# Carillion Guitars Polaris 2 Build Thread - Koa Madness



## Lorcan Ward (Jun 15, 2016)

I've gotten a lot of messages wondering about my Quilt top Polaris and when I'm going to do a NGD and review video. I've been really busy with work lately and the truth is I can barely put it down long enough to pick up a camera so for now the best review I can possibly give is I've got another build going.

Its the same basic specs as my Quilt top Polaris but different woods, inlays, pickups and will be tuned to Bb standard tuning. 

I asked for a mastergrade Koa top and Chris picked out an insane piece!














One Piece Brazilian Mahogany Body





Glued together with a black veneer in-between. The orange shade off the mahogany works very well with the Koa.





Malaysian Blackwood fretboard. I wanted something similar to African Blackwood and Ebony. Hard, tight grain and polishes to a very smooth finish. I spent a good 20-30 minutes looking through Chris's collection of fingerboards and this one really stuck out.





I decided on ebony wood binding for this build. The choice was between ebony on the left and malysian blackwood on the right with a thin maple strip in-between.





For the neck I wanted really white un-figured maple. Chris recommended locally sourced Sycamore which is very similar. Then 2 Koa pieces with a black veneer in-between everything.





All glued together. Some really nice contrasting colours.


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## ikarus (Jun 15, 2016)

wow that top looks really nice! good choice!


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## pott (Jun 15, 2016)

When did you order this build as well? After receiving the first one? Quick start!


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## electriceye (Jun 15, 2016)

Hubba hubba!!


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## MoonJelly (Jun 15, 2016)

....dang.


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## Mattykoda (Jun 15, 2016)

And if you look to the left you will see the grand canyon in Lorcans flamed Koa...... no big deal

Damn what a top!

EDIT:
Wait a minute.....


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## Lorcan Ward (Jun 15, 2016)

^Ready to be oiled next, then fretwork and hardware assembly. 



ikarus said:


> wow that top looks really nice! good choice!



Cheers dude! I've wanted a Koa topped guitar like your Rusti for years. 



pott said:


> When did you order this build as well? After receiving the first one? Quick start!



I ordered this as the same time as my first, the plan was to have two similarly spec'd guitars, one for B and one for Bb but I put it on hold because I wanted to wait until I had my first one since I've had a few bad experiences but when things were moving very quickly I gave the go ahead.


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## Lorcan Ward (Jun 15, 2016)

Koa plate on the front of the headstock:





And on the back:





Black veneers in-between the two making a delicious sandwich:





Neck carved to my custom profile:





Inlays done





Sanding and cleaning up all done, next step oil finishing:


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## KnightBrolaire (Jun 15, 2016)

Lorcan Ward said:


> I've gotten a lot of messages wondering about my Quilt top Polaris and when I'm going to do a NGD and review video. I've been really busy with work lately and the truth is I can barely put it down long enough to pick up a camera so for now the best review I can possibly give is I've got another build going.
> 
> Its the same basic specs as my Quilt top Polaris but different woods, inlays, pickups and will be tuned to Bb standard tuning.
> 
> ...


That is one of the best looking koa tops I've ever seen on a guitar.


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## pott (Jun 15, 2016)

Headstock looks like an ice cream sandwich. I love it.


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## neun Arme (Jun 16, 2016)

This already looks awesome!


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## Millul (Jun 16, 2016)

I'd need to put too many likes down in this thread! Super nice buid!

Is your employer hiring?


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## guidothepimmp (Jun 16, 2016)

Damn, not so much a guitar as bloody work of art.. that is some great lumber and great craftsmanship..

Gorgeous. Congrats


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## BlackMastodon (Jun 16, 2016)

pott said:


> Headstock looks like an ice cream sandwich. I love it.


Was thinking the exact same thing.

This looks amazing!


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## Jaspergep (Jun 17, 2016)

I LOVE that headstock! Especially with the Koa backside. Looks super clean.


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## Lorcan Ward (Jun 17, 2016)

Cheers dudes! Its turning out amazing. Should be done soon but I offered to put it on hold while Chris is busy with Techfest. There was a BIG f-up with the pickups so we are trying to sort that out now. I'll make a separate post about it soon since the pickup company made a complete mess of simple detailed instructions.



Millul said:


> I'd need to put too many likes down in this thread! Super nice buid!
> 
> Is your employer hiring?



You don't want my job. I work 7 days a week.


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## jerm (Jun 17, 2016)

Looks amazing man.

How do these compare to your Daemoness and J Custom? How's the strings spacing? I've realized I like wider string spacing like Ibanez guitars...


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## Lorcan Ward (Jun 17, 2016)

jerm said:


> How do these compare to your Daemoness and J Custom? How's the strings spacing? I've realized I like wider string spacing like Ibanez guitars...



Its on par with the Daemoness but the fretwork is a little better and I like the neck carve a bit more. They are both incredible guitars so its hard to choose. The Carillion has a warmer tone with a more attack while the Daemoness is brighter but clearer so I'm tuning it down a step once I finish some recording. I'm also going to upgrade the ABM saddles on the Daemoness to the revised model since they are more comfortable for palm muting. 

