Brazilian negra (Full Version)

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Andy Culpepper -> Brazilian negra (Jan. 1 2026 3:19:38)

New guitar finished! The Brazilian speaks for itself but what do you think of the uber-simple rosette design?

Ebony friction pegs, as it should be.

I will try to make a video if I don't suck too much.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/6FXlypF.jpeg[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/g7bHL3L.jpeg[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/BakqexW.jpeg[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/oEFa9CH.jpeg[/img]



Arash -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 1 2026 12:31:44)

The Brazillian Rosewood and the guitar overall looks stunning.

About the Rosette, here is my honest opinion:

I like simplicity, but the first few seconds I looked at it, my brain told me something is missing. Like an "unfinished" Rosette. Probably because we're used to all the fancy Rosettes. I don't know, maybe adding a tiny bit of something extra as your "signature"?!



mecmachin -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 1 2026 13:17:57)

quote:

maybe adding a tiny bit of something extra as your "signature"

IMO that super simplistic design IS a signature.
It will certainly please to connaisseurs, who can distinguish the builds quality by all the other details...
I m no luthier though, nor a potential customer either. Didn't have a look at the rosette of my RSC in 25 years...

quote:

I will try to make a video if I don't suck too much

You are playing well. Looking forward to hear it sound.
Congratulations.



Arash -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 1 2026 15:04:41)

quote:

ORIGINAL: mecmachin


IMO that super simplistic design IS a signature.



Sure thing. As I said, I like the simplicity. Maybe a small addition of something to it, will still keep it's simplistic approach while adding something unique as well.



constructordeguitarras -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 1 2026 17:52:48)

Beautiful, Andy. I think the simplicity of design was a great idea; it lets the ample beauty of the wood shine through.



Fawkes -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 1 2026 18:38:05)

The fact that the rosette is just one bold line really underscores the idea and kind of rejects attention, and when you attend to the rest of the guitar you find plenty of visual interest. It's oddly commanding and pretty thought-provoking really.



Ricardo -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 1 2026 19:16:03)

What is the deal with Dilbergia nigra again? It is legal to use now or you got old stock? I feel like I have not seen any new BRW for years on guitars, just used guitars. I mean 10 years ago they said if you have any pre 1992 stock you can use it with proof of age, but you can't import it. I can't believe people are acquiring it legally at this point?



orsonw -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 1 2026 20:48:21)

quote:

What is the deal with Dilbergia nigra again? It is legal to use now or you got old stock?


I think Andy has old stock. He discussed it on the foro in the past, maybe ten years ago?

https://www.andyculpepper.com/brazilian-rosewood



ernandez R -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 1 2026 22:57:22)

She sure is pretty Andy.

I like the minimalist rosette single circle but as you guys know mine is only a couple steps ornate with two rings and five tiles, so I get it.

Looking forward to the recording 🙏

HR



ernandez R -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 1 2026 23:04:45)

quote:

ORIGINAL: orsonw

quote:

What is the deal with Dilbergia nigra again? It is legal to use now or you got old stock?


I think Andy has old stock. He discussed it on the foro in the past, maybe ten years ago?

https://www.andyculpepper.com/brazilian-rosewood



Andy Acquired a new stock just a few years ago. I’m trying to recall if you mentioned it coming from a luthier, or if he mentioned being deliberately vague about it.

The reason I know this is because almost immediately after he posted photos I reserved one of the super dark chocolate sets for a future built.

About nine months later it occurred to me that I wasn’t going to be in a position financially to make that Negra happen any time soon so I told Andy he could do whatever he needed to do without that set.

At some point Andy mentioned getting a commission using my dream set, I may have cried a little inside both for losing that particular set of woods and the idea that I would have a Culpepper negra to go side-by-side with my Culpepper blanca…


HR



silddx -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 2 2026 0:24:27)

I get Content Not Viewable In Your Region. (UK) Weird. So I can't see the photographs :(



Andy Culpepper -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 2 2026 3:25:34)

Thanks all for the feedback! The "rosette" is not for everyone but my client ordered it based on a blanca I made ~12 years ago with the same design...I actually didn't really like it that much on that guitar but on this one I feel like it works really well for some reason.
I think Fawkes hit the nail on the head because the rosette says "I'm no big deal", but really it's more of a quiet confidence because of what it's hiding on the other side [:)]

