DS2 Taran No:-99

april 2018

 

The DS2 was Rory’s 99th guitar. This rippled Maple and Swiss Spruce Taran was an exploration into a new area of asymmetrical detailing,  however, it also had another development at its core.

We build with a cylindrical back, not a domed or flat back as is the norm. This cylindrical form helps a number of areas of the guitar. Firstly, it makes it more comfortable to play as the narrowest depth of the body is at the edge of the lower bout which is also where your playing arm sits. Secondly, it makes the back stronger while still able to vibrate. On this Taran, we wanted to work on this second aspect: vibration.

The Back's fundamental influence on a guitar...

  • Stiff = Volume

  • Resonant = Richer sounding

With this in mind, we increased the radius of the back, making it naturally stiffer because we wanted this Taran to have power. However, this is where for us it gets very exciting! What if the back could be stiffer and more resonant? We’re used to working with Rosewoods that, when braced, ring like a bell. However, when we brace Maple it doesn't, and this is because there is too much bracing on an already light piece of wood. So, a design change that demanded a new bracing shape. Through a lot of experiments and very careful brace material selection, we managed to make a back that is stiffer but also infinitely lighter and rings like a bell.

The outcome - A Maple guitar that has a richer sound while still being powerful and punchy. 

 
 
 

materials

  • Back and sides - Rippled European Maple

  • Soundboard - Master grade Swiss Spruce

  • Rosette - Stabilised Russian Birch Burr with black and blue veneer

  • Bindings - Ebano and Scottish Sycamore purfling

  • Front Purfling - Rippled Scottish Sycamore purfling around the soundboard stopping at the Micro bevel

  • Linings - Laminated Rippled Scottish Sycamore with blue veneer

  • Bevel - Taran Micro Bevel in Ebano and blue

  • Neck - Reclaimed light-weight Mahogany

  • Fretboard - Ebony bound with Ebano with 0.3mm white line on player side only

  • Fret Markers - 9ct gold dots with 9ct gold circles at 5th, 7th&9th frets. Blue Russian Birch burr at 12th fret

  • Frets - Jessica wire with semi-hemispherical fret ends

  • Headstock - Rippled Scottish Sycamore grafts with black 0.3mm veneers under sheaths

  • Handmade tuners in gold and blued steel by Keith Robson

  • Hand-carved solid Ebony bridge with Ebony pins

  • t. hand-cut from solid 9ct gold sheet.

SIZES

  • Frets to body - 14 

  • Body length - 480mm

  • Max body width - 382mm 

  • Depth - 118mm

  • Scale length - 645mm

  • Width at nut - 45mm

  • Spacing at saddle - 59mm 

 
 

NOW SOLD