Two recent blanca videos

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Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

Two recent blanca videos

Hey all,
I recently finished up a couple of flamenco guitars and wanted to share the videos. Which one is your favorite?

Here is my guitar #99 - Spruce/Spanish Cypress cutaway with electronics (not plugged in in the video). This is Ramzi's new guitar!

And #97 - Cedar/Spanish Cypress for a repeat customer. I'm aware there's a compás error on this video

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Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 3 2018 17:01:26

rombsix

Posts: 7808
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

quote:

This is Ramzi's new guitar!

Olé!

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Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 3 2018 19:46:57

bbfifas

Posts: 29
Joined: Sep. 29 2016
From: Vero Beach, FL

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Man I really like both.... haha . I am looking forward to Ramzi posting some new videos with his #99 though.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 3 2018 19:57:28

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Andy,

I like them both but I think the second traditional one might have a tendency to develop into something special with a little age.

I haven't had the opportunity to play one of your guitars to check out its articulation for the right and left hand but according to your prices for the guitars, you are a solid competitor for Francisco Navarro's Reyes model.

I hope you can navigate these prices without too much trouble.

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 3 2018 21:50:46

RobF

Posts: 1611
Joined: Aug. 24 2017

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

I think Ramzi will be very happy with #99. It sounds great and looks great, too! Very nice 👍

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 3 2018 23:16:03

VAHE

Posts: 82
Joined: Sep. 25 2014
From: ARMENIAN (living in U.S.)

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Great Work , Sounds Beautiful .

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Vaheflamenco@Gmail.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 4 2018 1:14:30

orsonw

Posts: 1934
Joined: Jul. 4 2009
From: London

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

I like the sound of #99. Congratulations to Ramzi!

I like the Esteso inspired rosette? Please can we see a close up photograph?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 4 2018 6:32:16

Tomrocker

Posts: 404
Joined: Apr. 18 2010
From: Italy

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Our doctor had always somethings for a cutaway made by you:) Ole'

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This is hard stuff!
Don't give up...
And don't make it a race.
Enjoy the ray of sunshine that comes with every new step in knowledge.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 4 2018 7:33:22

Arash

Posts: 4495
Joined: Aug. 9 2006
From: Iran (living in Germany)

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Andy Culpepper

Which one is your favorite?

Ramzi's

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 4 2018 10:07:55

Echi

Posts: 1132
Joined: Jan. 11 2013

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

I like Ramzi’s as well. I like it already as it is but my guess it that in ffew years that guitar will grow into something very special.
Did you use a thick top?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 4 2018 10:49:46

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to bbfifas)

quote:

Man I really like both.... haha . I am looking forward to Ramzi posting some new videos with his #99 though.

Thanks...me too!

quote:

I like them both but I think the second traditional one might have a tendency to develop into something special with a little age.

I haven't had the opportunity to play one of your guitars to check out its articulation for the right and left hand but according to your prices for the guitars, you are a solid competitor for Francisco Navarro's Reyes model.

I hope you can navigate these prices without too much trouble.

Thanks, Tom. I've been slowly increasing my prices as I feel my work has gotten better. Now it's just a matter of getting my name out there, I guess.

quote:

I think Ramzi will be very happy with #99. It sounds great and looks great, too! Very nice 👍

Thanks, Rob!

quote:

Great Work , Sounds Beautiful

Gracias!

quote:

I like the sound of #99. Congratulations to Ramzi!

I like the Esteso inspired rosette? Please can we see a close up photograph?

Thanks, Orson. The rosette is in the vein of Santos Hernandez.

quote:

Our doctor had always somethings for a cutaway made by you:) Ole'

I've been waiting to make him one for years

quote:

Ramzi's

quote:

I like Ramzi’s as well. I like it already as it is but my guess it that in ffew years that guitar will grow into something very special.
Did you use a thick top?

Thanks, Echi. Yes both of these guitars were brand new and will mature quite a bit with time. The funny thing is that I've gone back to the bracing system I used for my first 12 guitars or so (Barbero-ish pattern with parallel harmonic bars). When I first started I didn't know how to build it correctly, but when I came back to it, I found that I could get out of it what I always wanted in the beginning but couldn't quite achieve. Ramzi's guitar is pretty lightly built with a Helmholtz around F# even with the cutaway. The other one probably has a little more meat on the top.

Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px

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Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 4 2018 12:55:43

JasonM

Posts: 2054
Joined: Dec. 8 2005
From: Baltimore

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Amazing work! Great sound and playing. I would pick the cutaway with the spruce top. I listened with my Shure Se425 In ear monitors which tend to have a peak in the mid range though.

Ps. can I steal your skull rosette idea for my next guitar ;)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 4 2018 18:48:46

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Thanks, Jason! Sorry, that Skull™ is copyrighted patent pending all rights reserved.

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Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 4 2018 23:56:25

JasonM

Posts: 2054
Joined: Dec. 8 2005
From: Baltimore

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

well shucks... Hello Kitty with rainbows is my next choice.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 5 2018 3:12:09

Dave K

Posts: 155
Joined: Mar. 29 2006

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

quote:

Thanks, Jason! Sorry, that Skull™ is copyrighted patent pending all rights reserved

Well, now I've heard it all...

