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Maybe this is a strange question, but then again I haven´t seen it been discussed anywhere.
I was wondering, why do most (all?) classical/flamenco luthiers use the same type of rosettes? About the same size with little variations, most of them reminding of old carbet decorations. When I look at steel guitars, luthiers seem more open to different kinds of rosettes. Like solid wood ones, or different inlay materials and shapes and forms. Why is that?
I think most luthiers have experimented with natural wood and other non traditional rosettes. But a lot of us go back to traditional mosaic because it just looks right on the guitar IMO. and very simple mosaics can be very beautiful. They're challenging but fun to make. Here's my rosette.. I don't think I've seen a carpet like this
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There are many Spanish guitar makers that use solid wood rosettes and MOP roses aswell. The traditional tiled rosettes look the part on spanish guitars.
Why do most steal string builders use boring old concentric circles as there rosettes? I think they would look a bit silly with the tiled rosettes.
The carpet analogy is a better one than may be readily apparent. Each thread in a carpet is analogous to each tiny piece of wood in a mosaic pattern. In terms of the patterns themselves, both could be called Byzantine in their origins, or middle eastern... whatever. Since they are repeating patterns you are kind of stuck with that affect.
I make three "stock" rosettes
This first one is my Alhambra rosette as the pattern came from a bas relief carving I saw in the Alhambra and is about as traditional as you can get IMO
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Heres the second one, based on an old Enrique Garcia rosette (Barcelona builder at the turn of the 20th century). To me this rosette looks very Spanish but less Moorish.
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And then there's my tribute to my teacher Al Carruth, this rosette is my signature rosette and is made of side grain flame maple, ebony and pearwood. The pattern is pretty basic but the woods and technique make it somewhat flashy, which is the way I like it, let the wood do the talking,
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One of my favorites is the simplicity of the Santos Hernandez style rosette. I love the system of interlocking circles.
I know that guitar, I've played it and it is a fantastic guitar. I have a close up of that rosette that I took when it was in my shop. Lemme see if I can find it.
Here's a 1900 Manuel Ramirez "showing the hand of Santos Hernandez" that sold for $17,500 USD at Chrstie's in October, 2008. Apparently 'bling' hadn't gone completely out of style a century ago.
RNJ
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Here's a 1900 Manuel Ramirez "showing the hand of Santos Hernandez" that sold for $17,500 USD at Chrstie's in October, 2008. Apparently 'bling' hadn't gone completely out of style a century ago.
OOOOOhhhhh Richard ....not for me , price or style ....unless perhaps I was wearing a shirt that was to match the rosette pattern...............
I did see I interesting one somewhere to match the arches of the mezquita de Cordoba.......if you commision a guitar the rosette could be personalized ...?
I love his later rosettes best though, the red, black and white one that looks like something Harley Davidson would have come up with, if they built guitars that is.
ORIGINAL: Rico_Kiko I did see I interesting one somewhere to match the arches of the mezquita de Cordoba.....
That's pretty much Jose Romanillos' trademark, continued by his son Liam, since Jose is essentially retired from making guitars. My '73 Romanillos (#407) has the same pattern inlaid on both the rosette and the bridge. It evolved a bit throughout Jose's carreer, but remained clearly recognizable. I've seen at least one ripoff of the 'Mezquita' rosette design on the web, but such seem to be fairly rare.
Does anyone here have (or have seen) any steel guitar like rosettes on classical/flamenco guitars, like solid wood ones? Pics or links? Just to see how it fits...
Another kind I´d love to see, notwithstanding conventions, would be traditional Nort-American native motives, like e.g. on my old belt. ( Used to have a special book on such with beuatiful examples, only that books don´t return when lent out.)
Ruphus
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I've seen the Greek Key motif in a few rosettes, as well as an ornamental inlay in Torres' guitars.
Bloodwood is a great red, unlike other woods it also stays red, doesn't turn brown with time. The red in my Alhambra rosette is bloodwood veneers. It's a pain to work with, likes to split and splinter (in veneer form anyways) and if you get a splinter, it burns like hell. Not as bad as snakewood, but it will send you running for the tweezers.
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