El McMeen Signature Model Guitar!

The “Tippin Bravado Contour El McMeen Series”

     We guitarists are living in a "Golden Age" of lutherie, with some  large companies, like the American icon C.F. Martin & Co., and small-shop builders making very fine instruments. In the case of small-shop builders, I have been playing for years wonderful instruments made by Nick Kukich of the Franklin Guitar Company, and Bill Tippin, of Tippin Guitars, and have toured and recorded with them.

      In the summer of 2009, I was discussing guitars with Bill Tippin. (I had recorded my CD called “The Lea Rig” with Bill’s OMT model.) What emerged from that discussion was the idea of an El McMeen Signature Model Guitar, which Bill and I would design and Bill would build! I was deeply honored by Bill’s respect for my music and me, and was appreciative of having the opportunity to work with such an elite builder as Bill on a guitar with his and my ideas for a great fingerstyle instrument.

       Bill’s largest model is his Bravado. It is a great guitar, which can be played fingerstyle, flat-picked, or strummed. I prefer a slightly shorter scale (25.5, versus the Bravado’s 25.7 scale). In addition, I favor a shallower jumbo (such as the Jumbo model of Nick Kukich, of Franklin Guitars), with a quick response, even across the fingerboard, and with a focused bass and powerful projected volume.

      Bill came up with an idea that met my desires and still preserved the distinctive Tippin guitar tone. He designed a contoured body-- shallower on the bass side than on the treble side. (For my prototype, I chose Bill’s select Santa Maria Mahogany for the back and sides, and a Carpathian Spruce top.). Bill  re-braced the guitar to reflect the contoured shape. He suggested a subtle black and abalone body binding, rosette, and back stripe. The bridge is Brazilian Rosewood, beautifully sculpted. The fingerboard is ebony, and there is no name on anything but the labels inside.

      The model is gorgeous and I have ordered and received another one - this time with Brazilian Rosewood back and sides. Pics are below.

     Bill and I are excited about the guitar, especially for fingerstyle, and we have made further refinements in the model, including deepening the contour.

Bill’s website is www.tippinguitars.com, and guitarists can reach Bill by phone at 781-631-5749 (fax: 781-639-0934).

I hope that you enjoy the two musical tracks  that follow. They were recorded at my home -- the first, on the prototype mahogany/spruce model, and the xsecond, on the Brazilian model. Thanks to Marc Moss of Target Studios (www.targetstudios.com) for the mastering.