Pretty nervous! While I am fully confident that Kevin at IndyCraft will do complete justice to the finishing (lacquer) of L's guitar (known from here forward as MB#2 for Marcelo Barbero #2. That's to protect the new owner's privacy. ), turning over a piece of work into which you've invested 100s of hours, is pretty frightening. While I could have finished it myself, using french polish or a wipe-on finish, or even spray lacquer, after talking with Kevin, whose business is finishing wood, I decided to let a professional do it. IndyCraft has the facilities, skills and equipment to do a really professional job on this special guitar and the chances of success in a really great finish are many, many times greater than my trying to do it in facilities which are not suitably equipped. While I have experience with french polish, it is not as durable as a lacquer finish and at this point, I lack suitable facilities to apply a really flawless finish, Take good care of my baby, Kevin. I am also looking forward to working with Kevin in the future on my projects as well as, perhaps a project for himself. In addition to being owner of IndyCraft, Kevin is a martial artist. I'm looking forward to getting to know him and the rest of the crew at IndyCraft better. When next we see MB#2, she should be even more beautiful. The construction went well, I believe the sound will be true and beautiful, and once the finish is on, it should truly be a world-class instrument.
Until, then
G'day
Friday, May 18, 2012
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Just a glimpse?....ooh OK
Well, I tried. I got a video to upload as a picture, but not. as a video. So sorry, I guess we'll just have to wait. Maybe soon.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
History of Barbero Guitar
Hi All, The purpose of tonights post is to chronicle the history of L's guitar, that is the original maker of the guitar which was measured for the plans used to make L's guitar. Let's start at the end and then I'll do a flashback to the original maker.
The end is that access to the guitar used for the pattern (also called the plantilla) was obtained by a luthier and guitar historian, Richard Brune'. Richard has studied the history of the modern classical and flamenco guitar such that he is recognized as a world expert. He has a workshop/store/museum in Evnston, IL, where I understand, he has a pretty sizable collection of historic instruments. Richard obtained access to, measured and drew up the plans and wrote a history of the instrument, which I will summarize for you here. In add.ition he restored the instrument to near original condition at some point.
On the plan, Brune' refers to the instrument as Sabicas' (sic) 1951 Marcelo Barbero guitar. In actuality, the guitar was made specifically for Carlos Montoya. In fact, it was inscribed inside by its maker, Barbero: "a mi amigo, Carlos Montoya. M. Barbero". Brune' was introduced to the instrument by its owner at the time, a Dr. Rober Schultz. I was apparently in pretty bad shape. Shultz had owned the guitar for some 40 years. He had obtained it from his teacher Fidel Zabal, in 1953. Zabal was a Spanish Gypsy who came to the US with his wife, a flamenco dancer. They performed in the US using this guitar for a short time before Shultz obtained it from him.
Zabal had been given the guitar by the famous flamenco player Sabicas, who had used it during the recording of a couple of albums entitled "Flamenco Puro." It was given to Zabal in exchange for some written transcriptions.
Until looking inside, Brune' had no knowledge of the fact that the guitar had been made for Carlos Montoya, from whom Sabicas obtained it.
About Marcelo Barbero: he is described as one of the most extraordinary guitar makers of the 20th century. He had learned much of his craft from the legendary Ramirez family. Barbero was reputed to have a practice of buying old wood furniture and using the wood for guitars. He apparently threw little of this away and it was used randomly in various parts of his guitars. Brune' considers this guitar to be the "defining" flamenco guitar of the 20th century, with the "perfect flamenco quality" sound.
Whether the guitar I've made for L measures up in any way to the original will remain to be seen as the guitar "plays in," matures and maybe gets some adjustments over time.
I've copied the Barbero guitar, as represented in Brune's plan, as truly as possible, but with some obvious and some not-so-obvious, but necessary exceptions. The most obvious is the use of Spanish Cedar for the neck, instead of mahogany. The purpose of this is to limit somewhat, the sustain, which should give the guitar a more flamenco like sound and should also provide for better balance, as it is lighter than mahogany. I will be providing the full specifications as well as a copy of this history, when I deliver the guitar.
Why don't you post some more pictures? Aaah yes, well there are some details I don't want to reveal yet. In due time.
G'day
The end is that access to the guitar used for the pattern (also called the plantilla) was obtained by a luthier and guitar historian, Richard Brune'. Richard has studied the history of the modern classical and flamenco guitar such that he is recognized as a world expert. He has a workshop/store/museum in Evnston, IL, where I understand, he has a pretty sizable collection of historic instruments. Richard obtained access to, measured and drew up the plans and wrote a history of the instrument, which I will summarize for you here. In add.ition he restored the instrument to near original condition at some point.
On the plan, Brune' refers to the instrument as Sabicas' (sic) 1951 Marcelo Barbero guitar. In actuality, the guitar was made specifically for Carlos Montoya. In fact, it was inscribed inside by its maker, Barbero: "a mi amigo, Carlos Montoya. M. Barbero". Brune' was introduced to the instrument by its owner at the time, a Dr. Rober Schultz. I was apparently in pretty bad shape. Shultz had owned the guitar for some 40 years. He had obtained it from his teacher Fidel Zabal, in 1953. Zabal was a Spanish Gypsy who came to the US with his wife, a flamenco dancer. They performed in the US using this guitar for a short time before Shultz obtained it from him.
Zabal had been given the guitar by the famous flamenco player Sabicas, who had used it during the recording of a couple of albums entitled "Flamenco Puro." It was given to Zabal in exchange for some written transcriptions.