@Ricardo it is legal to use, but it's a big pain in the neck if you want to export it. I have the import permit from 2009 when the lot came from Brazil to Portland. The permit would not have been issued had the wood not been harvested prior to 1992. I bought the lot from my trusted luthier friend Chris in Washington state when he need to fund a shop expansion. I believe before he had it it was part of another prominent luthier's stash.
We don't know exactly when the wood was cut, but some of the sets I have (a number of which aren't on my website) are more akin to the quality that was seen 100+ years ago.
So yeah, I can build with it but I haven't yet exported a guitar made with it, though I could do that after securing the proper paperwork.



tijeretamiel -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 2 2026 18:36:10)

quote:

ORIGINAL: silddx

I get Content Not Viewable In Your Region. (UK) Weird. So I can't see the photographs :(


IMGUR no longer operates in the UK due to the Online Safety Act.

So like yourself, I can't see the pictures either.



Ricardo -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 2 2026 19:50:48)

quote:

@Ricardo it is legal to use, but it's a big pain in the neck if you want to export it. I have the import permit from 2009 when the lot came from Brazil to Portland. The permit would not have been issued had the wood not been harvested prior to 1992. I bought the lot from my trusted luthier friend Chris in Washington state when he need to fund a shop expansion. I believe before he had it it was part of another prominent luthier's stash.
We don't know exactly when the wood was cut, but some of the sets I have (a number of which aren't on my website) are more akin to the quality that was seen 100+ years ago.
So yeah, I can build with it but I haven't yet exported a guitar made with it, though I could do that after securing the proper paperwork.


Ok got it. In my pessimistic mind, years ago I was thinking "oh crap I guess these guys are gonna use that up as FAST as possible, since it sounds like any day now some new EPA law or something will give a "times up!" announcement etc., so I figured what ever had not been used by now would have been long gone rather than stored for use in a potential "future world" where you are executed for possessing any. [:D]

But as my friend told me, "there is no use in being pessimistic, it wouldn't do any good anyway". [:D][:D]



silddx -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 2 2026 20:44:18)

quote:

IMGUR no longer operates in the UK due to the Online Safety Act.

So like yourself, I can't see the pictures either.


Thank you! So guitar porn is included in the online safety act! What a damn shame.



Andy Culpepper -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 3 2026 3:18:27)

Wow, that's unfortunate. Maybe I'll try hosting images elsewhere, since it seems like they also don't work at all on Delcamp anymore. I have no particular attachment to imgur, I've just been using them a long time [:D]



amigo -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 3 2026 15:58:42)

Congrats Andy!! She looks awesome! We’re waiting for a video!

As is well known, Brazilian rosewood (Rio) has the best tonal characteristics for a guitar. This is something many guitar makers say.



Ricardo -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 3 2026 18:01:06)

quote:

ORIGINAL: amigo

Congrats Andy!! She looks awesome! We’re waiting for a video!

As is well known, Brazilian rosewood (Rio) has the best tonal characteristics for a guitar. This is something many guitar makers say.


Ramirez III was pretty clear that Brazilian was loved for its looks only. He said she was very hard to work with, prone to brittle cracking and such, and that Indian sounded just as good and was easier to acquire and work with ("Dalbergia Latifolia...which in a certain way is my favorite..."- Ramirez III 1990). Perhaps growing up with Brazilian wood guitars I got used to it as a kid that when I discovered cypress guitars the sound and look and feel and smell, everything seemed both exotic and superior. I realized my subjective bias was all in my head when I did a blind fold test on myself and my collection, it was shocking really. Considering this legal CITES thing, I look at that wood now as a "radioactive" attribute, like it is dangerous and maybe not worth it unless as a luxury collector item to keep safe at home.



Fawkes -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 3 2026 19:51:59)

Ramirez III said a lot of things. Like that the Spanish guitar had weak treble response and he fixed it.

Marshall Bruné did well guessing Brazilian vs. Indian in a blind test a few years ago, despite the fact that Brandon Acker uses very little tone color variation in his playing.

I think the difference matters more for pre-1940 designs. I hear the difference in Santos Hernandez or Torres guitars played by classical players who are into varying the tone color, although I would not claim the same with flamenco playing.



