Tunnel 13 Redwood 到底是甚麼？
第一次中 Tunnel 13 Redwood 的劇毒，要由兩三年前的一個早上說起。那時剛剛從美國 Bourgeois 結他廠回到香港，有幸和 Dana 面對面地溝通，並得到他的親自幫我的 Custom 揀木。然後某天一覺訓醒，就看到朋友 Matt Chulka 的測評。竟是一支 Tunnel 13 Redwood 的結他！那個震憾到現在還是很深刻的。
Tunnel 13 是一條加洲的火車隧道，於 1880 年開通，全美國最後一宗火車劫案就是在這裡發生，相當著名，也相當不詳，因為這個劫案發生在 Tunnel 13，當日是 13th 號，死了 13 人。後來 2000 年就燒了，後面的紅木經歷了百餘年的自然風乾及火車的震盪，加上作為支撐隧道所擁有極強的剛性，用在結他上發出如老琴一樣的震憾音色，是一把穿越百年的聲音。
這個隧道大火劫後重新之木相當難找，我推掉了當日所日的事，也託了些美國朋友打聽，終於居然讓我找到了四塊，實在有幸運了。我為自己打造了一支 Bourgeois DB Signature DS-12 thin body，配上 Dana 的珍藏，彷如圖騰的 Spdier-web Cocobolo。短短一年內四支傳說級面板嘅結他也陸續抵港，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!