Until looking inside, Brune' had no knowledge of the fact that the guitar had been made for Carlos Montoya, from whom Sabicas obtained it.
About Marcelo Barbero: he is described as one of the most extraordinary guitar makers of the 20th century. He had learned much of his craft from the legendary Ramirez family. Barbero was reputed to have a practice of buying old wood furniture and using the wood for guitars. He apparently threw little of this away and it was used randomly in various parts of his guitars. Brune' considers this guitar to be the "defining" flamenco guitar of the 20th century, with the "perfect flamenco quality" sound.
Whether the guitar I've made for L measures up in any way to the original will remain to be seen as the guitar "plays in," matures and maybe gets some adjustments over time.
I've copied the Barbero guitar, as represented in Brune's plan, as truly as possible, but with some obvious and some not-so-obvious, but necessary exceptions. The most obvious is the use of Spanish Cedar for the neck, instead of mahogany. The purpose of this is to limit somewhat, the sustain, which should give the guitar a more flamenco like sound and should also provide for better balance, as it is lighter than mahogany. I will be providing the full specifications as well as a copy of this history, when I deliver the guitar.
Why don't you post some more pictures? Aaah yes, well there are some details I don't want to reveal yet. In due time.
G'day
Monday, May 14, 2012
The missing blogger
Betcha wondered where I've been and why I haven't blogged for almost 10 days. Well, I've been up to my elbows in hot hide glue, cypress, spruce and cedar dust as well as some curley queues from some very handsome rosewood. Can't show pictures of the flamenco, 'cause it would show more than I want at this juncture..surprises, I hope. A lot of scraping, sanding and "finiting" to be done befor the finish goes onto L's guitar, but we are getting closer. There are so many details to assure a world class finish and sound. Today, I put the little dots on the side of the fretboard to mark the positions of several frets. Painstaking work to say the least.
Not much to show on C's guitar because jointing two bookmatched halves of a back or top is not the most interesting photo subject. But trust me, it's a very important step in the process. Carving the neck might be interesting, but I'd rather show it when it begins to take shape a bit more. I did have a bit of an inspiration regarding the shape of the head. I'll show a drawing, but without commentary at this point. This is in the concept stage and may develop a bit. The rectangle on the upper part of the head would be a cut-out.
That's all for now, G'day.
Not much to show on C's guitar because jointing two bookmatched halves of a back or top is not the most interesting photo subject. But trust me, it's a very important step in the process. Carving the neck might be interesting, but I'd rather show it when it begins to take shape a bit more. I did have a bit of an inspiration regarding the shape of the head. I'll show a drawing, but without commentary at this point. This is in the concept stage and may develop a bit. The rectangle on the upper part of the head would be a cut-out.
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| This is a concept drawing. |
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Blaaanannnt! Clear the decks for action
Spent a good part of today cleaning the shop, for two reasons actually, or maybe more. 1. I've learned that I am pretty sensitive to the wood dust I create; 2. I almost to the finishing stages on L's guitar and I want the shop as clean as possible; 3. I'm starting to concentrate on C's guitar since it appears that the arrival of the rosettes may be on the horizon. One will be finished and delivered and it will be full steam ahead on the other. Oops, I can't count....that was three.
I cannot wait to hear the first notes played on this flamenco guitar. I'm hoping for a very responsive, but not quite as "poppy" or percussive sound as that most flamencos like, but at any rate, a very enjoyable instrument. Some sound sweeps may give me a clue.
No pics today, you wanna see the shop, ya gotta come visit.
G'day
I cannot wait to hear the first notes played on this flamenco guitar. I'm hoping for a very responsive, but not quite as "poppy" or percussive sound as that most flamencos like, but at any rate, a very enjoyable instrument. Some sound sweeps may give me a clue.
No pics today, you wanna see the shop, ya gotta come visit.
G'day
Thursday, May 3, 2012
One picture - worth 1000 strokes of the sanding block
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| On the home stretch |
We're anxiously awaiting the arrival of the rosettes from Russia and in the meantime continued work on joining and thinning the back and sides and bending the sides will proceed apace. Testing and selection of the top wood is under way and I'll probably join and inlay two or three tops from which I will choose the ONE.
The neck scarf joint and heel block is on the shooting board at this time and will be joined. I'm kicking around different ideas for the detail work beyond the rosette and bridge tie block and what to do with the headstock shape and details. I may add a very crude drawing of a shape I have in my head and see what people think of it.
All for now,
G'day
Sunday, April 29, 2012
All bound up
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| All bound up |
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| Derik putting on binding |
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| BR head piece (what will appear here?) |
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| Looking good, but not glued on |
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| Rosette |
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| Matching inlay on tie block |
Sunday morning after a long day in the shop yesterday. Deryk DeZahr, a luthier and maker of guitars and violin-family instruments, helped me install the top bindings. Some scraping and sanding will bring the top to near finish-ready condition and the bridge and fretboard can be glued into place. These pictures show the status at the moment and a few details that, when scraped and sanded will be pretty much complete. I've also drilled the pilot holes for the tuning pegs and cut the fret slots. So here's a series of pictures which show the details.
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| Detail of mitre where binding meets butt inlay |
We received news that Dmitry's grandfather passed away and his hand in helping to care for him has caused a delay in the receipt of our rosettes for C's guitar. They will arrive sometime soon however and we'll be ready to go when they do. I've begun jointing the back plates and have the sander set up to thin the back, sides and top plates when needed. The neck scarf joint and heel block are close behind. I'll be posting some pics soon showing the early stages of making a very special instrument.
Keep watching.
G'day
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