Arash -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 3 2026 22:41:54)

Owner of a huge guitar company once told me back and sides in general have very low impact on sound. It is mostly how top is made and voiced braced and he also told me most people can't even distinguish between rosewood and mahagony when it comes to back and sides when not looking (blind test) and that it's more like blind testing drinking a good $20 vs a $500 red wine. I personally felt like I could hear a difference between Pau Ferro and Rosewood, but maybe that was also the built in general, not back and sides.

Also I would assume it is more important if the wood is densly grained rather than origin? (i.e. a very good piece of indian quarter sawn and very densly close grains could be better than a random brazillian?)



Andy Culpepper -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 4 2026 3:26:11)

Indian and Brazilian RW are pretty different woods in many respects. Indian works fine, and can make very nice guitars, but there are other Rosewoods that sound and feel much more like Brazilian like Cocobolo (probably the closest) and some Madagascar.
I've always seen Indian as very utilitarian, but personally I don't put it in the top tier of b&s wood, those being: Mediterranean Cypress, Brazilian RW and Andaman Padauk. Just my opinion.



Richard Jernigan -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 5 2026 0:25:20)

quote:

Fawkes:
Ramirez III said a lot of things. Like that the Spanish guitar had weak treble response and he fixed it.


From the late 1960s to the mid 1980s I bought something like a dozen 1a classicals from Jose III personally, and sold them in the USA at a profit, except for a few for friends. The markup covered round trip air fare to Madrid. I heard a lot of opinions from Jose. I regarded his "mathematical" theories of guitar design as nothing more than numerology, but his practical ideas of production, his stories of well known professional players and his business acumen were the product of years of experience, thoughtful consideration, and willingness to experiment.

When I ordered a classical from Abel Garcia in Mexico in 2006, he sat me down and delivered a lecture on back and side materials. He said he could make equally good guitars from Brazilian, Indian, Cocobolo and Palo Escrito. A university press published Abel's book on guitar woods. I saw a copy of it on a bookshelf in Richard Brune's shop.

In the end I ordered Brazilian. We went to Abel's humidity controlled woodshed where I picked out a set, straight grained and quarter sawn. He charged me a lot of money for it. I asked him to pick out the spruce top, saying, "Tu eres el maestro." Then I asked Abel which Brazilian he would have picked. He indicated a slab sawn set. When I asked why, he replied, "Es mas blanda." I didn't pursue the subject any further.

RNJ



Andy Culpepper -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 7 2026 3:47:46)

I'm battling some kind of virus but in between cups of tea and lying in bed I managed to record this, hope you enjoy.

Action is set pretty low, around 2.6 mm so it definitely has a bit of rattle, mostly when played closer to the soundhole.




ernandez R -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 7 2026 9:14:14)

Sounds really nice, think I would be terrified to play much on a recently assembled commission!

Had a chance to play the video on my little Yamaha shelf system, sounded like you were right there, was cool cause I had just finished a one hour-ish playing session so my ears and brain were tuned in.

Would like to hear you really dig in and go at it but understand why you can’t.

How long do you keep them in the shop once you’re finished before you send them out?

Been dealing with a roller coaster viral and bacterial lung issue for nine months that has dug in and probably caused some structural damage. Take care of the old airbags only two we are gonna get.

HR



Arash -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 7 2026 9:55:03)

Damn, sounds lovely and muy flamenco



silddx -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 7 2026 17:48:11)

That does sound lovely.



Andy Culpepper -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 8 2026 3:59:49)

Thanks guys!

@HR I usually only keep them a few days. Sad because I never really get to hear how they develop! Until they come back for repairs or a trade-in :)
Damn, mine was really just a cold that my kid picked up somewhere, as they do. That sounds rough, my Dad had something very similar. But his started with pulmonary fibrosis from years of wood dust. It's why I'm pretty good about wearing my respirator and staying on top of dust collection/air filtration in the shop...



Richard Jernigan -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 8 2026 17:50:31)

Sounds great, Andy. has both bite and body.

RNJ



Andy Culpepper -> RE: Brazilian negra (Jan. 9 2026 16:34:25)

Thanks for listening, Richard!



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