Props to Shawn O'Neill

guitarboy2828

Just wanted to affirm some amazing work done by Shawn O'Neil down in Durban.

Took him my old Yamaha because one of the the tuning heads had snapped. I also wanted to fit an LR baggs into the guitar. So, he fitted a new set of Grover tuners, the LR baggs pickup and then suggested I change the nut and saddle and get the frets recrowned, which i agreed to. So, he put a new bone nut and an ivory saddle.

I went and fetched the guitar yesterday and it played like butter, the tone is amazing, the sustain is so better! He did such a great job!

When I went yesterday, I was planning on swapping guitars and leaving my Breedlove with him for a set-up. But, after we chatted for over an hour about guitars and what not, he said he could set it up while I was there. It was great, he showed me how he does it and what he does. He filed the saddle down by about a mm. He also file the nut slots down just slightly. That guitar plays and sounds like a dream.

I will post pics of the guitars soon.

I definitely recommend Shawn, he's such a great guy and a great luthier. He showed me the guitar's he's built and also the one's he's building. He's got an acoustic half built which just got me all excited. But he was happy to show me everything and hang out. I spent over an hour and half with him and he was so relaxed about it.

Bob-Dubery

Paul E wrote Took him my old Yamaha because one of the the tuning heads had snapped. I also wanted to fit an LR baggs into the guitar. So, he fitted a new set of Grover tuners, the LR baggs pickup and then suggested I change the nut and saddle and get the frets recrowned, which i agreed to. So, he put a new bone nut and an ivory saddle.

I went and fetched the guitar yesterday and it played like butter, the tone is amazing, the sustain is so better! He did such a great job!

Nut and especially saddle material can make a big difference for an acoustic guitar. If you've got one of the contemporary artificial materials like micarta or tusq then the gains are there but not spectacular (though the artificial stuff tends to not wear as well), but if it was a common or garden plastic saddle and nut and you switch to even the good artificial stuff then you can make big gains.

Glad it worked out well for you. Your Breedlove should have been better appointed from the get go and so would require less drastic surgery.

guitarboy2828

X-rated Bob wrote
Paul E wrote Took him my old Yamaha because one of the the tuning heads had snapped. I also wanted to fit an LR baggs into the guitar. So, he fitted a new set of Grover tuners, the LR baggs pickup and then suggested I change the nut and saddle and get the frets recrowned, which i agreed to. So, he put a new bone nut and an ivory saddle.

I went and fetched the guitar yesterday and it played like butter, the tone is amazing, the sustain is so better! He did such a great job!
Bone and especially saddle material can make a big difference for an acoustic guitar. If you've got one of the contemporary artificial materials like micarta or tusq then the gains are there but not spectacular (though the artificial stuff tends to not wear as well), but if it was a common or garden plastic saddle and nut and you switch to even the good artificial stuff then you can make big gains.

It was in fact plastic, so the difference was pretty huge.

X-rated Bob wrote Glad it worked out well for you. Your Breedlove should have been better appointed from the get go and so would require less drastic surgery.

Yeah, not much needed to be done to the Breedlove, he even said that. He was very impressed with the Breedlove and thought it was a great instrument.

Ray

X-rated Bob wrote If you've got one of the contemporary artificial materials like micarta or tusq then the gains are there but not spectacular

And who tol you that Bob?

Bob-Dubery

Remember I've been through this - courtesy of your generous self. I went from tusQ to tusK on the Morgan and it was a step up. A friend of mine went from plastic to tusK and it was a big leap.

Of course one man's meat is another's poison and it may be that you prefer, say, micarta to, say, fossilised ivory.

Going either route (ivory or tusq/micarta) from common or garden plastic is going to be a big jump in tone & sustain

Danny-B

Shawn does excellent work, I've been sending my guitars to him for about a year and a half now. A meticulous craftsman, and a wonderful man ?

shaunf

+1 to all said. He's a great guy.

guitarboy2828

Anyone considered getting a custom built guitar from him? I'm very keen to get an acoustic built by him.. I played one of his, great sounding and playing guitar! ?