#14-15 completed

This is a matched pair for a duo. Unfortunately the photos came out really poor as I made them in a big hurry. Better closeup can be found in the construction post. Maybe I will manage to update them later, same for the sound samples. The clip is Danza de la Pastora by Ernesto Halffter, the player’s own transcription. It is very recent and a work in progress at a slower tempo. The guitars only had strings on for a day. The recording is made with a Zoom H4 placed not so ideally on the floor.

Most of the wood used came in sister sets: tops, backs, necks, bracing, headplates and so on. The bridges are not sister cuts (which I had) but instead I picked the lowest damping Madagascar I had and the blanks were matched in pitch and density. The bracing is Bouchet style. I am very pleased that the guitars sound similar and blend in very well.

-tops: master grade Austrian spruce
-backs and sides: purple Indian rosewood
-necks: high density Spanish cedar with 12 years old ebony fingerboards
-bridges and headplates: Madagascar rosewood.

#13 completed

Number 13 completed, a few photos and a clip.

-Austrian spruce top with meander rosette; Madagascar rosewood bridge
-cedar neck with rosewood reinforcement, ebony fingerboard, figured Madagascar rosewood headplate
-Indian rosewood back and sides.

The bracing is my Spanish type based on the Torres and Hauser tradition.

The wood for #20

These are the pieces for my #20, which is scheduled to be built autumn 2012. The top is finest grade (and taptone) red cedar. This cedar is cut from reclaimed logs, old dead trees off the forest floor north of Vancouver. The back and sides are Macassar ebony (from Sulawesi island, Indonesia). The recipient is crazy about collecting instruments. He has an old cello, about 100 years old, so much played that the fingerboard was all worn out and needed replacement. The luthier gave it back to the owner who in turn gave it me, “maybe I could use it for something”. Instantly I thought it would do great for a 3-piece headplate on his commission. The wood is quite striped, perhaps it is even Asian rather than African ebony so it will match the back perfectly. Just to keep with the ancient theme, I might use some of my 100y old Jamaican mahogany for the neck!

Some recent additions to the wood stash

A set of quartersawn Madagascar set with a bit of sapwood. Plain grain but a beautiful, deep dark reddish brown color. Slight black striping figure on the sides.

A set of quartersawn Amazon RW, very nice reddish brown color.

A group of two African Blackwood fingerboards (lower right) quartersawn and of exceptional grain, and six “bois de rose” Madagascar rosewood fingerboards – excellent taptone and moderate density, a perfect match to a denser neck such as mahogany or sapele. Bois de rose soon oxidizes to near black becoming almost indistinguishable from ebony.

#11 completed photos

A few quick and dirty photos of #11 completed, European spruce and quartersawn figured Madagascar rosewood.

Some wonderful Spanish cypress

A new set of beautiful cypress arrived from Spain. The grain is as tight as on fine spruce, with lots of silk, and the smell is amazingly strong. Cypress is still considered by most as the flamenco guitar wood. However, it can make a great classical same as maple or walnut can, bringing a delicate and sweet quality for the trebles. The cypress is also a (visual) symbol of the Mediterranean world, and one of my favorite timbers and trees.

Construction started #14-15

This is a twin pair, Bouchet bracing, I am building for my dear friends, guitar duo Alexandra Petrisor and Dragos Horghidan. All wood, even the necks and fingerboards, is cut from the same log. To start with, here are the soundboards and backs, ready to be prepared for joining. I am particularly happy with the spruce (same I used for my successful #11), free of runout, very well quartered, even grained. The rosewood is glassy sounding, strong purple color.

One surprise is a new rosette design I drawn and which we eagerly anticipate seeing in real.

In order to see the photo descriptions, use right-click and open in a new window as the new wordpress gallery only shows the photos an no text.

Granados’ poetry (and Tedesco’s)

Today my friends Alexandra and Dragos visited carrying their teacher’s guitar, my #6, Bouchet style, carbon strings. I have here my #8 for setup, Torres style, nylon and I captured them playing a few pieces on these two instruments. Unfortunately there is some nasty noise coming from a rebellious cable which pretty much ruined the session.

This section from Granados’ first poetic valse is acceptable though.

And the second movement from Tedesco’s Sonatina Canonica.

#13 construction

Started #13, fine grade Austrian spruce and Indian rosewood, fan bracing, double purfling. Photos will be added as progress is made.

#11 has strings and sounds great :D

Yesterday I put strings on #11, my 4th Bouchet style guitar. I am typically restrained about my guitars – I hate praising them as this should only be done by others. But this one delivers so well I just can’t help myself. It has it all: power, dynamics, elegant and noble voice, clarity, wonderful chords… Maybe my happiest lutherie day so far

Here are two clips, Savarez strings, a bit of reverb. Interestingly, these are the same light reverb settings I always use but for this guitar they seems to add a lot more than usual.

A bit of impro trying to show the trebles and some of the harmonics.
random impro.

And some Bach butchering…
BWV 1003 Grave fragment