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A sample of a new tune by my friend (and client- see the guitar?) Sam Shube who saves lives by day as an Interventional Radiologist and heals broken souls by night with his mesmerizing compositions and beautiful, gentle playing. I'm very proud to have him sitting behind a Wilborn.
Check out his channel on YouTube. It's full of good stuff.
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I just love the power and tone these Wilborn Guitars produce. So responsive. Makes the listener and the player drift away on the lovely pallet of sound.
Exceptional, thanks
Woodwork is complete on Sam’s Nautilus. European spruce over East Indian rosewood.
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Looks amazing 🤩 can’t wait for the Demos
Gorgeous looking spruce!!
Another completed Nautilus ready to meet its new owner in Australia. Andy was kind enough to let me use this instrument in the studio, where we have been recording the 4th Frog and Toad album. It performed admirably, and I’m half sorry to see it leave. Such a fun, responsive and cooperative guitar! Sitka over Cocobolo.
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Who would say no to having a famous guitar?
The Nautilus is such an elegant design. I'm thinking what you have done here is the greatest advancement in steel string acoustics since George Lowden's Dolphin bracing. My two cents worth... let the debate begin. 👍🙊🙈🙉
Beautiful! I sincerely hope that I have the opportunity to play one of your guitars sometime, Ben!
My favorite-est guitar show in all the world. This September in New Braunfels TX. I’ll have a very choice Nautilus on my table which I am building right now. (The guitar- not the table…) I’m using wood that I was “saving” for something special. Well, this is special!
BIG V: Bowersox International Guitarapolooza Sept. 27th - 29th 2024
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B.I.G. is a unique guitar show designed to highlight handmade luthier built guitars in an intimate se5 CommentsComment on Facebook
I've seen the box for this special guitar--it's gonna be amazing!
See you there!
I went last year for the first time and intend to go again. It's huge fun for guitar nerds and for people who just like music. The guitar demos and the concerts are great!
I just pulled this Nautilus out of the mold and sanded it all clean. The BRW set is flitch matched - from sequential cuts of the same board. I took some pains to match up grain elements, and i think it looks pretty cool. I am building this for the BIG show in New Braunfels TX this September. Oh- that’s an Adirondack top on there , too.
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Love that top side and back interface!
I gotta say, I'm not as impress with this version of your soundhole. The previous version was much more appealing.
Show us the steps. I particularly want to see how you clamp the bridge.
This lovely Brazilian Nautilus goes off to its new home today. It was a pleasure to build with such a fine, rare, quarter sawn set of rosewood. The Adirondack top is no slouch, either.
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Brazilian and Adirondack Nautilus from www.wilbornguitars.com
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Beautiful instrument and sound! Are you using any effects on the sound?
Absolutely stunning sound. I have never heard a better instrument May l ask for the price and information on ordering.. Thank you very much. Franklin Mullen.
Love your stuff! The most unique and beautiful instruments I've seen in a long time.
Andy’s Nautilus
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Thanks for the video Ben!! An absolute joy listening you play and the guitar sounds out of this world!! I can’t wait to hold her on my lap. It will be a long journey for her to get to Perth. Cheers Andy
Love the tone! What strings do you use?
I love the way you play. 🎶
The incomparable Diogo Cauiby Novaes playing his Wilborn Guitars Arum. This beautiful, winding piece is just one of his many compositions. I'm honored to have a player of his caliber playing my guitar.
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Played your guitars at La Conner Guitar Festival. Sublime. Very nice work.
Yes, that is amazing, the guitar, the player, the composition, and the professional recording.
Amazing sound. Great player.
Next weekend, May 17-19 2024, we hope you’ll join us at our the LaConner Guitar Festival.
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Nice. Looking forward to seeing y’all at La Conner. I’m counting on you making my guitars sound great too😁
Will be there Wilborn Guitars!!! Looking forward to seeing you there :)
Oh man, I wish I was going!
Here’s what I’ll have on my table this year at The LaConner Guitar Festival, May 17-19, 2024.
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Wonderful sound and look.
Beautiful Ben, my Friday evening relax has now officially begun! Interesting to hear your take on the stereotypical views of cedar. I’ve owned two pretty decent cedar topped instruments (a bouzouki and a guitar) both have a lovely sensitivity but neither lack volume or power. Looking forward to to your next creation.
Very nice sound.. Is that top solid? Wish i could have one like that.. 😄 I never hear such a great sound like that in Indonesia.
Freshly baked Nautilus in cocobolo and Sitka. The strings have been on for just a few minutes, and it already resonates like a little orchestra in my lap. Man, do I love my job.
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Splendid and admirable work, well done.
Absolutely beautiful. May I ask - what’s the lower bout width? And would you make a baritone version? My mind keeps wanting to push that bridge back a little for the extra scale length. 😊
Your guitars are sublime, Ben! I’m blown away with every post. This particular guitar is so exquisite! The gorgeous silking of the Spruce and the mesmerizing grain of the Cocobolo are perfectly complemented by your painstaking, innovative and meticulous lutherie! What a perfect balance you have achieved between the woods and the work! Cheers from Maine!
Inside a Nautilus.
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I could live in there!
Is this one of the guitars with the removable end piece?
Reminiscent of the inner bowels of some mythical Elven sailing vessel, minus its fabulous cargo of inestimable wealth...
I cut the profile for my bevels with a template, but there is always a little touch up work to blend the curves together, which I consider to be a critical process if you want the bevels to flow smoothly into the body lines. A sharply raking light a darkened room helps my eye see any lumpiness which needs to be addressed.
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I have a modest collection of guitars and ukes, but now that I have discovered your guitars and website I wish for 2 things, one being to be able to order one and the other to have the talent to do the instrument justice. Keep on keeping on! Love your work.
What a great build!
Bevels that are almost not bevels🙂.
Fresh out of the mold, here is my current build- a Nautilus in the classic combination of Adirondack spruce and Brazilian rosewood. Note the super clean, quartersawn Brazilian: a rare bird. This will look luscious under lacquer!
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When do you cut the sound hole?
That looks very promising!
Really nice graining on that Adirondack Spruce too...
In the works is this cocobolo and Sitka Nautilus. It is always a nice milestone to free them from their exterior mold, trim back the top and back, and sand the sides clean and smooth. All of a sudden, you have a guitar shaped object and you can really see the wood as it will be.
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That looks like it’s going to be another masterpiece! I can’t wait to see it under finish!
Incredible looking wood!!
Wow! Beautiful wood!