測評｜Bourgeois Soloist 到底有咩咁神？

BOURGEOIS SOLOIST｜用家角度的真實測評

半年後，因為要彈 “紅蓮華”，終於有時間和這支簽名琴相處一下。Bourgeois Guitars 被稱為”北美四大手工琴”之一，入門價為四千美金以上。而 Soloist 的地位，如同 Daytona 於 Rolex 中存在，堪稱為一個品牌的重要支柱。這個型號亦幾乎是 OM 資深發燒友的最終收藏品。
Soloist 對很多人來說都是傳說，往往只聞樓梯響，網上資源亦不多。於我成立峰弦峰語十周年之日，有幸成為其中一支的主人，也足以稱為此生無悔。作為為數不多的用家，我有責任將這份心意傳承下去，讓大家一睹他的真面目。

LiSA 紅蓮華｜結他 Fingerstyle

穿越三十年的型號｜名副其實親生仔

甚麼是 Soloist ? 讓我們回到時間 1988 年。於美國經濟大蕭條之際，Dana 和他的拍擋 Eric 向當時的 Martin Guitars 提議重造一批二戰前的復古型號 OM，並且加入當時來說設計非常大膽的 Cutaway。結果幾年後這個設計風行全球，各地結他廠爭相推出相同的桶形。而 Dana 通過幾年來不幾改良，讓這個缺角設計還原到絕大部份的音色，亦讓 Dana 被某些報導形容為 “OM Cutaway 之父”，”結他界的文藝復興推手”。
及後 Dana 為了紀念這個 OM Cutaway 的誕生，用上最好的木材（傳奇底側板巴玫是基本，及後改成馬玫）和那一絲不苟的匠心做出來的 OM Cutaway，就命名為 Soloist。至今這個型號已有三十年的歷史，是名副其實的 “親生仔”。
Soloist，具體來說是一支怎樣的琴？如果你打開 Bourgeois 官網發現，原來 Soloist 不像我們所想，有固定的木材配搭。當然，除了一樣的基本裝飾，你很少會見到兩支 Soloist 會是一模一樣的。面板，底側板，甚至 Body 通通都不同。
直到上年我有幸受邀到美國參觀 Bourgeois 結他廠，我方真正體會到甚麼是 Soloist 。

意外的考驗｜和 Soloist 初次邂逅

記得上次旅程其中一個任務，就是打造一支屬於自己的 Bourgeois 。星期五早上，我和 Dana 以及 James (Sales Manager）在 office 閒聊，Dana 提出想認真聽我彈一次。雖然邀請突然其來，但幸好我出發前都略略準備過，於是我編了一首 Dana 鐘意的一首 Beetles 作品：Here, There and Everywhere （其實有拍埋片，有機會再睇下出唔出得街先）。
“It sounds great on you.” 最後 Dana 如是說。他指住 Soloist 分析：”Soloist 制作核心，最重要是細節 (details) 和清晰度 (clarity)，是弦與弦間，珩與珩間的平衡，做 voicing 的時候必須加入這個想法。你在演奏風格和很多人不一樣，你很會用盡整個指板，Soloist 的全面性會讓你有更無後顧之憂，有更好的發揮。” James  也補充，Soloist 的分析力是幾乎其他型號沒有的。
要知道，一支分析力高的結他，意味著能帶出多種層次，及不同氣氛的還原度。但同樣地，一切不足都會被放大，容錯率將會很低很低，是一塊不折不扣的照妖鏡。Dana 這番說話，也就是無疑地挑戰我：”你，有信心做他的主人嗎？”

度身訂造｜每一格音色都注滿骨膠原

接下來大概是我結他生涯中其中一個最難忘的時刻：Dana 陪我一起揀木，研究設計！他據我的發揮為我挑選了一套熊爪紋的意大利雲衫作面板，配上馬達加斯加玫瑰木。據 James 說，這套甚至是 Dana 其中一套珍藏！”這套馬玫比很很多巴玫更像巴玫！”James 如是說。同時 Dana 將我的琴改為 LSH ( Large Soundhole，也是 Dana 另一個有名的設計），這樣做，音色雖然較快散開，不過有幾個好處，提升頻度間的分離度，同時讓低頻有更好的下潛度，以及即使我加上如 Sunrise 這種音孔 Pickup，音量也有足夠的投射性（也有一個 side benefit 的，擴大了的音孔讓我拆 Sunrise 時甚至不用鬆一條弦！）
大家如果留意到，紅蓮華的 Tuning 是 AAEF#BE。你沒看錯，是真的把六弦的 E 降到 A 了，一般結他降到這個張力，不要說聲音好，就連維持這個音的力度也成問題。而我的 Soloist 於此低張力下不僅能維持這個低頻的，更絲毫無損他的飽滿感。一個小小的 OM Body，居然有可以媲美 Dreadnought 的低頻下潛度，是我之前彈過的 OM  都沒有體會過。更驚喜之處，他的高把位也是飽滿通透的，就像某個護膚品廣告一樣：”每一格音色都注滿骨膠原”。

