Can someone tell me the difference?

[DavidK]

Hi I'm new to the whole Avalon thing and I'm looking for a good guitar. I've been looking at Avalon for some time now and most of the people I know play one. So I'm saving like mad for the day when I can have my own.

So my first question.... (and this will show the low level of experience I have,) is this.....

On the Avalon website the image of the L25 Jumbo shows it to have a really lovely dark coloured soundboard
http://www.avalonguitars.com/guitars/l25.php

However the L25C appears to be much lighter in appearance.... I know the web site tells me they are both Cedar. So is this just to do with the surface finish that's applied to the wood, or is it the batch of wood, or what?

Is this something that can be specified when ordering?

I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks
Dave

[Loki]

The L25 shown will be one which was made last summer, when the weather was much better and will have been left to finish off on a sun lounger in the Gardens of Avalon.

This year, with rain every day in July, and 20 days in August, that wasn't possible - so both the guitars and the workforce are much paler, though still as lovely

Seriously though, there is not just one 'cedar' e.g Western Red, Alaskan etc and great colour variation. I recently saw one soundboard of cedar in the workshops that was well on its way to being black!

Your bet bet is to speak to JB on the subject when you are considering sourcing one; he's such an endlessly helpful and informative source.

Good luck.

[DavidK]

Thanks Loki, I do like the idea of a mystical garden of guitars but have to admit the various types of Cedar is much more plausible.
Thanks

[JB]

These mystical gardens sound great ... wish i could find them and rest awhile

Loki is quite correct, different types of cedar will deliver different colours. Some cedar can be very light, almost spruce coloured whereas others like the Alaskan cedar can be richly dark with very striking grain patterns.

T'would be a tad boring if they were all the same ...

[DavidK]

Thanks JB,
Dont suppose you'd know what type of Cedar you guys have on the L25 you have displayed on the website?

http://www.avalonguitars.com/guitars/l25.php

[JB]

Sure do, it's Alaskan Cedar

.

[johnnieonenote]

The one you see in the pic is mine ................got it about 3/4 weeks ago....simply beautiful...Alaskan Cedar.