new Fylde - my impressions for anyone that's interested
David Mason
Indian rosewood back and sides, Western red cedar top, Honduras Mahogany
neck and ebony fingerboard. It's the Ken Nicol signature model with the
addition of a Headway FEQ pickup and some custom inlay work on the
fingerboard.
Unfortunately, it arrived right in the middle of the worst flu I've had in
ten years, so it was a few days before I had enough energy to even get it
out the case.
It's a beautiful looking guitar - the multicoloured marquetry purfling and
rosette work is both simple and gorgeous. The fingerboard is blank apart
from a small Celtic knot inlay at the 12th fret, and again it looks
fantastic, I'm really pleased with the way it turned out.
On first play, I was totally smitten with the sound. It's loud and very lush
sounding, both warm and full of harmonic richness. It's my first 'decent'
guitar so I can't compare it to anything else, but it blew my socks off
right from the word go. The guitar is very responsive to right hand touch -
it really shows up the deficiencies in my playing! I love the way it sounds
mellow and chorusy when played gently but really opens up when you hit it
hard. My worries of the mellow cedar sound not being ballsy enough don't
appear to be valid at any rate.
The only thing that I can't get used to yet is the way bass notes sound -
very full and loud - not boomy but definitely not quiet, whereas I'm used to
a tighter bottom end on my other guitars. I don't think this is a fault,
more a characteristic of the Fylde but it's required a change in my playing
style to accommodate. Other than that, I can't fault the sound in any way.
I've been playing it in CGCGCD tuning the last couple of nights and it
really fills the room with a big sound, which surprised me given the modest
size of the guitar.
I'm not sure what gauge of strings the guitar came with - they seemed
heavier than the D'addario 12 sets I normally buy, but lighter than the 13s.
I had put a set of D'addario custom lights on because I had a couple of sets
floating around the house, and they're coming straight back off again - the
drop in volume and tone was dramatic to say the least. I normally play 12s
due to long term issues with my hand strength but now I think I need to move
up to 13s just to get my tone fix....
Overall, very pleased with the guitar and I look forward to learning how to
get the most out of it over the coming months.
Cheers,
Dave
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David Kilpatrick
like this can require more wrist damping for rythmic playing - I have
the same problem with Lowden (all of those I've owned have had bass
which ring out, and don't chunk-chunk very easily).
Your first string set may have been 80-20 bronze not PBs. It always
feels heavier because more tension is needed to bring 80-20s up to
pitch. D'Addario EXPs and the original Nano and Polweb Elixirs were done
using 80-20 bronze to make them brighter under the coating (compensating
for its dulling effect on the sound). EXPs can feel very tight.
David
David Mason
it. I'm going to put a set of 13-56s on tonight and see how it feels. I'm
sure the bass will be pretty loud!
Cheers,
Dave
"David Kilpatrick" <icon...@btconnect.com> wrote in message
news:g7-dnU3uFtk_iaPZ...@bt.com...
rock...@chariot.com.au
> with Indian rosewood back and sides, Western red cedar top,
> Honduras Mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard.
What size is the Falstaff David ? The Cedar/Rosewood combination
interests me, as I'm intending to order another parlour in the next
year or so.
MJRB
David Mason
news:1144923095.4...@z34g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>
> What size is the Falstaff David ? The Cedar/Rosewood combination
> interests me, as I'm intending to order another parlour in the next
> year or so.
>
> MJRB
>
I'm not really clued up on how a guitar's size is classified, but it's a
fair bit bigger than a parlour. My idea of a normal sized guitar is towards
the big end of the spectrum. It's not a huge guitar but please forgive my
ignorance of the correct terminology. The full specs can be found at
http://www.fyldeguitars.com/specs/falspec.html - here they are in text
format if that's any help. Harmony central has some Fylde reviews including
one on the Falstaff.
Note that the Falstaff is a spruce top, the cedar top is on the Ken Nicol
model only which is not really shown anywhere on their site but is basically
a Falstaff with a different top.
