View Full Version : new OM by Mark Swanson
NOW I'M EXCITED! Mark Swanson is making a new OM for me. 20.5 inch scale. Back, sides, and neck of Michigan Black Cherry, soundboard of Port Orford Cedar, fingerboard, bindings, rosette, bridge, and possibly headstock veneer of zircote. These are the first pictures he sent to me. More to come. Might I add, YEEHAH!
JEStanek
Nov-13-2009, 8:04pm
Sweet. I'll enjoy watching this one grow up!
Jamie
Steve-o
Nov-13-2009, 8:24pm
Nice, jc2! I really like Mark's work and wanted to commission him to build me an OM too. Then I purchased a used Petersen, but I'd still like to play the shorter scale Swanson and think about a custom build. Perhaps some day we could meet up and compare OMs. Enjoy the build process and keep the pics coming.
allenhopkins
Nov-14-2009, 2:50pm
In case anyone else got confused:
Ziricote is the most dramatic member of the Cordia genus, which grows throughout Central and tropical South America. The heartwood is dull brown with irregular dark brown and black streaking, and the sapwood is creamy white to light golden tan. A pleasing ray or fleck figure is visible in quartersawn stock. Ziricote's grain is generally straight, and its texture is medium to coarse. Good for steam bending and easily worked with machine and hand tools, ziricote has only a slight blunting effect on cutting edges. It takes a smooth finish, polishes well, and holds screws and nails well. Long used by natives for decorative craft objects, ziricote is also used for boat decking, turnings, interior joinery, furniture, cabinets and other light construction.
steve V. johnson
Nov-14-2009, 9:12pm
So you're in Lawton and you have an instrument of Michi' Black Cherry, excellent!
I like the Port Orford cedar top, too.
Keep the progress reports coming, please?
And late but not forgotten, congrats on a great commission! I'm sure it will be wonderful, thanks!
stv
Dave Cohen
Nov-14-2009, 9:46pm
What Allen neglected to mention about zirocote is that in off-quarter or slabsawn sections, it often displays what Hoadley refers to as "excess pigment figure", or what the lutherie and instrument community refers to as "spider webbing". Might otherwise be explained as randomly overlapping dark pigment latewood lines. Absolutelly stunning. I'll see if I have a .jpg image of some of the ziricote I have used.
http://www.Cohenmando.com
Dave Cohen
Nov-14-2009, 10:08pm
Here are a couple of examples from some that I have cut. A warning for luthiers: this stuff is as oily as the oiliest rosewoods. In thickness sanding after resawing, I have ruined some sanding belts in just a few passes with this stuff. Now I go really slowly with it, taking only a few thousandths off in a single pass. Any more, and you generate enough heat to load up a sanding belt with burnt oils that just do not come loose.
http://www.Cohenmando.com
Markkunkel
Nov-16-2009, 6:27am
Congratulations, JC! Mark S. does wonderful and creative work, and I hope that this one brings many many years of pleasure.
MK
Yes, that's the wood. I spelled it as it was spelled where I bought it, but it's the same stuff. It's quite dense and hard. I've used it for bridges with success and the colors are stunning. The piece I gave him to use is very dark with distinct lines. These pictures show it well. For his necks, Mark bookmatches slab sawn pieces and glues them up with or without a contrasting center piece. It's coming along well. When we set this up he said probably not by Christmas but maybe by or shortly after New Year's Day.:grin::grin:
Steve-o
Nov-22-2009, 1:20pm
I hadn't heard of ziricote before, not even in my wood technology class. It's very beautiful wood. Can't wait to see the finished product. It won't be long now. Keep the pics coming jc2.
OH MAN! This is getting good. How could I have known the wait would be so painful?:grin::grin::grin:
I am trying to keep the grins down, but I can't.
Fliss
Nov-29-2009, 11:33am
That's looking great, no wonder you're busy grinning :)
Fliss
ColdBeerGoCubs
Dec-24-2009, 12:32pm
So...... Is it done yet?
No recent news, but wasn't expecting more til after Neujahr. Keeping up my chops on my TC OMrod so I'm ready to burn it up when it comes. Hitting the gym so I'm in shape for it. Stocking up on caffeine so I won't miss a minute. I have been feeling like maybe I won't let anyone else even touch it for the first year or so. Do you think that's unreasonable?
Delivery in two weeks:grin::grin::grin:Pictures and sounds at then.
OBOY OBOY OBOY Here are the "done" pictures Mark sent to me. I'll be picking it up next weekend and if it sounds as good as it looks, I AM READY.:grin::grin:
Steve-o
Jan-15-2010, 6:51pm
Who-wee, that Swanson looks nice, jc2. I like that cherry wood. I'm sure you give us a report after you've bonded. Enjoy!
Kyle Baker
Jan-18-2010, 6:43am
that's hot!
Just picked it up and OMFA is it nice! The pictures don't do it justice, as the finish is so glossy that photos pick up reflection artifact. It's just enough bigger that it's going to take a little getting used to: scale is 20 7/8" compared to the TC 20 1/4" and the string width at nut is 1 3/16" compared to the TC 31/32". It's strung 12,22,32,44 versus the TC at 15,24,34,47. It's noticeably lighter to hold, but even with the lighter strings, has more loudness and sustain, and a really nice woody tone. When I get tired of playing it, I'll set up the mikes and record a sound check. That might be a little while.
I do want to say that it's been a great pleasure dealing with Mark, too. He's completely up front; did what he said he would, when he said he would, and was pleasant about it, reasonable, and accommodating, not to mention producing an extremely high quality mandolin.
Here's an attempt to show the sound of it. My apologies for my playing and recording both. The size difference takes it's toll, but I'll get it someday soon. I'm playing it so much I'm chewing up my callouses;)
Steve-o
Jan-24-2010, 5:33pm
Here's an attempt to show the sound of it. My apologies for my playing and recording both. The size difference takes it's toll, but I'll get it someday soon. I'm playing it so much I'm chewing up my callouses;)
jc2,
Glad to hear you've taken possession of your Swanson. It sounds nice. Thanks for posting the sound clips. If you ever get up north with it, PM me and I'll try to bring my Petersen. Or maybe we should have a Michigan CBOM-o-rama...
Do you plan to stick with the lighter string gauges?