後記｜最後，到底誰才真的 Soloist？

從來結他，越高把位（有效弦距短）聲音越啞，越後越明顯（所以很多結他的超高把位可用程度甚低）。而 Soloist 彷如坐擁違反物理角度的黑科技，高把位盡如平地，無論音色和力量都和低把位無異。記得這支琴抵港那一天，日本殿堂級 Pickup 大師 M-factory 的三好先生也在香港作客。他如此評價過 Soloist：”能到達這個層次的日本制結他，大概不足 5%。”當然日本結他也盡皆精品，只是三好先生這句話，強如他見識廣博，也對 Soloist 讚嘆不已。
回到主題，說到底，Soloist 是甚麼？如果要形容 Soloist 是一支結他，我更認為 Soloist 是一個靈魂，一分執著。製作者執著於完美的平均性和無懈可擊的細節，而主人則執著於將他完美地駕御。
從來高處不勝寒，能堅持的人都是少數，本來就是孤獨的。或許這代表著，能和這個型號二合為一的人，才是真真正正的 “SOLOIST”？

by LONG FUNG T.

測評｜Tunnel 13 Redwood 家族又多兩個新成員

香港 Tunnel 13 Redwood 家族

Tunnel 13 Redwood 毒性持續曼延，到今日我支 Tunnel 13 Redwood DS12 已經多咗兩個細佬妹啦。連第四支都準備出世，短短一年內四支傳說級面板嘅結他抵港，速度之快，連 Bourgeois 果邊都嚇一跳。

我諗起一年前去 Bourgeois 廠，
我同自己講，我要將最好嘅嘢帶返黎香港，係因為，香港真係仲有好多好有心嘅結他手。佢哋值得，值得擁有最好。

我做到了。

Last year I was waken by a YouTube notification in a sunday morning, and watching my friend Matthew Chulka guitar’s review. 2 mins later, my drowsiness was all vanished and I jumped out of my bed. I still didn’t believe what I just heard, especially the review was just playing through phone speaker only!

That’s the magic. Tunnel 13 Redwood, welcome to my life.

It’s so rare in market (I was told there may be only around 100 sets in the world). I was very lucky to obtain this legendary grade of tonewood, the greatest part in which I believe is this serve as a support of Tunnel structure before the fire. This set of “survivors” was straightly sent to Bourgeois Guitars, pairing with a set of heavily figured master-grade of cocobolo which I picked during the Factory visit. And 3 months later, this beauty is knocking my door.

This is the first Tunnel 13 guitar Bourgeois even built, and the result is really astonishing. Unlike cedar or traditional redwood, the stiffness of this beauty is so high, resulting extra boost of volume and crisp high end articulation in a woody tone. It’s rarely seen in a redwood top guitar before, at least, not my experience.

Yesterday 2 siblings ordered by my students were just arrived. Same spec (T13 + Coco), different body and different taste of “balance” (It’s hard to find a Bourgeois Guitar with an unbalance tone, I could conclude that after trying around 100 Bourgeois Guitars overall). Everyone is chilled in this unboxing night.

The fourth one is coming this year again, it’s the last set of my collection already. As we both know, legendary stuff won’t last forever. Sad, but true.

Thank you Dana Bourgeois for building this entire Tunnel 13 Redwood family. And thanks Matthew Chulka for your inspiring reviews!

by LONG FUNG T.

測評｜Kinglam 首測 Bourgeois Vintage OM

第一支抵港嘅行貨 Bourgeois Guitars

今日介紹一支Bourgeois guitar，呢支Vintage OM除左係第一支黎到studio既Bourgeois guitar之外，仲係佢地 2019 NAMM Collection其中一支！聽阿峰講，呢支琴因為好代表到 Bourgeois Guitars 嘅音色，加上又非常有紀念價值，所以佢已經列咗呢支琴為非賣品。等大家可以上黎隨時感受到呢支結他嘅威力，又可以借俾我哋呢班徒弟錄音。

簡單講下支結他既配置先。面板係用Adirondack Spruce，俗稱紅雲杉。而背側就用 Indian rosewood。另外值得一提係呢支結他起bracing, finishing同埋animal protein glue上都選用左aged tone呢個option。

