{"id":132501,"date":"2022-09-04T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-04T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/?p=132501"},"modified":"2023-05-31T20:10:02","modified_gmt":"2023-06-01T03:10:02","slug":"rick-turners-personal-2007-compass-rose-model-guitar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/rick-turners-personal-2007-compass-rose-model-guitar\/","title":{"rendered":"Great Acoustics: Rick Turner\u2019s Personal 2007 Compass Rose Guitar Speaks to His Forward-Thinking Style"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>From the \u201chippie sandwich\u201d electric basses and guitars that he made with Alembic in the 1970s to the acoustic-electric Renaissance guitars and Compass Rose acoustics and ukuleles he began building in the \u201990s, the late luthier and repair guru Rick Turner found inspiration in the past while exploring new technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter\" data-effect=\"slide\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container\"><ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\"><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"1024\" alt=\"Rick-Turner-Compass-Rose-acoustic-guitar-front-photo-Jenn-Chan\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-132473\" data-id=\"132473\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-147.jpg?resize=684%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-147.jpg?resize=684%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 684w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-147.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-147.jpg?resize=401%2C600&amp;ssl=1 401w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-147.jpg?w=750&amp;ssl=1 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 684px) 100vw, 684px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Rick Turner&#8217;s. 2007 Compass Rose, Photo: Jenn Chan<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"1024\" alt=\"Rick-Turner-Compass-Rose-acoustic-guitar-back-photo-Jenn-Chan\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-132472\" data-id=\"132472\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-174.jpg?resize=684%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-174.jpg?resize=684%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 684w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-174.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-174.jpg?resize=401%2C600&amp;ssl=1 401w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-174.jpg?w=750&amp;ssl=1 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 684px) 100vw, 684px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Back, Photo: Jenn Chan<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"501\" alt=\"Rick-Turner-Compass-Rose-acoustic-guitar-detail-photo-Jenn-Chan\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-132471\" data-id=\"132471\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-182.jpg?resize=750%2C501&#038;ssl=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-182.jpg?w=750&amp;ssl=1 750w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-182.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-182.jpg?resize=600%2C401&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-182.jpg?resize=360%2C240&amp;ssl=1 360w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Photo: Jenn Chan<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"501\" alt=\"Rick-Turner-Compass-Rose-acoustic-guitar-headstock-photo-Jenn-Chan\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-132475\" data-id=\"132475\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-114.jpg?resize=750%2C501&#038;ssl=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-114.jpg?w=750&amp;ssl=1 750w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-114.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-114.jpg?resize=600%2C401&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-114.jpg?resize=360%2C240&amp;ssl=1 360w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Headstock, Photo: Jenn Chan<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"563\" alt=\"Rick-Turner-Compass-Rose-acoustic-guitar-carbon-fiber-neck-bracing--photo-Jenn-Chan\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-132481\" data-id=\"132481\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/IMG_5290.jpg?resize=750%2C563&#038;ssl=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/IMG_5290.jpg?w=750&amp;ssl=1 750w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/IMG_5290.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/IMG_5290.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Carbon fiber neck bracing, Photo: Jenn Chan<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"1000\" alt=\"Rick-Turner-Compass-Rose-acoustic-guitar-pre-amp-battery-pack-photo-Jenn-Chan\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-132479\" data-id=\"132479\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/IMG_5299.jpg?resize=750%2C1000&#038;ssl=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/IMG_5299.jpg?w=750&amp;ssl=1 750w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/IMG_5299.jpg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/IMG_5299.jpg?resize=450%2C600&amp;ssl=1 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Pre-amp battery pack, Photo: Jenn Chan<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Turner created many unique <a href=\"https:\/\/reverb.grsm.io\/ag?query=rick%20turner%20compass\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Compass Rose acoustics<\/a> (even going so far as to design one for Antarctica\u2019s extreme environment). The example here, regarded as among his finest, was the luthier\u2019s personal guitar and a showcase of both his bold concepts and skilled execution. It features a jumbo body with a Russian spruce top, Cambodian rosewood back and sides, and a Honduran mahogany neck. Distinctive signature details include an arrowhead-shaped headstock and a bridge inspired by Baroque-era lutes. But a look through the side soundport shows an interior teeming with Turner\u2019s most recent innovations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Much of the spruce bracing is laminated with carbon-fiber strips, making it stronger and lighter than the solid wooden type. Four carbon-fiber rods anchor the neck block to the middle bouts to support the neck, which is floating. Turner based the neck on Howe-Orme instruments from the 1890s. The neck and fingerboard are cantilevered over the body for greater vibrating surface area; a clever mechanism permits adjusting the neck angle and string height with an Allen wrench, precluding the need for future neck resets.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBecause its bracing is reinforced with carbon fiber, Dad was able to build the guitar fairly light for a jumbo,\u201d says Ethan Turner, the guitar maker\u2019s son and the instrument\u2019s current caretaker. \u201cThis made for a very resonant guitar with a big, punchy sound. I love recording with it because you can point a mic almost anywhere at the body and achieve great tone.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr><div style=\"display: inline-block; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; margin: -5px 5% 0px 5%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.acousticguitar.com\/collections\/back-issues\/products\/no-336-september-october-2022\"><br><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 150px; height: 198px; margin: 0px 20px 10px 0px;\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/AG336-cover-150px.jpg?w=1290&#038;ssl=1\"><\/a>\n<p style=\"font-family: sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 15px 0px;\">This article originally appeared in the <a href=\"https:\/\/store.acousticguitar.com\/collections\/back-issues\/products\/no-336-september-october-2022\">September\/October 2022<\/a> issue of <em>Acoustic Guitar<\/em> magazine.<\/p>\n<\/div> <br clear=\"all\"><hr>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.acousticguitar.com\/products\/acoustic-guitar-care-maintenance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/acoustic-guitar-care-maintenance-lessons.png?resize=600%2C200&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"acoustic guitar care &amp; maintenance - keep your guitar in perfect playing condition\" class=\"wp-image-122577\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/acoustic-guitar-care-maintenance-lessons.png?w=600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/acoustic-guitar-care-maintenance-lessons.png?resize=300%2C100&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rick Turner created many unique Compass Rose acoustics, but this one\u2014regarded as among his finest\u2014was the luthier\u2019s personal guitar and a showcase of both his bold concepts and skilled execution. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":132471,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"Rick Turner created many unique Compass Rose acoustics, but this one\u2014regarded as among his finest\u2014was the luthier\u2019s personal guitar and a showcase of both his bold concepts and skilled execution. ","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1147],"tags":[524,1516],"ppma_author":[1556],"class_list":["post-132501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guitarmakers-and-guitarmaking","tag-great-acoustics","tag-september-october-2022"],"blocksy_meta":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Turner-CompassRose-182.jpg?fit=750%2C501&ssl=1","authors":[{"term_id":1556,"user_id":12,"is_guest":0,"slug":"greg-olwellstringletter-com","display_name":"Greg Olwell","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5e8dada80c5c5ebffe48b5a4cfd35f33?s=96&d=mm&r=g","user_url":"","last_name":"Olwell","first_name":"Greg","job_title":"","description":"Greg Olwell is <i>Acoustic Guitar<\/i>'s editor-at-large. He plays upright bass in several bands in the San Francisco Bay Area and also enjoys playing ukulele and guitar."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132501","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=132501"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132501\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":136798,"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132501\/revisions\/136798"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/132471"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=132501"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=132501"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=132501"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=132501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}