django49 8,536 Posted August 18, 2019 I am still very much in the downsize mode. but sometimes you have to move on something special or regret it....... Ron Thorn has a real talent for guitar building, and a great touch for inlays. Part of a series of 5 created 6 months or so before he went with the Fender Custom Shop. Autumn Leaves theme. A great "sunset" burst really highlight the quilted top. Not to mention a solid Brazilian rosewood neck. And the ThroBak pickups work beautifully. Something about the wrap tail too..... 18 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BubbaVO 3,289 Posted August 18, 2019 Wow. That top. That finish. What a beauty. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
django49 8,536 Posted August 18, 2019 (edited) While I am fessin' up....I did not exactly buy this one. A buddy got this one,. but hankered for a certain high end guitar I had, so he shipped it and a fair amount of cash in trade. This one does not show up in Ron's gallery. Apparently it was "work in progress" when he signed on with FCS and completed shortly thereafter. Korina neck and the same ThroBak pickups as on the Artisan (above). But it is a whole different animal. Hard to imagine too much better of a (slightly) "downsized" semi-hollow. All the praise offered up here for the Grantura model is confirmed in spades. Color changes with the light! ETA.....This is G-031, where only those up to G-025 (and some other specials) show up on the Thorn site. There is at least one after this one (I have that from a good source) so maybe they are slightly less scarce than they appear. I am not sure if it is a long term keeper, only because....... Edited August 19, 2019 by django49 5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kizanski 13,008 Posted August 18, 2019 16 minutes ago, django49 said: I am still very much in the downsize mode. but sometimes you have to move on something special or regret it....... The inlays are off center. 1 5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ArnieZ 1,490 Posted August 18, 2019 (edited) I knew when you went it would be all in! Have not played any other Thorn beside my Grantura. If that id any indication than the Artisan has to be incredibly good! gratuitous pic https://i.imgur.com/bm8Whlh.jpg Edited August 18, 2019 by ArnieZ 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gorch 5,133 Posted August 18, 2019 18 minutes ago, kizanski said: The inlays are off center. But still on the fretboard! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Shark 5,010 Posted August 18, 2019 Both are exemplary in every way. Not sure why I've never pulled the trigger on a Thorn. Someday... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kizanski 13,008 Posted August 18, 2019 Seriously, that's just spectacular. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrjamiam 2,805 Posted August 18, 2019 And just in time for the turn of the season! I'm looking forward to the snowflake inlay one you no doubt will be debuting in a couple of months. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Texsunburst59 807 Posted August 18, 2019 Congrats!!!! Both of those are killer looking guitars, but the 1st Double cut is just AMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZING!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lang 108 Posted August 18, 2019 What a gorgeous guitar! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sonic1974 581 Posted August 19, 2019 Super blingy but at the same time tasteful. Wow! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Studio Custom 3,228 Posted August 19, 2019 I makes me question the guitar industry when a guy as talented with a multi year backlog of work goes to work for the corporate giant. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Shark 5,010 Posted August 19, 2019 9 minutes ago, Studio Custom said: I makes me question the guitar industry when a guy as talented with a multi year backlog of work goes to work for the corporate giant. He may be making more money, have more help and have less responsibility. And guitars that everyone knows he made will still be created. Corporate giants don't suck just because they're corporate giants. Sometimes they improve the lifestyle of those involved. It's simple. Who knows. Ron might just start kicking out "Thorns" along with the Fender stuff. His creativity might only be stifled in the short term. He seems like a guy with a keen sense of the long view. I'm not sure he "sold out". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
django49 8,536 Posted August 19, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, The Shark said: He may be making more money, have more help and have less responsibility. And guitars that everyone knows he made will still be created. Corporate giants don't suck just because they're corporate giants. Sometimes they improve the lifestyle of those involved. It's simple. Who knows. Ron might just start kicking out "Thorns" along with the Fender stuff. His creativity might only be stifled in the short term. He seems like a guy with a keen sense of the long view. I'm not sure he "sold out". Yes to that. One conclusion is that he "sold out". I think not. Here is what I gather. Ron has been successful, even loved by a lot of owners. My limited interaction with him was amazing. What a nice guy! A friend who lives near him has has more direct experience and reports the same, times 3. Ron ran his own show for MANY years. Made a LOT of people very happy. But it is a grind running a business. Maybe even more so in SoCal. For a long time, he worked with