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The Ellastone Special
LIKE COURSES AT a cordon bleu feast, British luthiers keep a comin’.
This month we unearth the talents of Northworthy. Jerry Uwins looks
at an example of their work... and wants to take his plate back
for more!
NORTHWORTHY ELLASTONE SPECIAL
Northworthy - after the pre-Viking name for Derbyshire where the
workshop is based. Company founder Alan, a model-engineering hobbyist
and former engineer, built his first acoustic in 1982 and now makes
around 20 a year.
Most sales to date have been through word of mouth on the local
folk and Christian music scenes, but Northworthy users include John
Renbourn, and George Harrison had a ukulele built for him some time
ago.
Having seen a selection of Northworthy's, their modus operandi seems
to be to take standard designs and adapt them. The Ellastone Special
certainly fits into this scheme of things. The top half of the body
has dreadnought-style shouldering while the lower bouts are Jumbo-like
in width and profile the two portions Joined, as it were, to give
a squat, wide-waisted look. The rim depth is a semi-deep, 113mm
max.
The shape is a purposeful one, allowing the bridge to be placed
using what Alan refers to as the five elevenths principal’:
i.e. five elevenths of the distance between the centre of the soundhole
and the base of the guitar. ‘The sweet spot,’ he says.
Fullness and presence are priorities too. The quarter-sawn braces
under the top-grade solid sitka spruce top (with so much lateral
patterning that it could almost be called figured) are left unscalloped
in the centre and very finely tapered at the ends in the interests
of brightness and edge. The top is thinner than that of the standard
Ellastone, and the X-bracing moved towards the soundhole both factors
in giving a livelier, more played-in sound from new. The bridge
pins are solid brass, which gives, says Alan, a more substantial
mechanical fit between strings and bridge, also providing more mass
where it’s wanted. ‘The result is more sustain and extra
brightness.’
The back and sides are solid Indian rosewood, the back pre-braced
to a 15 ft
radius swell, the ribs sanded to match this cross-section before
gluing. Alan reckons this not only minimises unwanted stress but
helps take out some of the tonal hardness, which can be a not entirely
desirable characteristic of rosewood. (Note that the Ellastone is
also available as the Wyaston a similar, albeit plainer guitar with
cedar top and mahogany back)
As the Special, this Ellastone Is nicely spec’d-up cosmetically.
The front is bound in a rosewood-edged herringbone pattern, the
back is centre-lined, the soundhole rosette and peghead motif are
inlaid with abalone. This is a plastic-free zone- all bindings are
wood or fibre, the nut and saddle bone. The finish is all-over gloss
twin-peck polyurethane, immaculately applied to ‘the minimum
workable thickness for a very high gloss.’
Northworthy necks are distinctive; this one — a customer’s
guitar — is more distinctive than most. Normally, the recipe
is 44mm at the nut widening to a string-spacing at the bridge of
55.5mm, a flattish, moderate and constant-depth section of around
20.5-21mm, and a nominally 25" scale length. Our sample keeps
with the nut, scale and depth dimensions (the latter perhaps flattening
more in feel towards the heel), but broadens out considerably to
give an ever-so-airy string-spacing at the bridge of 62mm, the widest
on a steel 6-string you’re ever likely to come across.
It feels unnervingly wide initially but is actually great for fingerpicking
and, anyway, it’s hard to criticise a particular player’s
preference. That aside, I love the shallow constant-depth feel,
one Incidental benefit — Alan was keen to point out —
being fast capo shifts since the capo can be set to the same notch
wherever it’s needed.
Materials-wise the neck is cedar, unusual for a steel-strung acoustic
but a wood the company uses for most of their rosewood-backed instruments
(mahogany backs are paired with mahogany necks). The neck - with
double-action truss rod - is scarfed under the headstock: not an
economy measure but to enhance strength at the most vulnerable point.
For this reason, too, the peghead capping of ziracote (similar to
rosewood) is quite thick at approx. 2.5mm.
The 20-fret fingerboard is Jet-black, ebony-bound ebony, Sri Lankan
or Vietnamese, dot inlaid with mother of pearl and with lowish wide-oval
frets polished to mirror-like smoothness. The Inspiration for these
came from a Gibson acoustic Alan used to own. ‘It’s
a personal preference; I find they’re more comfortable and
last longer. You can have thinner ones if you want. It’s like
the radius: 11" Is standard, but we do 16 for those who want
a flatter board.’ Where most makers use a standard tapered
dovetail neck joint -~ Northworthy use a flat heel joint on all
their guitars. ‘With modern glues it’s stronger, and
we’ve never had one move.Actually, you have to be more accurate
when cutting for a flat joint — dovetails can be packed and
shimmed if they’re not quite right first time.’
Sounds
My liking for rosewood-backed guitars has taken a knock In recent
times thanks to a couple of recent, rather brash review Instruments,
but this Northworthy utterly restores my faith. It’s big and
bold (projection is even better from the player’s perspective);
the body of the sound delightfully balances a resilient, zesty attack
with sweetness and a fluid sustain, and the definition of the fulsome
yet controlled bottom end is among the best I’ve heard on
any acoustic.
It’s like all the sonic elements that Alan Marshall has sought
to unlock have come together In a nigh-on perfect alchemy. This
is played-in class — world class!
Northworthy Ellastone Special
British made medium/large body acoustic. Herringbone bound solid
sitka spruce top, solid Indian rosewood back and sides. Scarfed
cedar neck with 20 fret bound ebony fingerboard. Sonokeling (rosewood)
bridge with brass bridge pins. Bone nut and saddle, gold plated
tuners.
Options: Ellastone Std - subtle construction variations and plainer
cosmetics. Wyaston - similar but with cedar top/mahogany back and
sides. Norbury Special - similar to Special but with three piece
Rio rosewood back.
Range options: Spruce/rosewood: Mayfield - classic-derived medium
body; Tideswell - dreadnought; Carsington - like Mayfield but wider
below waist and longer body. Cedar/mahogany versions are, respectively:
Alport; Radbourne; Mappleton. Electro versions available on all
models using the customers' choice of pickup system.
Left-hand options: All models at no extra cost.
Finish Gloss: or satin natural (same price)
Various qualities and styles of case available, including specially
made, fitted fibreglass in a variety of colours.
Dimensions
Scale length 634mm (24.96")
Width of neck at nut 44mm
Width of neck at 12th fret 56.5mm*
String spacing at nut 37mm
String spacing at bridge 62.5mm*
Action as supplied at 12th fret (treble) 1.5mm
Action as supplied at 12th fret (bass) 2.7mm
Maximum rim depth 113mm
Maximum body width 409mm
Fingerboard radius 11 inches
Weight (approx.) 4.5lbs (2.04kg.)
Please note that dimensions marked * are unique to this instrument.
British classic?
Northworthy's Ellastone is an interesting, non-standard size, combining
elements of dreadnought and jumbo.
Reproduced with kind permission of Link House Publications and Jerry
Uwins. T.G.M.Thanks to Neil Hudson of Harp & Carpe, Ashbourne
for the loan of his Ellastone Special.
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