My A101

[monkey587]

A few months ago, I played a Goodall Rosewood Jumbo at an irish session, and fell in love with it. The following weekend, I went up to Guitar Solo in San Francisco to see if I could get one, and hanging from the ceiling was a beautiful Avalon A101 (made in the UK) with a shocking price tag. While the salesman was lining up guitars for me to try, I grabbed the Avalon, started playing it, and within minutes I was convinced.

My friend and I had driven up together, to see a concert in the city, and so I had left my car in the underground parking structure under my office. We got back to it around 1am, and the place was empty and dead silent. We pulled out the guitar and played it for a while, the cavernous reverb made the guitar sound like a pipe organ.

No guitar is perfect. I wish it sustained better on the higher notes. The action was too high when I first got it... I lowered it, but went too far, and when shimming it back up last night, I discovered that there was a shim in there from the factory already! I could have just removed that if I'd noticed it. I don't think it was mentioned in the owner's pamphlet.

However, it is the first steel string I've had where I didn't feel the need to put heavier strings on. It's strung with lights, I tune CGDGCD, and the low C is quite solid. I'm very impressed. I play classical much of the time, and favor a darker tone, so I string it with Elixer polywebs and I have carefully shaped and buffed nails and people often mistake it for a nylon-strung guitar, and ask how I get such sustain from nylon.

I am very happy with it. It's my cannon.

[Colin Johnston]

Hi

Welcome & congrats on owning such a great guitar. I checked out your webpage - looks good!

I'm going to have to get my mitts on an Avalon, I currently only have a L*wd*n.

[monkey587]

Hi

Welcome & congrats on owning such a great guitar. I checked out your webpage - looks good!

I'm going to have to get my mitts on an Avalon, I currently only have a L*wd*n.

That's an old photo with my tacoma, which I sold to a friend within days of buying the Avalon.



Nothing wrong with L's, IMO. I have played those and Avalons that inspired me, others that didn't. I also have a Lakewood A32, which is a tiny spruce/indian guitar to compliment my giant Avalon.

Last weekend, when returning from Europe (Bensusan workshop ) I saw a news segment on the plane about Avalon and their outsourcing. Not my favorite aspect of the company, but it was cool to see "my" guitar brand in the mainstream news (or guitar at all, for that matter)

[JB]

Hi William, welcome and many thanks for opting for one of our Avalon models.
The mahogany with cedar top combination is particular favourite of mine.
We fit the shims to make it easier for after sales pick-up fitting the shim will be the same size as a Fishman pick-up so once removed and the pick-up fitted, the saddle should remain at the same height.

I was reading your website, some big names there William, we've made guitars for both Pierre and Alex in the past.

I'm glad to hear we featured on your in-flight entertainment the more advertising, the better I say
Altho we've been making our high end models for the last 15 or more years at our current location, the "Avalon" brand is still relatively new.

Thankfully artists and players realise that the same expertise we poured into our Lowden models for years is now poured generously into our Avalons.

Cheers
JB

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[monkey587]

Hi William, welcome and many thanks for opting for one of our Avalon models.
The mahogany with cedar top combination is particular favourite of mine.
We fit the shims to make it easier for after sales pick-up fitting the shim will be the same size as a Fishman pick-up so once removed and the pick-up fitted, the saddle should remain at the same height.

I was reading your website, some big names there William, we've made guitars for both Pierre and Alex in the past.

I'm glad to hear we featured on your in-flight entertainment the more advertising, the better I say
Altho we've been making our high end models for the last 15 or more years at our current location, the "Avalon" brand is still relatively new.

Thankfully artists and players realise that the same expertise we poured into our Lowden models for years is now poured generously into our Avalons.

Cheers
JB

Alex is one of the coolest guys I've ever met. Must be nice to work with him.

I'm still debating pickups. I have a duncan magmic and I love the sound, but it's a hassle. My current plan is to put a schatten in my lakewood and use that when I need amplification and the Avalon when I unamplified. I figure if I'm going to be amplified, I may as well play the guitar with the light and tiny body. I personally, however, am very grudgeful about the idea adulterating lovely acoustic instruments with wires and batteries, although it seems to be a necessary evil.

