Way cool. Wish I had been there.

Almost worth the 16 hr drive (both ways).

best,

Stuart

...was at a gathering a couple of months ago...one of the guys who showed up (Steve) brought his Sobell Style 1 Braz/European...I can tell you it was a sweet, sweet guitar...wonderful sound...easy to play...a flat fingerboard...was very impressed...given that I'm waiting on my Ryan Nightingale, can't afford a Sobell right now...but it is sure on my "dream" list...

Billy boy, you're making me consider a trip down towards Boston to try out that Sobell before I order my Ryan. It seems we have similar tastes. What to do. I had this notion that Sobells were tight stringed guitars (tight like Collings - slightly harder to do bends than say a Martin). Wanted something more playable. I could drive down on the next long weekend.

Don't suppose your friend lives near buffalo.

Stuart

here's one

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sobell-Model-0-Cutaway-Built-in-198...QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

i know this seller, but have no dog in this fight. i think that if you wanted to try a sobell for a while the price point on this is a steal.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: marymary,

For what it's worth, when I was playing Highlander pickups in my gig guitars, I spoke to the techs at the company and they said they thought only two brands were worthy of testing their products: Collings and Sobell. I"ve never played a Sobell, but there it is for your consideration.

Stefan is a wonderful guitar builder and makes guitars that really are something else. I've played both of Martin Simpson's own Sobells (The Martin Simpson Signature model) and they are simply fantastic.

I was so taken that I've ordered one. The MS Signature model is made with best European spruce top,genuine old growth Brazilian rosewood sides and back and the neck is fashioned out of 100 year old Cuban mahagony. Finger board and bridge are of best ebony.

Interestingly, Stefan won't do custom options. (Although he is building me one with a slightly wider nut width). His philosophy is that he knows how to build guitars, players know how to play them - each to his own.

I ordered mine last December. There is a two year waiting list so there is a way to go yet.

I'll post some comments and appraisals when I do eventually get it...

I'm surprised the waiting list on Stefan's guitars is only 2 years. I read the article on him in The Fretboard Journal, and would love the chance to play one of his guitars. Listening to Martin Simpson's "Cool & Unusual" CD, the tone of that Sobell is just beautiful.

From the article it seems like Stefan and Bill have something in common: An absolute, no compromise approach to building great guitars.

The challenge is reselling them this side of the pond. We do after all only rent guitars. Nice sound though. I was in love with the one that sold at Dream Guitar last winter.

Stuart

I played the two Sobell's at acoustic music.org recently. First time I've played one of his guitars. I thought they were really nice but not for me though. The B strings were flabby as can be with really bad tone. I think the saddles were not quite right. The guitars were used and may have just needed a little work.

I also played the first Collings in my life that I thought was really poor. An OM-1A (short scale) that was so tight and overbuilt that I couldn't believe it. The two Merrill Adirondack Mahogany OM's I played next to it simply smoked the Collings. There just was no comparison.

I wish Bill would offer a true light build with more substantially scalloped braces unlike the tapered style that he uses. Don't get me wrong I have two Collings that I love but I wish he would offer as an option lighter guitars with more base response. JMO.

stefan's guitars are not for everyone. i've owned several of his instruments and never kept them for long. that doesn't mean they're not great for someone else. as i remember one of those Sobell's is an '89. it actually spent a large part of its life as a touring instrument for a fairly well known guitarist.

never compare any OM to a Merrill. his OM-18 smokes every other OM out there.

his j-45 is as close to a prewar that i have played. unfortunately UPS nuked the last one acousticmusic.org got.

juhy789,

i played that colling om1a. i'm not sure what you are used to playing, but it is a very nice guitar. the adi top is especially stiff though. as it is "just out of the box" as they say, it should open up quite nicely. i did notice that the neck was a bit chunky too.

but against the merrills, well it's just not the same. jim merrill gets that "old wood" feel and tone. although with his recent 15% price increase it's gonna cost a lot more than a collings.

but as a contemporary sounding guitar the OM1A is the deal- at least for my money.

I've played great om-1A's but that's definitely not one of them. Good luck waiting for that guitar to open up. If you have young kids maybe by the time they are grandparents that guitar will open up.

Truthfully though, that one will never be close to being a great guitar. It's mediocre at best. Great guitars are incredible from day one and only get better. I would have sent that guitar right back to the factory.