Members dimibetan Posted July 5, 2018 Author Members Share Posted July 5, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dimibetan Posted July 5, 2018 Author Members Share Posted July 5, 2018 Thanks for the comments.Will be doing a sound test as soon as I recieve it. These photos were taken by the luthier by the way.He installed a real tortoise shell pickguard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members katopp Posted July 5, 2018 Members Share Posted July 5, 2018 I own 7 of Binh's and one has had slight issues with fret ends sticking out and the 13th fret slightly starting to grow out of it's seating. Nothing that a careful reseat and an hour of work with a needle file could not deal with.But then again, Ireland is not on the dry, it is humid.I do have friends with Binh Guitars in central Europe and they have to perform minimal maintenance during the heating period - taking care of relative humidity.There is a noticeable difference between the stuff that Binh makes for the VN market and the stuff he makes for export. VN stuff has different wood. That's why the VN stuff is half price of the export stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted July 5, 2018 Members Share Posted July 5, 2018 Thanks for the comments. Will be doing a sound test as soon as I recieve it. These photos were taken by the luthier by the way. He installed a real tortoise shell pickguard. If he actually did that you cannot take the guitar across any border of any country that has signed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Every time you look at that guitar I want you to think that someone killed an endangered hawksbill tortise so you could have that fancy but totally unnecessary pickguard. There are very acceptable substitutes that are not only legal but will mean that you can travel with your guitar and potentially sell it. Your builder does a disservice to the rest of the lutherie community who cares about the materials we use, and in fact, is a criminal for putting that piece of shell on your guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dimibetan Posted July 6, 2018 Author Members Share Posted July 6, 2018 My thoughts exactly. That's why I will be picking up the guitar myself so I can check out his shop as well... with a little R&R while I'm there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dimibetan Posted July 6, 2018 Author Members Share Posted July 6, 2018 Thanks for the advice. I will also talk to the luthier personally about the material. I hope its not from an endangered species. This is also my original purpose of posting since I'm know little on materials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted July 6, 2018 Members Share Posted July 6, 2018 Actually I was just going to edit my post a bit. I don't think its real hawksbill tortise shell. First, you couldn't afford it. I know you're in the Philippines but any tortise available today is black market and a piece that big would be thousands of dollars. Second, it doesn't look like true tortise, but there are many colors and I'm not all that experienced. Third, owning that makes you a criminal - period - and him too. In the US his shop would be raided and he would be jailed. If you tried to cross a border with that it would be confiscated and destroyed and you would be jailed or fined. I'd be in the front row cheering. Forth, and most importantly, there is no need. There are lots of wonderful pickguard materials that look good, out last anything that come from shell, is inexpensive and completely legal. You should hope that is what he used. If not, you might want to ask him to remove it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dimibetan Posted July 6, 2018 Author Members Share Posted July 6, 2018 I think its a fake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dimibetan Posted July 6, 2018 Author Members Share Posted July 6, 2018 Update: I got a chance to chat with the luthier. He said its "real" tortoise celluloid shell not a photo realistic one. So its safe to say that its not from an endangered species. Please dont burn me at the stake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members puzzle guy Posted July 7, 2018 Members Share Posted July 7, 2018 absolutely stunning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.