NGD - Another Orpheum joins the fold

[Christopher Cozad]

Just days behind Sandy and Toni, I am happy to report the safe arrival of another Guild Custom Shop Orpheum.

This is my new Slope Shoulder 12-Fret Mahogany Dreadnought with Natural top:

I pulled the guitar out of the case for a quick inspection and tuned it to pitch. Naturally I had to put it through it's paces...I love the sound!

Here are some more photos:

 

[Westerly Wood]

wow, great news! i look forward to the pics.
and a sound clip if you can get one. i want to hear how big that tone is...

 

[twocorgis]

Simply magnificent, Christopher! My, that one would complement my 14 fret nicely

 

[SFIV1967]

Congratulations Christopher! I love that hog color, not so red like in the past. It looks like it is "raining" Orpheums on LTG! Toni, Sandy, You,...I am jealous !!! I was able to test drive them all at NAMM 2013 and loved them! But I would have a damn hard time to say which one is my favorite...Maybe the Orchestra model that Toni got, or the 12 fret slope shoulder, or the 14 fret slope shoulder,...don't really know. But it looks like you all favored hog!
Ralf

 

[ladytexan]

Christopher, congratulations! As per Sandy, that one would compliment my OM nicely, too! At some point, it would be great to have a 2013 Orpheum gang photo!

Continue to enjoy your new 12-fret SS!

Please note: Sandy and Christopher take WAAAYYYYY better pictures than I do. :congratulatory:

 

[Watasha]

Congrats! I may be the slightest bit jealous.

 

[Westerly Wood]

i dont see the photos...

 

[SFIV1967]

i dont see the photos...

They are all there in Christopher's post! Maybe your computer blocks them?
Ralf

 

[Christopher Cozad]

Thanks, all. I have waited patiently for this one ever since Kim Keller introduced that first Orpheum to us last year in Nashville.

Christopher

 

[Wilfred]

Wow, beautiful. Orpheums are just gorgeous. Enjoy!

 

[AcornHouse]

Congrats Chris!


(I knew it, I knew it! First Toni and Sandy, now Chris. They're falling like dominoes. Soon we'll all have to have one. Sigh.)

 

[jcwu]

Beautiful. I cannot afford new Guilds, let alone the Orpheums, so I am always happy to see that they are going out into the wild. Thanks to all of you for supporting Guild!!

 

[capo12]

Congratulations Christopher. It was your review here a while ago that convinced me to get a 12 fret Orpheum so I figured it was only a matter of time before you did so yourself. I'm still in the new guitar phase and have yet to see much opening up but mine shines so brightly beyond most of my other guitars that the prospect of it improving any amount is pretty much a non-issue for me. Don't you just dig the way the embossed tuner buttons make them so much easier to use? It's such a small thing that just puts the cherry on top of the build for me. Who'd a thunk? My kudos, as well, to Ren and the shop for these guitars.

 

[DCannon]

Beautiful! More than anything, I want to hear some good audio clips.

DC

 

[Christopher Cozad]

Congratulations Christopher. It was your review here a while ago that convinced me to get a 12 fret Orpheum so I figured it was only a matter of time before you did so yourself. I'm still in the new guitar phase and have yet to see much opening up but mine shines so brightly beyond most of my other guitars that the prospect of it improving any amount is pretty much a non-issue for me. Don't you just dig the way the embossed tuner buttons make them so much easier to use? It's such a small thing that just puts the cherry on top of the build for me. Who'd a thunk? My kudos, as well, to Ren and the shop for these guitars.

It is funny how things work...I actually figured I would have "the One" in my possession long before now, but I am happy I waited.

I really like these guitars. A nod to Guild, a nod to Gibson, a great blend of imagined history coupled with the best of today's luthier skills...what's not to like?

The Orpheums (those I have played, and now this 12-fret, in particular) offer a great balance of tone and volume - big, non-boomy bottom end under the direction of my thumb pick, crystal-clear mid's where most of my melodies lie and non-fragile / non-brittle highs. And to think it can only get better over time...

The attention to detail is impressive! From the embossed tuners (as you mentioned) to the careful placement of the logos and decals, the super-clean purfling lines, the bound soundhole, zero glue visible inside, no scratches or gouges inside the box (even sandpaper swirls are missing)...every step has been taken to make this guitar worthy of us. lol

And they did it! With aplomb!

 

[Christopher Cozad]

Beautiful! More than anything, I want to hear some good audio clips.

DC

I will try to get something recorded over the next couple of days, DC.

 

[stealyerface]

I just went on the Guild website to check out the Orpheum Series.

Wow.

Congratulations, this is a thing of beauty.

~syf

 

[twocorgis]

Just curious Christopher, have you changed the strings yet?

I'm not sure about yours, but mine came with D'Addario EXP mediums, which aren't my favorites. The newer ones come with Guild balanced tension mediums, according to the website. I changed them to John Pearse 650M bluegrass gauge (12-56), and the sound improved immediately, but I also noticed a strange rattle/buzz that almost sounded like a loose brace. There was a bit too much relief in the neck, and the guitar needed a setup anyway, so it has spent the last few days at my luthier's place. Mike called me last night to tell me it was ready, and it turns out that it was a bad G string that was causing the buzz. That's a first for me, and all is well with the guitar now. I have a set of DR Sunbeams on deck for this one, as I lot of folks that I respect (Hi Scott!) really like these round core strings, and after meeting Mark Dronge at LMG IV, seems like the right thing to do as well. I have a set of Dragon Skins on the F512 now, and once you get past the slightly odd feel, they really sound great, especially for a coated string. I might be becoming a DR convert!

 

[southernGuild]

Christopher!!!!
Congrats Mate!!!! Another beautiful and very special guitar in the LTG family fold. Enjoy............As I know you are.

 

[Christopher Cozad]

Just curious Christopher, have you changed the strings yet?

I have not, Sandy. I have been playing mediums on my Taylor 918 for awhile now, and am rather used to them. I played with mediums on my F-50R for nearly 30 years, and only switched to lights as I was trying to stave off the neck reset for as long as possible (switching didn't help, but made me feel better). I will likely put the balanced tension strings on, as I do really like them.

I am so glad you (and Mike) could track down that buzz. I am sure that was a relief (pun intended).