到峰弦商店查看更多

她的聲音有種很「化」的感覺

根據以上資料，大概會想像到佢既聲音會係點。首先，OM桶型結他中高頻會較突出，低頻較弱，而且音量較細，比較適合指法或演奏曲。但選用Adirondack Spruce Top，可以令聲音有所不同。其聲音特性是音量大、動態較闊，而且不會因為大力彈奏而影響清晰度，所以可以補償OM桶型音量較小的問題。另外，因為其為戰前結他常用的面板，再配合aged tone，預期除了外型有vintage guitar的味道外，聲音上亦會有，適合彈奏的類型應該大大增加。

好，實際彈奏後感覺又如何呢？坦白說，第一次彈的時候沒有太大驚喜。但經過彈奏開聲後，慢慢發現很多討好的地方。首先，六條線非常平均以及清晰，很適合用作錄音。其次，一支OM桶型結他音量及低頻居然都有很好的表現，量很足夠而且不減清晰度(錄音時甚至覺得低頻太多) 另外，亦是我最喜歡的一點，她的聲音有種很「化」的感覺，這應該就是aged tone的效果。最後不得不提對於身型細小既我黎講，彈得好舒服之餘，又唔需要放棄音色，同埋Vintage model真係好靚！

如果想聽聽用佢黎彈獨奏既聲音，可以去聽下我彈盧廣仲既《明仔載》，謝謝大家。

盧廣仲｜明仔載 Guitar Fingerstyle

by Kinglam C.

消息｜傳奇級品牌 Bourgeois Guitars 向世界介紹峰弦峰語

專業｜以初心，守護初心

十年後，峰弦峰語由小小的劏房教室，到今日衝出國際。

峰弦峰語 FUNGUITAR 成為香港嘅 Bourgeois Guitars 獨家經銷商，亦係全香港首間直接引入北美四大手工結他嘅本土品牌。在此感謝 Bourgeois Guitars 嘅支持，我哋將會一直以初心及專業態度去教育及推廣 Fingerstyle guitar，同時守護住我哋每一個品牌。

從來我最大嘅願望，都係為咗令到每位學生，舊學生為曾經加入峰弦峰語而覺得慶幸和自豪。深深領略到，惟有不斷進步，先對得住身邊默默支持嘅朋友。所以呢幾年就算冇咩再彈歌俾大家聽，教務及對外嘅工作都已經令我不勝負荷。

或者簡單啲諗，我只係想證明，我哋香港人，一樣都做得到；只要有心，就算係呢個彈丸之地，彈本土粵語作品，一樣都可以得同國際嘅認同。

要令全世界認識咩係香港人，就靠我哋每一位了。

全文如下

Bourgeois Guitars is pleased to announce the addition of our newest international dealer, FUNGUITAR, in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Started in 2009, FUNGUITAR is a renowned guitar school founded by Long Fung Tam, a Hong Kong native and fingerstyle musician widely known for solo guitar arrangements and performances. The school is attended by over 300 students who are mentored by a team of accomplished professional teachers.

In celebration of their 10th anniversary, FUNGUITAR decided to branch out into the retail guitar business. Long’s objective is to offer students and local guitar enthusiasts a greater variety of high end fingerstyle guitars than what is presently available in Hong Kong. On a recent trip to the US where he was researching high end guitar brands, Long encountered and fell in love with Bourgeois Guitars. In his words, “Bourgeois guitars consistently stood out, exhibiting ideal balance and clarity for fingerstyle playing”. As a result of this experience, in December of 2018 FUNGUITAR became the first Direct Importer of Bourgeois Guitars in Hong Kong.

In March of 2019, Long was invited to the Bourgeois Guitars’ shop in Lewiston, Maine. During his week-long visit, he learned how Bourgeois guitars are created, maintained and repaired. Long also collected and produced an abundance of promotional videos, photographs and interviews with Dana and the crew at Bourgeois Guitars.

While he was on site at Bourgeois, Long took advantage of a unique opportunity to select the wood for a number of initial orders, including a 12-Fret Slope D and a customized Soloist and for his own personal use.

Long envisions establishing a collection of directly imported, custom fingerstyle guitars that reflect the wide variety of models, tonewoods, and options available to fingerstyle players through the Bourgeois line. FUNGUITAR’S first major shipment of guitars is scheduled to arrive in August, and will be accompanied by a party hosted by Long and FUNGUITAR in celebration of the event. The festivities will be publicized on funguitar.com.hk. Be sure to keep an eye on FUNGUITAR’S Instagram and YouTube feeds as well.

FUNGUITAR is the Sole Authorized Dealer of Bourgeois Guitars in the Hong Kong Special Administrative District. We are pleased to welcome our new partners to the Bourgeois family of international dealerships, and look forward to collaborating with FUNGUITAR on the design and production of many exciting custom guitars.

 

https://bourgeoisguitars.net/…/bourgeois-guitars-welcomes-…/

by LONG FUNG T.