PDA

View Full Version : Brw #96 ft-ms (2010)



mando on the side
May-25-2014, 3:25pm
Hi All,

I just picked up Ben Wilcox's BRW #96 made in 2010 from Carter's Vintage Guitars a couple weekends ago. Traded in a Collings MF5 for the BRW and haven't looked back since. I didn't believe it when I read on the Cafe how Ben's work is impeccable until I picked up #96 in person. The tone is towards the modern end of the spectrum, but still with a lot of complexity and buttery smoothness.

On a related note Carter's Vintage was quite an experience. My friend and I had visited the Carters before they opened up their retail store a couple years back. They had invited us into their home to try out the instruments they had lying around. My friend ended up purchasing a Gilchrist F5C from them (the one that Thile played in the Youtube video). He flew out from California to Indy and we drove down to Nashville for the day. The Carters treated us like part of the family and of course I couldn't help it but to do business with them. That's how I ended up with #96!

Anyway here are some pics.119645

Zissou Intern
May-25-2014, 8:55pm
Congratulations. That is a beautiful F5. I hope you two have a long, happy relationship.

George R. Lane
May-25-2014, 9:50pm
I believe Ben is one of the most underrated luthier. I don't own one so NFI, but I have heard one a couple of years ago and really liked it. His workman ship is nothing less than flawless. He is on my short list.

NoNickel
May-25-2014, 10:35pm
Hey there. Congratulations on owning a great instrument from a great (and has been said, underrated) builder. I know it is great for two reasons. First, I own its little sister, #99, which was finished 7/2011 and as they are almost identical and I know mine is awesome in fit finish and sound. Secondly, Ben let me play #96 for a couple of months while I waited for #99 to be finished. I almost kept #96, but opted for the silver hardware and the more modern, Collings like fret board end. I think I have some pictures from Ben of yours when it was new. If I can find them, I will post. Anyway, here is a recent picture of mine. The pickguard and Allen tailpiece are add ons by me.

119657

NoNickel
May-25-2014, 10:56pm
I was wrong about the number. I had #95 for a while, not #96. But I did get pictures of #96 from Ben when he was selling it, but I passed for the same reasons stated before. Here are the pix:
119659119658119660119661119662119663119664119665

mando on the side
May-26-2014, 2:52pm
No Nickel,

Thanks for digging up the pics! I saw these on the very earliest BRW Facebook page. Unfortunately Ben couldn'tfind all the info on the cconstruction so I'll have to find a small mirror to see what kinds of woods he used. I am not a big fan of the gold hardware either, so II'll probably get those changed out to nickel at some point.

Ed

NoNickel
May-26-2014, 9:29pm
I sent you a Private message.

mando on the side
May-26-2014, 10:10pm
Does anyone know from the picture of the back of the headstock if I've got Waverly's on my mando? They look identical to the ones in the pictures on Stewmac's website but really they all look similar to me.

Thanks for y'all's help!
Ed

NoNickel
May-27-2014, 8:45am
I believe they are Waverly's.