Cheers,
Dave
Fingerboard width at nut
45mm 1 3/4 inches
Scale length
648mm 25 1/2 inches
Frets to body
14
String spacing at bridge
57mm 2 1/4 inches
Overall length excluding strap pin
1035mm 40 3/4 inches
Body length
507mm 20 inches
Body width at upper bouts
297mm 11 11/16 inches
Body width at lower bouts
399mm 15 11/16 inches
Depth of sides at tailpin
121mm 4 3/4 inches
Body timber
Indian Rosewood sides and three piece back
Top timber
Master Grade Englemann Spruce (Western red cedar on the Ken Nicol)
Neck construction
One piece Honduras Mahogany
Fingerboard and bridge
Ebony, pearl position markers
Tuners
Gold plated Gotoh
Bindings
Rosewood bindings with marquetry borders. Marquetry purfling on front.
Case
Hiscox Liteflite
rock...@chariot.com.au
Concert, and, of course much bigger than the Parlour.
Sounds like a great guitar.
MJRB
Wayne Harrison
"David Mason" <dave_mas...@totalREMOVEise.co.uk> wrote
> My new Fylde arrived in the middle of last week,
can you help with pronounciation--"filled", or "filed"?
thanks
wayne harrison
David Kilpatrick
> "David Mason" <dave_mas...@totalREMOVEise.co.uk> wrote
>
>
>>My new Fylde arrived in the middle of last week,
>
>
> can you help with pronounciation--"filled", or "filed"?
>
Foiled! If you are from Zummerzet. It's 'filed'
David
Misifus
It's pretty close to the measurements of my Kinscherff High Noon, which
is considered a small jumbo.
-Raf
--
Misifus-
Rafael Seibert
mailto:raf_s...@cox.net
http://www.rafandsioux.com
Chris Rockcliffe
> Note that the Falstaff is a spruce top, the cedar top is on the Ken Nicol
> model only which is not really shown anywhere on their site but is basically
> a Falstaff with a different top.
If your guitar is anything like Ken Nicol's own, I'm sure it'll sound
wonderful and probably hasn't even opened up to its full potential yet. Ken
did a concert for us in November last and it was a stunner. I've heard Ken
play a few times now and he always amazes me with yet another playing style
or great tune. Last time, it was several tunes and songs... that I hadn't
heard before - absolutely great.
Ken also did a concert last Friday (7th) at Alan Marshall's local venue
(support from Tom Doughty). I missed that one because of another
commitment. A lot of people over here gig professionally with Fylde
instruments and they seem to be robust enough and have a reputation to
withstand that busy lifestyle.
Enjoy your guitar.
CR
David Mason
Dave
"David Kilpatrick" <icon...@btconnect.com> wrote in message
news:DbmdnSlcbKN...@bt.com...
David Mason
"Chris Rockcliffe" <chrisro...@scripto99.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:C064CF0C.81392%chrisro...@scripto99.demon.co.uk...
> David Mason13/4/06 11:30 am
> wonderful and probably hasn't even opened up to its full potential yet.
Yes, it's the exact same guitar Ken plays, give or take a bit of inlay
customisation. I moved up to a set of 13s last night and it really sings.
Sore fingers though! I play predominantly in DADGAD so I think the move to
13s is a good one once my poor fingers get used to the extra abuse. Funnily
enough, my comments previously about the bass being LOUD seem less relevant
on the 13s - it sounds much more balanced than the 12s.
> Ken also did a concert last Friday (7th) at Alan Marshall's local venue
> (support from Tom Doughty). I missed that one because of another
> commitment. A lot of people over here gig professionally with Fylde
> instruments and they seem to be robust enough and have a reputation to
> withstand that busy lifestyle.
They seem to get good reviews for reliability etc - all I can say is that
the guitar is built like a tank. I'm pretty sure you could beat your
neighbour to a pulp with it and it would still be in tune for a quick play
afterwards...
> Enjoy your guitar.
I am, and will!
Cheers,
Dave