Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
RE: Jesus Belliod Red Cypress Special (in reply to neil09)
That is pretty stuff. My father and I built a house in Gulfport, MS, right on the Gulf of Mexico and there are bayous all over the place with tons of those trees growing. I'm going down there in March, maybe I will see if I can find some at some local lumberyards down there.
RE: Jesus Belliod Red Cypress Special (in reply to neil09)
Hey Sean:
Thanks for keeping the conversation going on the topic. I think it’s nice to have a different take on the subject.
I don’t know whether red cypress is a real cypress or not. Since I ‘m a simpleton when it comes to guitar making, I leave that to people who are knowledgeable. Yes, I do agree that there is a lot of hype in this business. But I didn’t get my guitar because it was made of red cypress and that red cypress is supposed to be or going to be trendy (I had no idea). I got it because I liked the way it sounded. As long as it sounds the way it sounds, it could have been made of bamboo from China.
Beyond the “controversy” around red cypress, it could very well be that the luthier did a great job making that guitar and that’s why it sounds the way it does and plays the way it does. Does it have to do with the material or craftsmanship or both, who knows? Despite his experimentation, does Jesus respect the flamenco tradition and are his guitars in line with that tradition? Si. Muy, muy flamenco.
I can see how someone might interpret my comment in this forum as a kind of secret publicity campaign, but it’s not. I am not benefiting from posting my comment in any way. I’d like to point out that some adults are still like little kids and say exactly what’s on their mind without giving any thought to how others may react. Some people do things for the sake of doing it without any hidden agenda.
Cynicism is necessary in this field; but sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. You can take that cigar and smoke it or open it up only to find that there is no hidden explosive inside.
Keep your nose, ears and mind open and play-on, Amigo.
RE: Jesus Belliod Red Cypress Special (in reply to Andy Culpepper)
I was just making light of the industry as a whole, like when just one guy says fence post wood is as good as Brazillian rosewood and the price of Osage shoots up, or the whole African blackwood thing. I guess I wasn't thinking how my post could be taken the wrong way, like I was slamming your guitar or something, I assure you I wasn't, it was all in good fun, my mind just sorta drifted off on a related subject. I really dig your guitar, in fact I'd be game to try some of that wood myself someday, its got character and I can see why it excites you.
RE: Jesus Belliod Red Cypress Special (in reply to Andy Culpepper)
Hey Sean,
Thanks for clearing things up. By the way, although mine looks virtually identical to the pictures of the red cypress special, it isn't mine. I think it's a picture of red cypress number 1 belonging to someone else.
Your Birdseye Maple flamenco looks very nice and inviting. It's very interesting to see that there's a lot of new stuff going on in this field.
RE: Jesus Belliod Red Cypress Special (in reply to neil09)
quote:
ORIGINAL: neil09
As long as it sounds the way it sounds, it could have been made of bamboo from China.
Discussing in a corresponding forum about most suitable acoustic guitars for recording, years ago, interestingly folks pointed out a certain guitar ( from Yamaha I think) that was made of bamboo and said to be performing excellent for tracking. ( Even, well separating and not boomy.)
RE: Jesus Belliod Red Cypress Special (in reply to Andy Culpepper)
Thanks Ruphus for this enlightening and humbling info. Bamboo?! I guess you guys are really informed about guitar making and related info. What's next, a guitar made from recycled chopsticks? Or, has that been done, too?
Since you guys know a lot about guitar making, I'd like to ask a question on how to make my old blanca (made by an American luthier) easier to play. I love the sound of it but I have to to really work it to get it to sound nice. I think the neck might be too fat and has a relief around the 9th fret with a higher bridge. It rattles badly when I use a lower bridge bone. I was thinking about thinning the neck out a bit and sanding down the fret board from the 9th fret on down so that the entire fretboard forms a straight from the nut to the middle of the sound hole. I think this will allow the bridge to be lowered without the strings rattling badly. If any of you has info on this, I would greatly appreciate your sharing it with the rest of us newbies on the subject.