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Coronavirus has decimated my order book so I've had a lot of time to work on new ideas and my own projects. I've started a special flamenco guitar (possibly "especial" model?) that will be sort of an accentuation and elaboration of some of my favorite design elements, and some that I have never done before. Plus fancy purflings, etc. It will also be inspired by the story of the gitanos/Roma migration from India, through the Middle East into Europe. The first thing I ever did when I sat down to design my first flamenco guitar was to draw this headstock design. It will also appear in a couple of other places on the guitar. For this guitar I decided to try this recessed carving and stippling technique.
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Posts: 1770
Joined: Jul. 11 2003
From: The Netherlands
RE: Carved/stippled headstock, new g... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)
Very nice Andy!
It looks indeed indian with a sniff of arabic. I made a lot of sculptues in the past and the technique You use looks a lot like bucharderen, buchardage, (bush hammering?) in stone.
A joy for the eyes. The love for your craftmanship is shining trough.
RE: Carved/stippled headstock, new g... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)
Thanks, gents. More pictures coming soon. Jason, it would be fun to attempt some relief carving a la Peña Fernadez. Reminds me of the piano I had growing up. gerundino, that's interesting. I looked it up and found it under "bouchardage". Stippling wood is quite enjoyable. I think the main application for it is to provide texture on gun stocks/handles. There are a variety of tools you can use but just a light hammer and a nail will get it done!
RE: Carved/stippled headstock, new g... (in reply to JasonM)
quote:
You gonna pore fill that
Not if I can help it...
Not much progress yet on this guitar but at least the shop smells like Cypress again. I worked up a complex new rosette, even got the tiles done but decided I just wasn't in love with the design I made, so I'm starting over. I'm tackling a somewhat mind-bending idea that I've been contemplating for years. Nothing but time to experiment...
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RE: Carved/stippled headstock, new g... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)
I had a 1959 Hernandez y Aguado blanca that had their standard stippled head stock; very fine guitar; wish I still had it. You can see that head stock design also on their more numerous classical guitars. Very beautiful work, Andy.
RE: Carved/stippled headstock, new g... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)
Oh come on Andy, be brave! Show us this rosette you find a failure. I believe we can learn more from our mistakes.
To tell you the truth I'm stuck here not able to work in the shop so I'm living vicariously through all the online build threads.
When first saw your stippled headstock I didn't like the flat bottom and it's 90 degree corners of the stippled area. Purely personal though, but looking at it again as a foundation for the Arabic/Indian roofline contours of the end of the head stock of course it made sense. Keep,in mind this from the beginning luthier who has yet to dare more then a plan flat square edged headstock.
I find I need to revisit these creative touches after a month before I can see if they are out of proportion or whatever. I tend to fall in love with my ideas whence firstborn but not so much that I can't objectively discover my idea was totally wrong; its part of the creative process.
I see your stippled headstock growing more grand because that is what it is, it is that flourish that says this is mine, sure a product of these stay at home times but I'm assuming you dreamed of having this time for creative expression. Don't we all?
HR
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I prefer my flamenco guitar spicy, doesn't have to be fast, should have some meat on the bones, can be raw or well done, as long as it doesn't sound like it's turning green on an elevator floor.
RE: Carved/stippled headstock, new g... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)
Tom and etta, thanks for the kind words.
HR, since you challenged me... here is the design that turned out to be just "blah" IMO (first picture), followed by what I'm going to end up using on this guitar. The al-Quds star is an ancient symbol that is very prominent in Arabic architecture and in Andalucía thanks to the Moorish influence. It's a simple but beautiful shape and I never really liked any of the designs I drew up to use it in a traditional end-grain mosaic. These tiles are all side-grain and I think will stand out really nicely on the guitar. The tiles are pretty large at 18 mm high.
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RE: Carved/stippled headstock, new g... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)
Tom, I appreciate that very much, but I think I get enough rosette making in the course of my normal guitar production. I'm pretty inefficient when I make rosettes so I would have to figure out how scale up my production...no way I could compete with the Russian ones, LMI, etc.
Thanks, Orson! I can't wait to get this one inlaid.