[dave]

we fit a broad variety of Fishman systems, it sounds like you prefer the discrete simple designs, these would typically be the Matrix piezo system which doesnt employ controls but is active or you may prefer the Rare Earth sound hole blender for a semi - permanent option. Both systems are excellent but differ in sound and dynamic response. Some professionals such as Eric Roche ( in his Avalon L10 ) use both these systems in the same guitar, that way the entire palette of sound bases are covered to reproduce ambient percussive ( mic ) tones together with a solid upper midrange that will cut in a mix ( the magnetic ) and the lower warmer end is well presented ( piezo ). Many systems actually "feel" different and this is an aspect that often lacks commentary but its something that we all respond to consciously or unconsciously and it influences our playing and our choices, unfortunately with the huge variety of systems and manufacturers out there it is hard to choose and expensive if not prohibitive to try them and assess which you finally prefer. The 2 I have suggested have often replaced other systems in customers guitars so these are a good place to start. The rare Earth blend can be fitted temporarily in a decent store BEFORE you buy it so perhaps consider that as a good foundation in your search.

hope this is of benefit- Dave

[monkey587]

we fit a broad variety of Fishman systems, it sounds like you prefer the discrete simple designs, these would typically be the Matrix piezo system which doesnt employ controls but is active or you may prefer the Rare Earth sound hole blender for a semi - permanent option. Both systems are excellent but differ in sound and dynamic response. Some professionals such as Eric Roche ( in his Avalon L10 ) use both these systems in the same guitar, that way the entire palette of sound bases are covered to reproduce ambient percussive ( mic ) tones together with a solid upper midrange that will cut in a mix ( the magnetic ) and the lower warmer end is well presented ( piezo ). Many systems actually "feel" different and this is an aspect that often lacks commentary but its something that we all respond to consciously or unconsciously and it influences our playing and our choices, unfortunately with the huge variety of systems and manufacturers out there it is hard to choose and expensive if not prohibitive to try them and assess which you finally prefer. The 2 I have suggested have often replaced other systems in customers guitars so these are a good place to start. The rare Earth blend can be fitted temporarily in a decent store BEFORE you buy it so perhaps consider that as a good foundation in your search.

hope this is of benefit- Dave

I appreciate the help, but based on my ears, I'm not likely to ever buy a Fishman system.

[snakecraig]

Check out PUTW (Pickup the world). The system is from the states and can basically get out the way your guitar sounds. It does not sound like a typical piezo transducer like most PU systems.
Also with this system, if you have a bad sounding guitar, you will get an idea of how bad it sounds acousticly. If you have an Avalon, it will sing!
________
hot box vaporizer

[Jim Tozier]

I appreciate the help, but based on my ears, I'm not likely to ever buy a Fishman system.

Hi William!

I also have an A101, and love it!

To really capture the tone of the Avalon, a soundboard transducer pickup would be a good option. I use a K&K Pure Western in all of my Avalons, and I'm extremely pleased with the results.

I like to have a lot of control over my sound, so I like to combine the K&K with an under-saddle transducer (and use a Rane AP13 preamp to EQ them separately). In my A101, I have a PUTW ust. In my "ce" models, I combine the K&K with the stock Fishman pickups. One convenient feature with this setup is that the volume knob of the onboard preamp controls the level of the Fishman, without affecting the output from the K&K. So, I can use it as a blender--makes adjusting your sound "on the fly" a breeze, which is why I tend to use those guitars for live performances.

Enjoy the A101!

[monkey587]

Hi, Jim. I know you from Celtic Guitar Talk.

I played a gig a few weekends ago using my MagMic and again, while I was pretty happy with the sound, I hated having to put it in and take it out, and have that battery box loose. Normally, I velcro it to my Gitano but I lost my velcro strip.

Even with the mic turned all the way up, the MagMic can sound somewhat electric, but mostly only on the higher notes, and it had a warmth and singiness that worked quite well for the music I was playing. Still, I want some kind of simple and permanent solution in one of my guitars.

Hi William!

I also have an A101, and love it!

To really capture the tone of the Avalon, a soundboard transducer pickup would be a good option. I use a K&K Pure Western in all of my Avalons, and I'm extremely pleased with the results.

I like to have a lot of control over my sound, so I like to combine the K&K with an under-saddle transducer (and use a Rane AP13 preamp to EQ them separately). In my A101, I have a PUTW ust. In my "ce" models, I combine the K&K with the stock Fishman pickups. One convenient feature with this setup is that the volume knob of the onboard preamp controls the level of the Fishman, without affecting the output from the K&K. So, I can use it as a blender--makes adjusting your sound "on the fly" a breeze, which is why I tend to use those guitars for live performances.

Enjoy the A101!

[Jim Tozier]

Hi, Jim. I know you from Celtic Guitar Talk.

I thought your picture looked familiar for some reason . . . didn't know you had an Avalon, though. Cool!

Still, I want some kind of simple and permanent solution in one of my guitars.

You really ought to look into a K&K Pure Western, then. They're pretty easy to install, and they're pretty hot for a passive pickup--some people don't even use a preamp with them. They sound very natural, and are very reasonably priced, too.

I also think PUTW makes a nice pickup . . . and Highlander makes a good UST, if you'd rather go that route than go with an SBT.

Combine any of those with a portable outboard preamp (the Baggs Para DI is a popular choice), and you're good to go.
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