Official Luthiers Forum!

Has anyone dealt with this supplier of "Carpathian" spruce? If so, were you happy with the quality of his product?

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michael propsom
www.propsomguitars.com

My experience:

Nice wood.
Poor customer service.
Poor grading - expect an off-quarter top if you buy anything less than master grade.

By the way, Carpathian Spruce, like Alpine Spruce, German spruce, Italian spruce, are all the same species, "european spruce''. Carpathian Spruce is simple euro spruce that grown in the Carpathians (like Drakula! )

Francis

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

Yeah, that's why I put Carpathian in quotes. I just wanted to know about the company's reputation and quality of their product rather than initiate yet another agonizingly preponderous string on whether a purported tonewood is German, Carpathian, European, Italian, Transylvanian, or Lower Sobovian. Just looking for the rep of the supplier & quality of the wood.

Speaking of which. Charlie T, when you cite poor customer service, are you mainly referring to slow delivery?

Thanks

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michael propsom
www.propsomguitars.com

No, I have never had a problem with slow shipping with Art. The problem I refer to is an unwillingness to address problems with the product itself. For example, I placed a special order for two mandolin tops with very specific minimum dimensions. The tops I received were significantly smaller than the minimum dimensions I requested. His response was "the tops are large enough for a mandolin" and he was unwilling to replace them or offer a refund. The tops in question are indeed large enough for a "standard" mandolin if joined 'very carefully', but not large enough for the ones I intended to build with them, which is why I specified the dimensions I did.

The other problem I have encountered is tops that are significantly off-quarter inside the pattern for which they were represented. Again, Art was unwilling to make it right. My experience has been that you can expect off-quarter wood from Art on anything less than master grade, which is unacceptable to me.

Having said all that, the wood is very nice and stiff, although the grain count he often quotes is typically only valid for the 2" - 3" closest to the jointing edge, beyond which it can vary quite a bit (not that grain count has any influence whatsoever on stiffness).

In my experience this spruce is indeed different in some ways from the other European spruce, despite the fact that it is all classified as Picea abies.

Just my $0.02.

If you want "Carpathian" I recommend John Preston.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

I second John Preston At Old World Tonewood. Good product and nice fellow to deal with.Thanks for the heads up on Wood Direct. I just scratched them off my list.
Tom

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

Just checked out Old World. He's out of his best guitar tonewood right now, but I'll definitely be checking him out in the future. Thanks for the tip. Plus I'll be scratching WoodDirect, also. I'd prefer a little slow shipping over having to convince a supplier that I want what I want not what he wants to give me.

That's the nice thing about dealing with folks like Steve of Colonial and Bob C & family.

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michael propsom
www.propsomguitars.com

I like John to and use his product. He is expecting delivery in Feb .

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I have bought spruce from Art for the last five years and have been extremely happy with the quality and price. The key is that I am able visit him in the Philadelphia area, and personally select the sets from among some 400 sets, perhaps returning with 10-20 of the very best each time. The sets I get are nothing short of amazing acoustically (and cosmetically). I also think the brace wood is fantastic if you can select your own.