Anyone know this maker?

**billhay4** · Jul-15-2010, 10:31am

Saw this instrument for sale in the Seattle Craigslist this morning. Interesting instrument. Has anyone ever heard of Lawrence Pimentel? Is so, what are your impressions of his work?
Thanks,
Bill Hay

**JEStanek** · Jul-15-2010, 10:34am

Looks like it might be a flat top/back instrument. It looks very nice. I'm unfamiliar with the builder.

Jamie

**billhay4** · Jul-15-2010, 11:28am

I agree; it does look like a flattop. It looks pretty nice to me, too. Lovely back wood. Nice inlay, not overdone. Nice headstock design. Orrico tailpiece. The photo in the ad links to a photoalbum that is quite confusing to me.
I've e-mailed and hope to have more information on this soon.
Bill

**billhay4** · Jul-15-2010, 11:59am

The maker is the son of Lorenzo Pimentel, a guitar maker of some note (I think) in New Mexico. He's been in the business for a while.
This is a flat top instrument according to Lawrence and I have asked for more detail on the woods, etc. Will keep you posted.
Bill

**Ray(T)** · Jul-15-2010, 12:20pm

Looks nice but how does it sound?

**JEStanek** · Jul-15-2010, 12:42pm

Is this new or used (I guess it is new and that Lawrence is the one who placed the ad???)? Unless it really had a sound I wanted, there are many other more affordable (great looking too) flat tops out there. I kinda like what's going on at the bottom on the back.

This must be his father's website out of ABQ, NM. That's a fair bit of change for a flat top, even for such a pretty one. I would really need to play and hold it first.

Jamie

**gypsy1** · Jul-15-2010, 2:47pm

Here is a link to his background and family business in New Mexico, if he is truly one of them I don't think anyone could go wrong with the instrument.

http://www.pimentelguitars.com/index.html

**gypsy1** · Jul-15-2010, 2:49pm

They have a great reputation and a very long wait/backorder so I hear.

**mando.player** · Jul-15-2010, 3:09pm

Hope it doesn't sound like a Tacoma, because it sure looks like one.

**EdHanrahan** · Jul-15-2010, 4:00pm

FWIW, they've been advertising in Acoustic Guitar mag since I started subscribing around '92 or so. And have been mentioned in articles on several occasions, always highly regarded.

I like the tastefully-small headstock inlay: what some might call a chili pepper but is, in Spanish, a "pimento"!

**billhay4** · Jul-15-2010, 4:18pm

I'll try to play this instrument in the near future and give you my read on it. It's here locally.
The Tacoma comment was a bit much, I think. There is a resemblance, but this instrument looks much nicer than any Tacoma ever did. IMHO.
Bill

**Jim Garber** · Jul-15-2010, 4:22pm

Some discussion on this forum.

**mando.player** · Jul-15-2010, 6:26pm

The body shapes are nearly identical. The 12th fret even meets right at the hump scroll, strap pin same place, . I'm not saying it quacks like a duck, just that it looks like a duck. Curious how he attached the neck. The Tacoma is obviously a bolt on.

**billhay4** · Jul-16-2010, 8:55am

This from an e-mail I received from him:
"This mandolin has an A brace bracing,scale lenth is 14 1/4" nut width is 1 1/4" 22 frets the neck set is tongue and groove, the top is bear claw sitka, the back and side are burl combo birds eye maple, the neck is flamed maple the finger board is ebony, copper with ebony side dots, MOP with abalone fret markers, rosette is white MOP with black MOP and abalone.
you can take a look at it at JP guitars in Puyallup i work out of his shop, the address is 11917 150th ST. ct. E Puyallup WA."
Not sure what he means by "tongue and groove" neck set, but I see no evidence of bolts.
Bil

**mando.player** · Jul-16-2010, 1:24pm

My guess is that the neck is set into a sideways dove tail joint (can't think of a better way to phrase it). Instead of the neck fitting down (perpendicular to the top) into the neck block it slides sideways (parallel to the top). Assuming the fit is tight, it should hold pretty good. Changing the neck angle is probably a different story.