his father. And, as good as Ron is with the inlays and such, apparently his father was better. Well, his father died a while ago, and things changed. The grind of running a business, meeting payroll (for a small number of employees) and actually HAVING A LIFE became more difficult. Maybe less fun. He had been doing a lot of work for the FCS, so this seemed like a natural progression to actually having a life. The downside to such as myself is that grabbing his "artistry" through FCS probably doubles the price.DAMN! BTW, the Artisan above just MIGHT be the second best Thorn, I have played. There was actually one followup to that series of 5, since he had enough of that spectacular finish left over for ONE more. As much as I love the "hifi" tone of that FAT BRW neck, the one with korina (black limba) body (chambered) and neck, one piece (You would not believe the depth!) quilt top and abalone reminiscent of the Artist Ultimate model. MIGHT be better than the one pictured above. I will just leave this by saying it MIGHT have the most luscious sustain of any guitar I have ever played..... . Edited August 19, 2019 by django49 5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HAMERMAN 683 Posted August 19, 2019 Very pretty! I like the inlays - I haven't seen anything else like that before. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Shark 5,010 Posted August 19, 2019 8 hours ago, django49 said: Yes to that. One conclusion is that he "sold out". I think not. Here is what I gather. Ron has been successful, even loved by a lot of owners. My limited interaction with him was amazing. What a nice guy! A friend who lives near him has has more direct experience and reports the same, times 3. Ron ran his own show for MANY years. Made a LOT of people very happy. But it is a grind running a business. Maybe even more so in SoCal. For a long time, he worked with his father. And, as good as Ron is with the inlays and such, apparently his father was better. Well, his father died a while ago, and things changed. The grind of running a business, meeting payroll (for a small number of employees) and actually HAVING A LIFE became more difficult. Maybe less fun. He had been doing a lot of work for the FCS, so this seemed like a natural progression to actually having a life. The downside to such as myself is that grabbing his "artistry" through FCS probably doubles the price.DAMN! BTW, the Artisan above just MIGHT be the second best Thorn, I have played. There was actually one followup to that series of 5, since he had enough of that spectacular finish left over for ONE more. As much as I love the "hifi" tone of that FAT BRW neck, the one with korina (black limba) body (chambered) and neck, one piece (You would not believe the depth!) quilt top and abalone reminiscent of the Artist Ultimate model. MIGHT be better than the one pictured above. I will just leave this by saying it MIGHT have the most luscious sustain of any guitar I have ever played..... . I seem to remember that one from TGP or somewhere. It might have been on Ron's site. And thanks for the back-story. I just assumed, from experience, that he'd made a life/career change to facilitate one or all of the changes you mentioned. I've had many clients over the years turn about face from their path. Some were successful and some were not. Planning and reasonable expectations are usually what breeds success. Something tells me that we've not heard the last of "Thorn" guitars. And yes, they will be more money!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LordsoftheJungle 1,207 Posted August 19, 2019 19 hours ago, django49 said: I am still very much in the downsize mode. but sometimes you have to move on something special or regret it....... Ron Thorn has a real talent for guitar building, and a great touch for inlays. Part of a series of 5 created 6 months or so before he went with the Fender Custom Shop. Autumn Leaves theme. A great "sunset" burst really highlight the quilted top. Not to mention a solid Brazilian rosewood neck. And the ThroBak pickups work beautifully. Something about the wrap tail too..... That's my favorite Thorn guitar, and he set a very high bar. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Studio Custom 3,228 Posted August 19, 2019 10 hours ago, The Shark said: He may be making more money, have more help and have less responsibility. And guitars that everyone knows he made will still be created. Corporate giants don't suck just because they're corporate giants. Sometimes they improve the lifestyle of those involved. It's simple. Who knows. Ron might just start kicking out "Thorns" along with the Fender stuff. His creativity might only be stifled in the short term. He seems like a guy with a keen sense of the long view. I'm not sure he "sold out". And I never implied he did. Having grown up in a family business, I am very aware of the various family dynamics. It is possible Ron stayed the course because his father was there and helping, once he passed, there was no longer a reason to continue that path. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SSII x 2 409 Posted August 19, 2019 Insane Brazilian neck on that! Congrats! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BTMN 3,905 Posted August 19, 2019 Yummy! That is a great looking machine! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Punkavenger 1,212 Posted August 19, 2019 Holy Moly! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
burningyen 1,743 Posted August 19, 2019 Ron's work is consistently stunning. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
