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following review of our Bourgeois Country Boy Deluxe, a
Brazilian OMC and a Koa OMC was posted on the 13th Fret, a swell
forum for acoustic guitar players. We would like to thank
Michael Wong for taking the time to submit this review and for
giving us permission to use it. |
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Subject: GGLJA: A Plethora of Pantheon (Guitars)......
Posted by Michael A. Wong on 2003-10-05
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One of the nice things about having Patrick Theimer, head honcho of Pantheon Guitars as a resident of Glades Gang territory here in in South Florida is that we have access to some of the most incredible special edition creations from Dana Bourgeois and his merry men in the Lewiston, Maine shop. We got treated to 3 really special Bourgeois models this weekend at Music & More. |
First up is a 'Country Boy Deluxe' model that Patrick graciously let me hang onto for a couple of days to check out. The 'Country Boy' was originally the mahogany/sitka dread that was one of the two Ricky Skaggs signature models. It was the most simply appointed and affordable dread from Dana's 'Professional Series' ala a D-18.
The way I understand it, Bryan Sutton was recently looking for a new mahogany guitar and discussed some upgrades to the Country Boy with Dana and they came up with the 'Deluxe' version.
Dana liked the idea so much that they built a whole series of them. (Not sure if Sutton has retired probably the most famous Bourgeois of all, the original 'Banjo Killer' mahogany slope-d)
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The upgrades are rosewood binding, (instead of tortoise), adirondack spruce top (instead of sitka), figured instead of plain mahogany and gold waverlies. I had this guitar all to myself for a couple of days before delivering it Music & More on Sat. Man, what a flatpicking MACHINE this puppy is.
The materials, fit and finish were as usual, dead-on. The rosewood bindings were dark and looked more like old growth braz than
Indian. The voice of this guitar was more like a bazooka as opposed to a cannon. Super focused punch and projection, thick, fat trebles, not a lot of mid-range complexity.
In other words, typical of the best mahogany/adirondack dreads guaranteed
to cut through in a bluegrass ensemble. And of course the trademark Bourgeois balance.
Dana likens his dreads to a big OM, and that is an apt description. This guitar is not for the faint of heart or tentative players. But for
aggressive players, the harder you hit it, the more it gives it back with a dry, woody, punchy mahogany tone with seemingly endless headroom. You can hear Bryan Sutton play an identical guitar on his new CD 'Bluegrass Guitar'. |
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1. The awesome 'puppy-clawed' figured mahogany back....the pics just don't do this set justice..it's impossible to capture the shimmering 'live-ness' on 1's and 0's. |
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2. Another primo-grade adirondack top....where do these guys FIND adirondack tops this good all the time??? |
3. The Brazilian headstock overlay..
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The next two guitars are 2 identically appointed OM Cutaway models. Both have
European spruce tops, tortoise binding, gold
Waverlies, vintage OM necks and Dana's Maccaferian cutaway. The difference is one is koa and the other is
Brazilian. I've owned 3 Bourgeois OM's over the years but these are the first I've played with European spruce tops and there is definitely something special with the way Dana treats these tops. They both have a rounder and fatter and more responsive tone than the
Adirondack topped OM's I'm used to. These are both VERY compelling and inviting fingerstyle guitars for any sub-genre of that category be it rag, blues, celtic or whatever. Yet they will hold up to a fair amount of flatpicking wand strumming. Certainly not with the headroom or cut of the Country Boy but great 'crossover' guitars that will handle a variety of chores quite well.
A beautiful chocolate brown colored set of mostly quartered Brazilian. Patrick tells me this is old growth, like most of the brazilian they are getting these days as opposed to salvaged stump.
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4. A very clean and creamy European spruce top.... |
 5. The matching
Brazilian headstock... |
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6. Ok, now is this a very cool bearclaw figured
European spruce top or WHAT???:) |
| 7. But wait......look at this SICK koa
back.....:) |
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| 8. The matching koa headstock overlay.. |
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10. Incidentally, all three guitars have gold Waverlies that are the perfect functional precision machines Waverlies are known for with mirror perfect finishes.........
Look ma! No PITS!!:) |
9. Dr.
Durso, the 'pompetus of luuuv' tickles the strings with his tarentella torrent....
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11. All 3 guitars are currently available for sale at Music & More aka Premier Guitars
(www.premierguitars.com).
Well, maybe not the Country Boy Deluxe, Patrick Theimer's making some noises about keeping it for himself:)
Give Wildey or Tom Snellgrove a call for more info.
954-791-2616
Check out the 13th Fret a great place
for talking, bantering, sharing ideas and just your basic waxing
poetic about our common obsession...
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