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Avise La Fin

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 5 2018 16:22:51

Njål Bendixen

Posts: 65
Joined: Aug. 25 2016

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

I like no99, somehow more depth. I also think that a spruce top will develop more, so the comparison between these guitars in 5 years time will favour no99 even more.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 5 2018 19:13:28

Echi

Posts: 1132
Joined: Jan. 11 2013

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

quote:

Yes both of these guitars were brand new and will mature quite a bit with time. The funny thing is that I've gone back to the bracing system I used for my first 12 guitars or so (Barbero-ish pattern with parallel harmonic bars). When I first started I didn't know how to build it correctly, but when I came back to it, I found that I could get out of it what I always wanted in the beginning but couldn't quite achieve. Ramzi's guitar is pretty lightly built with a Helmholtz around F# even with the cutaway. The other one probably has a little more meat on the top.

Thanks Andy. Well, that’s interesting.
In fact Ramzi’s reminds me a lot my Ramirez blanca, which has a very similar bracing pattern (Barbero like with parallel struts).
That guitar (which quite incredibly I discovered being this very guitar: http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m=215658&mpage=1&p=&tmode=1&smode=1&key=jewel) is really special and seems to have quite something in common with yours - at least judging by the recording.
What tonal differences you noticed switching among your bracing systems?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 6 2018 10:15:40

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Echi)

quote:

well shucks... Hello Kitty with rainbows is my next choice.

I think my 4 year old has some stickers you could use

quote:

I like no99, somehow more depth. I also think that a spruce top will develop more, so the comparison between these guitars in 5 years time will favour no99 even more.

Thanks Njal!

quote:

Thanks Andy. Well, that’s interesting.
In fact Ramzi’s reminds me a lot my Ramirez blanca, which has a very similar bracing pattern (Barbero like with parallel struts).
That guitar (which quite incredibly I discovered being this very guitar: http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m=215658&mpage=1&p=&tmode=1&smode=1&key=jewel) is really special and seems to have quite something in common with yours - at least judging by the recording.
What tonal differences you noticed switching among your bracing systems?

That is interesting. My lutherie mentor has a '70s Ramirez blanca that he copied several times very successfully, which had a thin top with 7 high, narrow braces and a bridge patch. Not parallel though. I like that guitar but it has hard pulsation and is generally not very friendly to play, so I opted to draw up a copy of a John Park guitar that he had that I really liked (Canadian luthier). Bracing pattern shown below. The key thing is that the braces are very low and flat (3-3.5 mm high). Thus the top is slightly thicker but it adds a nice meatiness and woodiness to the sound IMO, where the Ramirez is a little more harsh and metallic.
The only problem I ran into with the Park design was an unevenness and generally lackluster treble, which was not present in the original. I tried coming up with my own bracing design based on Gerundino and Conde and it works really well, but then I had a customer who fell in love with my guitar #1 and wanted me to go back to the old pattern. The guitar I made for him was unbelievably good, so I decided to switch back to that going forward. In the meantime I had learned a lot about the bridge, top thickness and harmonic bar stiffness and when I applied that to the old system I've been having great results.

Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px

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Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 6 2018 13:33:01

Echi

Posts: 1132
Joined: Jan. 11 2013

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Very interesting: do you mean that this system works better for you with a meatier bridge and a certain graduation of the top?

My Ramirez has a similar bracing. The struts are 3 to 4 mm large and the top is thicker than in my Conde.
The upload doesn’t work from my iPad but soon I’ll post the pictures.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 6 2018 20:36:47

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

I think it's more about understanding the materials through experience, and correctly treating/thicknessing each top as an individual piece of wood. As far as the bridge I go for 15-17 grams. Not too heavy not too light.

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Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 7 2018 19:49:02

Joan Maher

Posts: 213
Joined: Dec. 3 2013

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Two lovely sounding guitar Andy - like the brightness of the #99 looks nice inside as well :)

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Gracias!

Joan Josep Maher

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 27 2018 9:29:34

JasonM

Posts: 2054
Joined: Dec. 8 2005
From: Baltimore

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Anders always said it’s not the bracing pattern but how you work it. Maybe Andy confirms this by going back to his old bracing system

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 1 2019 0:41:28

Ruphus

Posts: 3782
Joined: Nov. 18 2010

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Both appeared like a little bit out of tune to me. Especially N.99.
I prefer No. 97 to No.99 which sounds a bit shrill in the upper treble notes.

All in all I liked former examples better. These here are also all but dull, however present less of the very vocal, throaty mids that I like about your guitars. (That shade that makes things so Spanish to my ears.)

I might be wrong, but possibly you could be effected by a phenomenon that is familiar to me through working audio.
There is that sensation that change in sound can bear its own temporary attraction, albeit be turning out a minor choice in comparison with some distance in time of evaluation.

In audio thus another listening with fresh ears can reveal misconception.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 8 2019 16:06:13

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Two recent blanca videos (in reply to Joan Maher)

quote:

Two lovely sounding guitar Andy - like the brightness of the #99 looks nice inside as well :)

Thanks Joan!

quote:

Anders always said it’s not the bracing pattern but how you work it. Maybe Andy confirms this by going back to his old bracing system

Definitely true. Bracing is one of many variables, it definitely has an effect but it's only one part of the picture.

quote:

Both appeared like a little bit out of tune to me. Especially N.99.
I prefer No. 97 to No.99 which sounds a bit shrill in the upper treble notes.

All in all I liked former examples better. These here are also all but dull, however present less of the very vocal, throaty mids that I like about your guitars. (That shade that makes things so Spanish to my ears.)

I might be wrong, but possibly you could be effected by a phenomenon that is familiar to me through working audio.
There is that sensation that change in sound can bear its own temporary attraction, albeit be turning out a minor choice in comparison with some distance in time of evaluation.

In audio thus another listening with fresh ears can reveal misconception.

Yeah, these were both brand new guitars in their first hour of being played. There's a chance I will go back to the "new" bracing pattern, but personally I liked these two guitars a lot.

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Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 9 2019 0:50:17