New Cedar negra

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New Cedar negra

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Andy Culpepper

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

New Cedar negra

First flamenco guitar of the new year. I hope everyone is holding up OK in 2021.

The client requested this rosette and purfling design that I had already used on a classical guitar. On this one I decided to also run the purfling around the heel.
This guitar has a very lightweight Cedar top, only 127 grams fully braced! I couldn't believe it because the stiffness held up perfectly fine while thicknessing. 160 grams is more typical for me. It's about 2.1-2.2 mm thick. It's a really responsive and well-balanced guitar, and of course, it's only been played for less than an hour.

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

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 9 2021 4:28:15

RobF

Posts: 1611
Joined: Aug. 24 2017

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

That’s really nice work, Andy. I particularly like the tie block and heel-cap work. Good stuff!

*edit* Actually, Andy, the more I look at that guitar, the more I like it. It’s right pretty, as they say.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 9 2021 7:56:22

ernandez R

Posts: 737
Joined: Mar. 25 2019
From: Alaska USA

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Vary nice work indeed.

A shame you only played for a bit, would have been nice to hear a little more variety. Guessing is best not to play a clients new guitar too much least you golpy a dent hear or there.

The clean quality of your woodwork is always inspiring and gives me something higher to aim for as I build.

Do you find your sound bars need to be much different with a spruce top verses the cedder?

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.

www.instagram.com/threeriversguitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 9 2021 19:23:58

JasonM

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

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Wow Andy, really Nice! I always love your rosettes and your craftsmanship is on point! I love that purfling too. Guitar sounds good it has that cedar sound.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 9 2021 19:40:58

gbv1158

Posts: 410
Joined: May 29 2009
From: Italy

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

very, very nice cedar sound.
and the guitar is really nice - let me sey it in Italian: BELLISSIMA !

Bravo!

ciao,
Giambattista

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 9 2021 20:12:06

mt1007

Posts: 162
Joined: Jan. 19 2011

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Outstanding/beautiful axe man!!! Really nice sound too!!! What is total weight of guitar? Whats the action at 12th fret bass side and action at bridge bass side?

Saludos desde Los Angeles!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 9 2021 20:51:40

Andy Culpepper

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

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Thanks for all the kind words. Forgot to mention the woods in the rosette and purfling are Bubinga and Spanish Cedar, with Maple veneer lines. Oh and the purfling is super easy to make since it's not all veneers - definitely a plus :)

@ernandez I actually use pretty different bracing for Spruce and Cedar. My "main" bracing pattern has the fan braces parallel under the bridge, which works great for Spruce, but for Cedar I've found it makes for a sound that transitions from "sound" to "noise" a little too quickly when played with a heavy hand. So I use this pattern on Cedar, and the occasional Spruce guitar where I want a slightly rounder tone (not that it can't still have a down and dirty flamenco sound - it certainly can).

@mt1007 The total weight feels pretty normal for my negras (actually haven't weighed it yet but I will). In between a blanca and a classical guitar. Bass action at the 12th fret is 3.0 mm and string height at bridge is 8 mm.

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

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 10 2021 4:23:59

Filip

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

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

That's a very nice guitar, I like it.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 10 2021 10:50:14

yourwhathurts69

Posts: 117
Joined: Sep. 16 2009

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Beautiful guitar!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 10 2021 23:29:40

Andy Culpepper

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

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Muchas gracias!

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

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 12 2021 4:00:07

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Andy,

Can you tune the strings back to normal and play a soleares for me.

I'd like to hear how it sounds.

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 12 2021 18:37:11

etta

Posts: 341
Joined: Jan. 20 2010

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

To Tom: what does your question mean or imply? It sounds great to me.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 12 2021 22:18:18

Andy Culpepper

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

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Tom, I would do that for you in a heartbeat, but unfortunately the guitar is all packed and ready to be picked up by FedEx tomorrow. Sorry if my toque was unsatisfying

Thanks etta.

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

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 13 2021 4:14:19

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Your guitar sounded just fine but my ear is trained better for soleares, to single out certain string sounds.

My two top builders of interest on this list are you and Mario. Not to discount other builders of excellence.

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 13 2021 13:14:19

Andy Culpepper

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

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

I appreciate that, Tom. I also hold Ethan's work in very high esteem (assuming we're talking about the same person).

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

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 15 2021 3:47:27

rombsix

Posts: 7805
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Andy, you bastard. You've done it again!

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Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 15 2021 16:07:40

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

quote:

Ethan's work

Ethan's work, yes, as one of his guitars was mine if I had the money

And I feel you have come a long way toward being recognized internationally as a master builder. Not an easy path with the guitar.

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 15 2021 17:17:12

Cervantes

Posts: 503
Joined: Jun. 14 2014
From: Encinitas, CA USA

RE: New Cedar negra (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Andy,

As always beautiful guitar and impeccable build.
If I happened upon a pot of money I would be giving you a call.

_____________________________

Ah well, there was a fantastic passion there, in my case anyway. I discovered flamenco
very early on. It grips you in a way that you can't get away - Paco Pena

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 16 2021 16:26:26