Posts: 3487
Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA
RE: Carved/stippled headstock, new g... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)
Very nice. Must be the side grain that makes them glow. There are other al-Quds star rosettes--Miguel Rodriguez, for example--but I think I'm going to like this one the best.
RE: Carved/stippled headstock, new g... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)
Here is the finished rosette. I think it came out well for a first stab at this design. I would like to try it again, maybe with slightly smaller tiles and natural woods instead of veneer: flame Maple, Ebony, Spanish Cedar.
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RE: Carved/stippled headstock, new g... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)
Wow, taking her to the limet!
I wanted to add a matching rosette tile to each wing of the bridge on my last two but I never made it happen. Many examples of larger MOP dots on bridges of Torres etc so there is a historical precedent. Just saying.
Go big or go home! Oh wait, we are all stuck at home already ;)
Cant wait to see your rosette with a full layer of French polish!
HR
O/T: Dealing with some exception post surgery pain but when I can play for about an hour and it all goes away but what's really torturing me is not being able to work in the shop.
_____________________________
I prefer my flamenco guitar spicy, doesn't have to be fast, should have some meat on the bones, can be raw or well done, as long as it doesn't sound like it's turning green on an elevator floor.
RE: Carved/stippled headstock, new g... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)
Cool idea to follow the head design onto the bridge wings. I know a maker who has Rodgers tuners custom made to match her head design, I wonder if that’s something to consider inquiring about for this instrument. Might be pretty pricey, however.
RE: Carved/stippled headstock, new g... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)
HR, thanks. I had the same thought about the bridge wings actually. I wish I had inlaid them before I rounded the wings but I suppose I could still do it. Hope you feel better soon!
Thanks, Rob. That would be really cool to have the custom tuners. Tough to bite the bullet on that price tag though since this is not a commission.
RE: Carved/stippled headstock, new g... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)
About a year ago I had a couple inquiries about converting my peg heads to mechanical tuners. My guitars have a non standard headstock thickness of around 3/8” so I figured I would make my own. I bought a couple sets of the cheapest tuners and took them apart so I could use the gears and I melted off the plastic knobs and fabricated a few wooden ones to get an idea about what I like. I know I wanted/needed to use a thinner string barrel of 1/4” for more precision in tuning and my narrow headstock. Plan is aluminum side plates and gear posts. I have over thirty years of aircraft structural experience so I’m familiar with working the material. Engraving will be the challenge but I have a couple ideas to get around my shaking hands.
I’ve got a few finish ideas like anodizing the formed plates then engraving for contrast. Black would be basic cool but Andalusia green sounds appealing.
So shortly after you posted your stippled headstock I was already envisioning costume HR tuners mimicking your headstock detail one the one end and the point on the other. Once you posted the rosette my mind said a fine line two square al-Quds star engraved between each tuner gear.
Don’t get too excited though I’ve a hundred other ideas rolling around in my head... and dog knows when I’ll ever get to them ;)
HR
_____________________________
I prefer my flamenco guitar spicy, doesn't have to be fast, should have some meat on the bones, can be raw or well done, as long as it doesn't sound like it's turning green on an elevator floor.
RE: Carved/stippled headstock, new g... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)
It's a Magen David with an Arabic crescent moon.
The Magen David or “shield of David” has only been considered a Jewish symbol from about the 16th Century. before that, the 7 branch Menorah, which still holds its present place in Judaism.
The crescent moon, with its own star, Helal motazaid, has 5 points on its star, not 6 like the Magen David, and generally means Today, that the crescent moon and star symbol is universally recognized as a symbol of Islam, and for that reason, it appears on the flag of many countries where Islam is a state religion or which has a largely Muslim population.
I assume that you are building this with Camarón de la Isla in mind, as he had love for everybody in the Art of flamenco, which came from these groups of people.
When Man ponders his past, he is made aware of the many influences that have shaped his destiny. In a similar way, the country of Spain has developed amid romanticism, war and religion. Cultural influences as diverse as Hebraic chant, Christian devoutness, and Islamic architecture have become embedded over many centuries in the Spanish culture and have forged Spain's proud tradition. Unique among its many remarkable masterpieces is the Spanish guitar. This instrument has truly stirred the very depths of emotion.
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