To sum up this brand new 2017 Mountain Song Odalisque from Ken Jones in a few words: rich dynamism, ringing clarity, finely honed and opened up. Commissioned by one of our longtime clients, Odalisque #023 has every feature under the sun short of multiple necks or a multiscale fingerboard. No, really: dual bevels for the player’s arm and ribs, upper bout soundport, Tiger Myrtle back and sides, French Polished Moonspruce top, and an impressive display of Larry Robinson’s gifts as an inlay artist in the form of a fresh perspective on the traditional Tree of Life fretboard inlay. First Ken designed the Tree, then Larry executed it in fine style with Tiger Myrtle, gold and white Mother-Of-Pearl, and silver resin at the centers of the blossoms.
Acoustically, this Odalisque offers haunting clarity and the kind of immediate response that’s usually only found on completely opened up vintage instruments. The treble strings possess a bell-like color, and exhibit a delicious bloom after the initial attack which really fleshes out the sustain. Dropped tunings are bread and butter for this Odalisque; the bass fundamental is well-defined and really pops even when dropped down to C tunings. Frankly, it’s just a pleasure to play this guitar! From the Brazilian Rosewood bridge plate to the span of Robinson’s inlays across the fretboard, this Odalisque from Ken Jones is a study of lutherie’s finest points: resonance, response, and beauty.
Here’s an extra video with Paul Heumiller, with more details about this beautiful Odalisque: https://youtu.be/Tg_ZiQZ-Jvo
Here’s an additional demo the first time we had this MSG in the shop: https://youtu.be/yTv5P9WOcPQ.
Ken set a pretty high bar for himself with the first Odalisque I played, and he's managed to exceed my expectations with each new one. #023 is no exception. I'm a big fan of French Polished tops for maximum resonance, and combined with the glassy play feel and pianistic clarity make for a supreme fingerstyle guitar. This time Larry Robinson is on the bill, too, with that gorgeous interpretation of the Tree of Life inlaid into the fingerboard. 
I love the warmth in the bottom end, and the roundness of the trebles. A very sweet playing experience, and no surprise coming from our own Ken Jones. Add gorgeous tree of life inlays from Larry Robinson and heirloom-grade tonewoods, and you're looking at a slice of fingerstyle heaven. 
Ken Jones just keeps getting better and better. His skill as a builder is really world class and he has his own look and sound. Visually classy, and the sound is pure and balanced, perfect for strumming or fingerstyle. The neck profile fits nicely in the hand. Great work. | Scale Length | 25.4 in |
|---|---|
| Nut Width | 1.75 in |
| String Spacing | 2.25 in |
| Woods | Spruce - Moonspruce, Myrtlewood - Tiger Myrtle |
To sum up this brand new 2017 Mountain Song Odalisque from Ken Jones in a few words: rich dynamism, ringing clarity, finely honed and opened up. Commissioned by one of our longtime clients, Odalisque #023 has every feature under the sun short of multiple necks or a multiscale fingerboard
Ken set a pretty high bar for himself with the first Odalisque I played, and he's managed to exceed my expectations with each new one. #023 is no exception
I love the warmth in the bottom end, and the roundness of the trebles. A very sweet playing experience, and no surprise coming from our own Ken Jones
Ken Jones just keeps getting better and better. His skill as a builder is really world class and he has his own look and sound 