NGD, Monday the 17th

[Blueshwk]

The tracking info had mine "out for delivery" Friday and boy I am glad I didn't go off ringing my NGD bell cause it didn't deliver until Monady the 17th.

I haven't played it much as of yet but it is much louder than other GS Mini's I have played and it also is extremely aromatic....I can smell it two rooms away.  The fresh Engelmann I suppose. I plan to take it to my local shop in the coming days for a setup. Lookimg forward to playing it after the adjustments. The top has some interesting visual movement in the graining of the spruce. Hard to photograph the top but I will rry to load a pic or two. The rest looks pretty much like the others. I will say that I plan to leave the pick guard in place.

I promised this one to my granddaughter so I am ordering another for myself.
Thinking I will hot rod the second one a bit.

[ksquared]

Very nice. Your granddaughter is sure to enjoy it.

[michaelw]

that is some nice AA+ flamed maple veneer

if there's some of it leftover, it'd be to see
a mini LTD run with a cedar top & edgeburst finish

thanks for sharing the pics -
sweet

[stepchildusmc]

nice blueshwk ! got mine yesterday(#390). i actually removed the pickguard before tuning it up and testing it out. definitelt like it's warmth more than the standard mini. it's right in the middle on warmth and clarity bwtween the regular spruce and the 'hog mini. pretty sure " The Blonde" claimed it.... although i can't her past "simple man".

[Jersey tuning]

Awesome mini maple.  You gonna electrify yours?

[TaylorGirl]

Joel, that is one sweet looking Mini! Love the grain. Your grand daughter is one lucky lady. Hope she enjoys it and you get a nice new one for yourself to enjoy.

[Blueshwk]

Awesome mini maple.  You gonna electrify yours?

I plan to add a Fishman Ellipse among a few other things. Looking forward to playing around  with it!

[Blueshwk]

Geez this thing is loud......Maybe overly so! Will take some getting use to and I couldn't imagine it in a stable nor as a beginner guitar. Played three others today (one hog and two Sitka topped) and this is by far the louder of the four. I can see this kind of volume as being difficult to control for a beginner or even an intermediate player. Even still, this one goes to my granddaughter. It is a pretty thing and I still will be getting another, but more for playing with than playing.

I still like it and look forward to breaking it out around the camp fire. I can't wait to see the expressions on the faces as I drown out the dreads!

[pjroberts]

I am excited to get mine next week. This time I will take more care in my electrification. Look forward to opinions of my fellow Holden Mini players on best option. Seems like the most popular for  this guitar (besides the stock one) is the K&K mini, and here we have suggestion for a Fishman. Any other pickup thoughts? I'd like to be able to record as well as plug into an acoustic amp.

Of course, that brings up this loud talk. My hog GSM, which I shipped to its new home today! was loud! but not any louder than my other guitars and certainly not as loud as my Adi/RW dread. What is it that makes it so loud? I personally have found laminate guitars consistently louder in most cases, but without character and note definition. So what is it about  the Englemann that makes it louder?

[Blueshwk]

I was wondering that myself and that was why i played several others today.... As far as pickups.... I think I wish I held on to my Sunrise which was easily adjusted to each string. I have a fishman I may try but I am thinking something adjustable and very EQ-able. Sampling will not cut it with this one I don't think.
I am with you.... should be intersting to see what others do.

[michaelw]

it's a little pricey, but to me the M80 sounds pretty good
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riQk4WHZSR0

not nasally like the k&K or pingy like the matrix, but i think the last passage needs to have a bit of the low end rolled out,
not because it didn't sound good, but that much bottom end seemed out of character for the guitar shape being played -
if the guitar mic'd was thrown into the mix, that would have made for a more complete comparison, imho

[pjroberts]

Link Man Michael! Another good one, and for once the computer speaker didn't inhibit the sound (too much). The K&K is definitely my least favorite of those 3 ... on that guitar. Which is the challenge. Every set up is different with many variables  (guitar, pickup, the player, the song at a broad stroke level).

Who's going first with the pickup?

[Blueshwk]

I think mic'ing might be a problem with the amount of attack this thing has. I did put the Fishman on just playing around and it didn't sound good at all. I think I am back to the Sunrise or Baggs thru a good pre amp with zero sampling. Old school stuff.
 I think any attempt to falsify the voice will kill the character. These little things do have gobs of character btw.... I did go to a lighter pick which helped but adjusting the mids down with a good magnetic pickup should tame it. The sound almost reminds me of a Gibson. Lots of volume and plenty of mid's.
A very refreshing little guitar

[jjrpilot-admin]

Congrats on that maple beauty!!!!!   

[pjroberts]

BTW, I have officially declared it WAY louder than the hog GSM. My quietest guitar is now my 816, which seems kind of strange. However, I also recently got a Adi over RW dread, so maybe the poor 816 doesn't have a chance, though it is still by far my most balanced and best playing guitar, including the electrics.