with a pattern that would be typically seen on a National by a professional pin striper just to finish it off (as it was not possible to have an inlay on a painted headstock) but it is a question of finding the right person.

http://instagr.am/p/B5BEYH9n1we

http://instagr.am/p/B5BEO4SHdN1

http://instagr.am/p/B5BEWZ6HIwn

Some Calton Cases along for the ride!

http://instagr.am/p/B5IWrKjn_j1

[bonzo]

Hi Kris, two truly beautiful and unique guitars! All the fixings and more. Enjoy, and post some videos of you playing them please! Lucky you!

Best wishes to you all, John 

[Kris]

Thank you so kindly John! I’ve been struggling with video sound and quality so just purchased some new equipment to hopefully make things work a little better. Just need to set up and get going!

[leeophonic]

Lovely looking guitars, they look like some time and effort has gone in to replicating your ideas, now you have to play them in (each will/should drag you musically in different directions) , of all the guitars that have stayed with me the bespoke custom commissions are the keepers.

Lee

[Kris]

Thank you Lee. Absolutley that, I have quite different things in mind for each guitar.

There is something special about having a personalised custom, especially when you have spent a lot of time carefully planning what you want, and of course the waiting! I will treasure these two, they were set up as per my spec and were lovely to play straight out the box.

[leeophonic]

The Calton cases deserve a mention also, Keith Calton who started it all lives 10 minutes from me, unfortunately he hung up his tools and now they are made over the pond. Michael and me know a chap who placed an order for 20 or so Caltons, and he had the guitars to fill em.

Lee

[Michael Messer]

Kris, your new guitars and their cases are beautiful and will get sweeter and warmer as the years and decades roll by.

ENJOY!

Shine On
Michael

[Kris]

Thank you so kindly Michael, I feel very fortune to have them!

[Michael Messer]

Dec 11, 2019 15:23:12 GMT leeophonic said:

The Calton cases deserve a mention also, Keith Calton who started it all lives 10 minutes from me, unfortunately he hung up his tools and now they are made over the pond. Michael and me know a chap who placed an order for 20 or so Caltons, and he had the guitars to fill em.

Lee

Lee, I am in touch with Keith and he still does repairs. A few months ago Keith did some work on my four Calton cases, which were all made by him. Just a couple of new hinges, locks, handles and buffers. Nothing serious. The oldest is around 30 years old and the newest around 20. They are all in regular use and between them have done hundreds of flights and tours. At airports I have sat on them, slept on them, fallen over them and many times have watched them being loaded on and off airplanes on runways. They are still as good as they were the day I got them.

I don't know if people realise how important Keith Calton is in the history of all this. Basically, back in the late 1970s Keith invented the idea of a high quality case that would withstand the abuse of modern touring. The first one was made for folk musician and editor of fRoots magazine, Ian Anderson.

Regarding your comment about our mutual friend's bulk order; it wasn't twenty cases, it was around a hundred, which included guitar, mandolin and ukulele cases.

Oops we are drifting from Kris's thread about her beautiful new guitars!

Shine On
Michael

[Kris]

Not a worry Michael! I don’t mind at all. It’s fascinating knowing more about Calton cases. I was also thrilled to get those as well, they are works of art, and it’s fantastic knowing their history.

[Deleted]

Merry Krismas!

[Kris]

Dec 11, 2019 16:52:09 GMT @graeme said:

Merry Krismas!

Woohoo! Thank you Graeme!

[kristo]

They look awesome, congratulations! Have started following on Instagram to see them more.

[leeophonic]

Regarding your comment about our mutual friend's bulk order; it wasn't twenty cases, it was around a hundred, which included guitar, mandolin and ukulele cases.

Michael I thought I was pushing it with 20 cases but what do I know, I wonder how many still reside at Notecannons HQ, this time of year I always think of the Christmas 1930 Tricone…

Lee

[Kris]

Dec 11, 2019 18:34:02 GMT kristo said:

They look awesome, congratulations! Have started following on Instagram to see them more.

Thank you Kristo!