When Frank VanAlstine got his HT3's, his "girl Friday." Patty, just had to have a pair. She wanted a unique finish.
It just so happened that I had just purchased some very unique red gum veneer with a wide band of sapwood. Normally, sapwood would be trimmed off and only the heartwood would be used. But with this batch, the sapwood was extremely nice and showed some real promise.
So I did a book-match splice on some sample pieces and sent Patty a picture. She really seemed to like the effect, so we went to work. Natural cherry seemed to pick up some of the colors in the red gum, so we used that for the front baffles, trim and plinths. Here are the results:
And a close-up:
Since I was traveling to Minnesota for the Midwest Rock and Country Hall of Fame induction ceremonies (a band I was in as a youth was inducted), I was able to deliver these in person and meet Frank and Patty. We had a very enjoyable visit and I also had an opportunity to pick up an amp, pre-amp and DAC that Frank had built for me.
So now Patty will get a chance to enjoy her new HT3's and I will be able to put my pair through the paces with Franks great gear. More on that later...
Frank, you may want to indicate exactly which models of each you built for me. I am really looking forward to spending some time with this combination. I think it will be a perfect match for my HT3's.
Happy listening Patty!
- Jim
