RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style tutorial

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FERREREZAKI

Posts: 64
Joined: Jul. 10 2013

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)

Nice work Tom!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 16 2016 20:24:31

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to FERREREZAKI)

Here is tuning #3

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 17 2016 17:00:56

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)

Here is the #4 tuning and the last one for awhile until the top sets.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 17 2016 18:46:42

SephardRick

Posts: 358
Joined: Apr. 11 2014

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to FERREREZAKI)

This so interesting.

To me, tuning no. 2 is the most dramatic. Tuning no. 3 seems to tighten up the response time on the guitar. Tuning no. 4 it's hard to distinguish a change.

Sensational sounding piece of work, Tom!

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Rick

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 21 2016 0:06:38

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to SephardRick)

Thanks Rick,

I'm working on the finish and it's a slow process for me.

The fine tuning is almost done and the guitar will be for sale when it is done.

The wholesale on this puppy is $8,500 with a good Brune hard shell case.

All sales are final, non refundable, mailed overnight by Fed Ex.

If the guitar goes to a music company, the suggested retail is $15,000.

The Guitar is to be sold in the US only, due to certain mailing restrictions from my bench.

More pictures and sound will be forthcoming when the guitar is finished.

The wholesale price is offered to this thread only.

However, the guitar is essentially called for by those I've done business with before. But I feel this one should go to those who have a desire to own a Blackshear. This Rodriguez model will be the last one off my bench.

I have two Reyes style flamenco negras in mind for my next build.

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 2 2016 14:20:36

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)

Here is a near finish, perhaps about a month out and I'm getting tired of finishing guitars. I should do like Lester DeVoe and have my guitars finished for me.

That would certainly be a better situation, as it would leave me more time to explore my building practice.

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 8 2016 17:51:40

Richard Jernigan

Posts: 3430
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)

Looking good!

RNJ

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 9 2016 17:44:33

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to Richard Jernigan)

Thanks Richard,

It looks like about a week to fill all the wood pores and then about a month or less to hang the guitar and dry before compounding the finish out to a shine.

Then for the final fine-tuning to set the articulation, top tension, and tone.

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 9 2016 19:59:35

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)

Hello everyone,

This is essentially the finished guitar with final tonal adjustment. The finish needs to dry out about another two weeks before final rub out.

The guitar can be played softly or hard and the basic articulation has no string noise with left or right hand; probably might make a good recording guitar.

This will most likely be my last Miguel Rodriguez classical style for the past 40 years building this model, so I tuned it to take some age for a future vintage sound. Normally about 6 mouths to a year for the sound to develop into a mature vowel tone.

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 20 2016 2:11:23

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)

Well folks,

It appears that the top finish is not going as well as I want, so I'm going to have to remove the strings; level the finish with 2000 grit finishing paper and re-polish....could take a day or a week.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 21 2016 18:25:30

SephardRick

Posts: 358
Joined: Apr. 11 2014

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)

quote:

Normally about 6 mouths to a year for the sound to develop into a mature vowel tone

Interesting on how you can anticipate the maturing of instrument's vowel tone. Wishful thinking on my part. I hoped you might demonstrate a little on the vowel voicing process. But, understandably so I'm sure it is proprietary.

Never the less, it is a very balanced sounding from bass E to treble E. Like you pointed out, the trebles have that special tone, where you want to drive the strings hard and still respond musically as played soft.

Thanks for sharing sound clips of this beautiful instrument.

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Rick

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 23 2016 16:58:00

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to SephardRick)

Here is another tuning that gives it more pizzazz.

There is so much you can do with this model that it becomes unlimited.

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 23 2016 22:20:21

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)

I've just completed the guitar with fine tuning and french polish finish.

I'll load the video later this morning so you can check it out.

I believe the sound is very good and the finish, ...well, it's comparable to an old Spanish master's polish, for the most part.

In other words, not perfect but near its typical Spanish traditional appearance.

Perhaps I should move to Spain and set up shop with Manuel and have his polisher do the finish work, which surpasses this builder.... for sure:-)

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 30 2016 15:13:34

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)

OK Here it is in its finished stage.

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 30 2016 15:38:10

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)

Dear Folks,

Thanks for reading my tutorial, and the guitar has been sold to a list member which I presented the guitar as a first right of refusal to anyone who is a list member of this forum. I believe it is going to a good home, and will be well cared for.

Next, I will start a tutorial on a Reyes style negra, in about a week or two.

The new guitar will be a replica of the 2003 plan with some ideas from the Reyes 1987 style.; rosette and head design to match.

After spending so much time on the M.Rodriguez style, I'm going to rest awhile.

Thanks for looking.

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 3 2016 17:02:41

SephardRick

Posts: 358
Joined: Apr. 11 2014

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)

Tom,

Appreciate you posting this Miguel Rodriguez tutorial and answering some of our questions along the way.

Also, congratulations to the new owner! It's a real treasure IMHO.

And as always, I look forward to your next read - after you rest up.

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Rick

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 3 2016 18:58:35

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: building Miguel Rodriguez style ... (in reply to SephardRick)

Thanks Rick,

The Rodriguez build lasted almost a year but the finish of it proved to be worth the trial.

I'll try my hand at the M. Reyes flamenco style in a few weeks. I feel comfortable with this style as its design and plan seem to be a programmed effort on Sr. Reyes part to make a system, of building, easy for guitar makers.

On the other hand, the Rodriguez is all over the place with various top adjustments and a continued search for tonal quality. I've had the opportunity to examine various dates with this from 1958 to 1994 and have seen differences, ever so slight, with how Miguel Rodriguez designed and built his bracing systems.

In the beginning it was a struggle to get to the point of tonal quality. But as time passed, the search became more clear, until finally I got to the point of learning what not to do to hurt sound. And at this point, all the rest became commentary.

Now, toward the end of my building career, I will try and put my best efforts into the Manuel Reyes style, not so much as a slavish copy of a specific bracing system but to take the ideals of what I've learned, to build a guitar that will be my crowning achievement for over 55 years learning experience, that has brought me much happiness in this wonderful pursuit.

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 5 2016 14:25:13