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Ricardo -> RE: The new book Santos Hernandez (Jan. 11 2024 18:13:15)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Echi
Now, I don't know exactly to what Segovia guitar you are referring to.
The main guitar used by Segovia (a 1912 made by Santos currently at the Metropolitan) was used till 1937 and well documented by Richard Bruné.
Bruné clarifies the 2 ways used by Santos to determine the bridge: the thing here is about neck angle but generally speaking the bridge for a flamenco guitar was set by Santos at about 6 mm + 2 mm of bone. Classical could be 2 mm more.
Segovia aimed for a very high action though and therefore used different saddles for the purpose.
Interestingly enough Segovia had more than one word in the design of the Ramirez classical guitars and he asked for a low bridge and a high action.
It's always useful to read the Bruné's article about the origins of Spanish classical guitars to have an idea about the average action at the time
Of course the guitars are in the book we are discussing (yes 1912 M. Ramirez). In fact I realize, despite montoya and Segovia having Santos hands-on constructions, it is really MANUEL RAMIREZ, that was the main innovator, his name on the label of both. So what that he did not physically build these, they are his by design. I realize also Amalia Ramirez has an older flamenco negra in her collection, 1911 (again, M. Ramirez label, regardless who built it physically). There is one M. Ramirez in this Santos book where Santos having a hand in it is only conjecture. About action, I am just going on eyeball, and the recordings. High action period. Classical guitar enthusiasts almost never care about bridge height, only action over fingerboard, so it is rare to see these numbers (which triangulate to flamenco players to give true playability impressions before picking it up and trying it.) in printed guitar descriptions, even for sale. I could be wrong I admit, we need to see a ruler in the photo.
Anyway, it is amusing to me how I am savoring the photos in the book like they are exquisite beauties, however, most of these guitars are beat to hell. The photo of Montoya with Leona on the album has a guitar in nice condition, but it was obviously not cared for properly by the Zayas family with all those cracks and marks on the back, etc., horrible. One thing I am noticing is the variety in the supposed “Brazilian” Rosewood. Only one guitar is admitted Indian, however, I find it hard to believe people can actually tell all those woods are the same species (D. Nigra) without doing some tests under microscope. How can they tell for sure? Cypress and maple are very obvious, but the non-figured rosewood all looks like Indian to me.
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