My J-custom is a fantastic guitar but not on the level of my customs. No complaints about it but it doesn't have that mojo and little bit extra playability that they have. My Nagoya Custom Shop Ibanez however has both of those. Its a hard one to explain, its just the way guitar resonates and feels when you play it. 

The string spacing is about the same as an Ibanez but with a slightly shorter width fretboard. Kind of like the old Universe models. Since its a custom shop where everything is done by hand you can spec out and change anything you want(within reason). So neck carves, body bevels, string spacing, scales etc etc can all be designed to suit your needs.


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## Gango79 (Jun 20, 2016)

Awesome top Locarn!!! Speechless!!!


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## Millul (Jun 20, 2016)

Lorcan Ward said:


> You don't want my job. I work 7 days a week.



I've just volounteered for a job that'll see me in the deepest Tunisian desert and Malaysian jungle, so don't count me out for the 7/7 thing (no military) 

This thing will be amazing, looking forward to seeing it in one of your videos!


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## Lorcan Ward (Jun 21, 2016)

First few coats of oil done, the koa is popping like crazy. 









Millul said:


> I've just volounteered for a job that'll see me in the deepest Tunisian desert and Malaysian jungle, so don't count me out for the 7/7 thing (no military)
> 
> This thing will be amazing, looking forward to seeing it in one of your videos!



That sounds really cool, hope everything goes well!! I'll be tuning this to Bb standard so you can expect a lot of videos.


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## Prophetable (Jun 21, 2016)

Every time I see an over-the-top piece of koa like this I remember how much I want one. Unbelievable.


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## BlackMastodon (Jun 22, 2016)




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## Millul (Jun 22, 2016)

Lorcan Ward said:


> First few coats of oil done, the koa is popping like crazy.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Sounds cool but most of it will be office time anyway 
Looking forward to the vids!


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## lewis (Jun 22, 2016)

Lorcan Ward said:


> First few coats of oil done, the koa is popping like crazy.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Im quoting this reply just to force more people in the thread to see this top.... 

The BEST looking top of KOA ive seen.


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## Xcaliber (Jun 22, 2016)

This looks amazing. I would love to have a guitar like that.


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## Lorcan Ward (Aug 1, 2016)

Nearly done! Just some small setup tweaks once it settles with the strings on. I volunteered to put this on hold while Chris was busy with techfest but it still got finished quicker than any other build I've had in the final stages.

I can't wait to see that Koa in person. 









The Seymour Duncan Custom Shop proved to be absolute morons. Very lazy and unprofessional. They were several months late, mixed up the baseplates and a bunch of other stuff. We had to get Ash from Oil City Pickups to sort them out so I'm waiting to hear back from him about what they even are. There was nothing in the box other than the pickups. If they sound good then thats great but their custom shop is a joke.


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## Mattykoda (Aug 1, 2016)

Likelikelikelikelikelikelikelikelikelikelike 

Seriously that looks amazing!


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## feraledge (Aug 1, 2016)

Dude, that build is SO sick!! Shame about SD, my sole experience with their custom shop was pretty great. Everything right on time. I wrote them to check for updates right at the mark and ended up getting them in the mail that day.


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## HollowmanPL (Aug 1, 2016)

wow!


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## neun Arme (Aug 2, 2016)

That build looks awesome, dude!


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## Lorcan Ward (Aug 24, 2016)

Finished pics! As always Chris was a pleasure to work with. The guitar was completed well ahead of schedule, custom support was great(lots of pics and very easy to reach) and it turned out incredible. I'm going to collect it in a few weeks since its settling into Bb tuning with my string gauges. 




















feraledge said:


> Dude, that build is SO sick!! Shame about SD, my sole experience with their custom shop was pretty great. Everything right on time. I wrote them to check for updates right at the mark and ended up getting them in the mail that day.



I'm trying to sort it out now with them. I'm very eager to hear the pickups they wound for me. For the bridge I wanted something similar to a Nazgul but wound for an alnico magnet like my Lundgren pickups. The neck is spec'd around the sentient but hotter.


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## pott (Aug 24, 2016)

Phwoaaaaaar... That top. Beautiful. And that sandwich headstock is yummy.


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## Mattykoda (Aug 24, 2016)

I want to touch it.


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## Taylor (Aug 24, 2016)

Hnngggg. Where can I find koa like that?!?!


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## Lorcan Ward (Aug 25, 2016)

Taylor said:


> Hnngggg. Where can I find koa like that?!?!



Its from the same supplier who Doug got his koa off for Misha's B2.


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## BlackMastodon (Aug 26, 2016)

Perfect guitar right there. Absolutely stunning.


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## neun Arme (Aug 26, 2016)

I want it. I want it so bad!


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## Spicypickles (Aug 26, 2016)

That is one of the best guitars I've ever seen, and the absolute best top I've ever seen.


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## Lorcan Ward (Sep 21, 2016)

I picked this beast up directly from the Carillion workshop last week and it is incredible. Definitely the best guitar I've ever played. The tone and playability are just perfect. Seymour Duncan nailed my pickup specs too. The bridge pickup is full, tight and has a low mid chug to palm mutes but responds like a neck pickup on the high strings.

I'll get some videos and a full review up soon if I can put it down long enough.


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## feraledge (Sep 21, 2016)

Super awesome!! I really look forward to those videos.


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