My buddy Eric (the guy who runs TNDP, class act all the way) recently took delivery of one of the nicest Thorns to come out of the shop IMHO. Check the specs out on this baby:
Thorn Artisan Master #073
Body: 1-pc. Golden Koa
Neck & Fretboard: Old-growth Brazilian Rosewood
Pickups: Koa covered Lollar P-90s
Bridge: Thorn 1-pc. tremolo
Nut: Koa with brass "string inserts"....cool.
Purfling and 12th Firesun: 14K Gold
Color: Natural
Yep, a SINGLE piece of glowing koa for the body (prepare to drool Ed
) and a gorgeous piece of Brazilian Rosewood for the neck. I saw it when it was still in two pieces last year, but the inlays were done on the neck and it was already shaping up to be one of the greats. Eric and I were helping Ron clean up the shop a few days before the Thorn bash of NAMM weekend last year and Eric pulled me aside and let me check it out before anyone else saw it. That thing is even more gorgeous in person than the (still great) pictures can display. For anyone who hasn't seen a piece of really nice flamed koa in person it has this luminous quality to it that I haven't quite seen in other woods. If you've ever seen a REALLY nice piece of quilted or flamed maple in person, say like 4A or 5A tops that are actually graded properly
, imagine the way that the figuring rolls around under light if you tilt it back and forth but then add a kind of "glow" to it. This thing lights up into a bright golden color unlike anything I've seen!
It's almost magical.
Anywho, check out the pics, they are truly drool-worthy (the nut on this thing is a piece of art IMHO):
The stabilized koa nut with the brass inserts is just too classy.
Ron comes up with some really creative ideas and this guitar is easily in my top 5.
Just wanted to share since I know a lot of you dig his work but don't visit the TNDP very often.
