Spruce/Maple in progress

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Andy Culpepper

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

Spruce/Maple in progress

Hey all,
I had never made a Maple flamenca before so I figured it was time. Got it strung up in the white the other day and I'm really happy with it! Nice loud, punchy flamenco tone.
This one will actually be for sale when finished so if you're interested let me know! I just started putting the finish on.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 2 2019 22:54:03

RobF

Posts: 1611
Joined: Aug. 24 2017

RE: Spruce/Maple in progress (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

It’s a beauty!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 3 2019 0:34:48

JasonM

Posts: 2051
Joined: Dec. 8 2005
From: Baltimore

RE: Spruce/Maple in progress (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Geez man! Are you building a new guitar every 2 weeks? Sounds and looks great, but less mistakes than mine lol. I think maple makes for a nice change from cypress once in a while.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 3 2019 2:16:48

Filip

Posts: 403
Joined: Apr. 23 2006
From: Paris

RE: Spruce/Maple in progress (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

First time I hear flamenco guitar built with maple I think. Beautiful sound, and looks really nice!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 3 2019 8:03:06

Echi

Posts: 1131
Joined: Jan. 11 2013

RE: Spruce/Maple in progress (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

I’m a fan of your guitar making. Awesome as usual.
What differences would you spot by gut with your cypress guitars?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 3 2019 10:25:03

Andy Culpepper

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

RE: Spruce/Maple in progress (in reply to RobF)

quote:

It’s a beauty!

Thanks!

quote:

Geez man! Are you building a new guitar every 2 weeks? Sounds and looks great, but less mistakes than mine lol. I think maple makes for a nice change from cypress once in a while.

Nah I'm no Stephen Eden. Much less a Darren Hippner. Maple is great, slightly rounder tone than Cypress I would say.

quote:

First time I hear flamenco guitar built with maple I think. Beautiful sound, and looks really nice!

Thanks Filip! This particular Maple is light like Cypress, works very nicely for a flamenco.

quote:

I’m a fan of your guitar making. Awesome as usual.
What differences would you spot by gut with your cypress guitars?

Thanks Echi! As I mentioned above I think the sound is a little rounder and sweeter. Not quite as rough and raspy as Cypress but it still has a nice growl.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 4 2019 0:58:50

tri7/5

Posts: 570
Joined: May 5 2012

RE: Spruce/Maple in progress (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Agree with Andy maple is a little rounder but somehow more "angelic" than cypress or rosewood in terms of how it lets the trebles sing. It's a great wood especially the harder species for flamenco. I think a maple/cedar would be amazing for a flamenco for a really old world organic tone. I've only seen a few of those.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 4 2019 21:25:31

Echi

Posts: 1131
Joined: Jan. 11 2013

RE: Spruce/Maple in progress (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

I don’t want to spoil the thread: this particular guitar of Andy sounds very good for what a tube video can say and many maker build with maple b

In general it happened to me to listen good sounding maple guitars but I never got exactly what maple does to the tone and more exactly to the attack of the note. I made up in my mind that it’s kind of softer than cypress because of the more dampening but I don’t know.
I used to have a very nice guitar with Pau ferro back and sides and I tried a guitar of the same maker/same year in Brazilian. Very similar but Brazilian with had a slightly sharper attack and more overtones which made Pau ferro sound softer.
Some companies make a cheap version of their flamenco guitars using sycamore wood, a kind of maple. These guitars are usually rounder and less sharp.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 5 2019 17:21:42

Andy Culpepper

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

RE: Spruce/Maple in progress (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

I think "angelic" is a very good term. Here is a video of one of my Maple classicals. I think that word describes the sound pretty well.

Can we bring that angel down into the gutter enough to make a good flamenco? I am curious to see what this one sounds like when it's finished and I'll make a video with better sound quality.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 6 2019 0:45:03

Stephen Eden

Posts: 914
Joined: Apr. 12 2008
From: UK

RE: Spruce/Maple in progress (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

I've slowed down quite a lot this year. My girls aren't letting me sleep enough to keep up the focus. I'm probably only going to have made 28 guitars this year.

I played on a really nice Cedar/Maple blanca back when I was an apprentice and thought about making one. It was only when I was told most people would be put off having a darker top than back and sides did I decide against it.

I played a great Spruce/Maple Santos last year that was really nice so it's definitely a wood that should be used more. It's a shame it not really. I've been saying the same thing for years but very rarely do I find someone interested in Maple.

_____________________________

Classical and Flamenco Guitars www.EdenGuitars.co.uk

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 10 2019 9:05:40

constructordeguitarras

Posts: 1672
Joined: Jan. 29 2012
From: Seattle, Washington, USA

RE: Spruce/Maple in progress (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

quote:

Here is a video of one of my Maple classicals.

That's a great sounding classical, Andy.

_____________________________

Ethan Deutsch
www.edluthier.com
www.facebook.com/ethandeutschguitars
www.youtube.com/marioamayaflamenco
I always have flamenco guitars available for sale.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 10 2019 18:43:43

Andy Culpepper

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

RE: Spruce/Maple in progress (in reply to Stephen Eden)

quote:

I'm probably only going to have made 28 guitars this year.

I slowed down when my son was born 5 years ago and still haven't speeded up again. Congrats by the way, twins?

quote:

That's a great sounding classical, Andy.

Thanks, Ethan!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 11 2019 2:23:50

Stephen Eden

Posts: 914
Joined: Apr. 12 2008
From: UK

RE: Spruce/Maple in progress (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Haha oh damn maybe I won't speed up again. Our first daughter is 4. Her sleepless nights didn't seem to effect me to much, even though she has only just started sleeping through. Our second is 18 months she sleeps better and all round easier to manage but I guess these days if it's not one it's the other, so its a lot more intense.

_____________________________

Classical and Flamenco Guitars www.EdenGuitars.co.uk

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 11 2019 8:39:24

JasonM

Posts: 2051
Joined: Dec. 8 2005
From: Baltimore

RE: Spruce/Maple in progress (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

I don’t know how people such as Thames and the like can make well over a thousand guitars. But I guess if your output is high and you’ve been doing it for 30 years...

My Luthier mentor describes maple as a having a neutral sound. I could agree with that. Basses have somewhat of a woody dark characteristic to me, less angelic

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 11 2019 20:20:52

Andy Culpepper

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

RE: Spruce/Maple in progress (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Just finished this guitar. I love it! It is bright and loud but it also has that sweetness and clarity. The basses are deep and woody. Supple, energetic tone. This one is actually available so I'll make a classified post soon.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 29 2019 23:43:37

Neil

Posts: 78
Joined: Oct. 29 2018

RE: Spruce/Maple in progress (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

That's looks (and sounds) stunning!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 30 2019 13:08:51

JasonM

Posts: 2051
Joined: Dec. 8 2005
From: Baltimore

RE: Spruce/Maple in progress (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

The final product looks and sounds great! The basses seem to have a lot of meat to them, yet not overpowering like a negra. Lots of growl. What kind of ebony is the fretboard? Indian?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 30 2019 20:46:24