RE: "Luthiers share your creations" thread

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estebanana

Posts: 9351
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

Maple! Semantics! Orange Roughies!

Paleolithic French Polish....Rosie Futures to all!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 30 2013 0:12:16

Stephen Eden

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

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

Cheersn John. The bindings are ebony. They were left overs from another project that a student and I are working on. I only work a 40 hour week and get a little help from an apprentice 2 days a week so that definately helps. I am looking at moving house soon, together with getting a new workshop. So I am working hard to get the funds together so I can afford to do the work required for the workshop conversion.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 3 2013 9:03:38

Andy Culpepper

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

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

Just finished this cutaway blanca. It's super light.
Sorry for the schizophrenic performance but I wanted to show some of the versatility that it has

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Andy Culpepper, luthier
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 18 2013 3:29:58

constructordeguitarras

Posts: 1675
Joined: Jan. 29 2012
From: Seattle, Washington, USA

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Nice, Andy.

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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 May 18 2013 15:57:22

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to Stephen Eden)

quote:

ORIGINAL: SEden
I am looking at moving house soon, together with getting a new workshop. So I am working hard to get the funds together so I can afford to do the work required for the workshop conversion.

Good luck on your move. Moving the shop is such an unpleasant undertaking hopefully your new shop will be larger, brighter and more comfortable to make it worthwhile. Why is it that no matter how big a shop one gets it so quickly gets stacked to the rafters with stuff? When we built our new shop it was so large that I thought we'd get lost in it. Now it's full.

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John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 18 2013 18:09:25

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

quote:

ORIGINAL: deteresa1

Just finished this cutaway blanca. It's super light.

I wish you'd shown a picture of the other side. It's a nice looking guitar tastefully done. Does it have an extra wide saddle or is it just the angle? How did you do the heel? Is it rounded like a steel string? I'm not a fan of cutaways and swore I'd never build another one but it's still interesting to look at the way other people execute the junction of the cutaway and the heel.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 18 2013 18:16:13

gbv1158

Posts: 410
Joined: May 29 2009
From: Italy

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

very nice!... I would call her "soprano flamenco cw guitar"!

bravissimo!

:-)
ciao,
giambattista

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 18 2013 18:53:52

Andy Culpepper

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

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

Thanks Ethan and gbv.
John, I make my saddles 1/8" which is a little wider than most people. I rounded the heel somewhat just so you wouldn't be able to impale yourself on it when reaching for higher frets.
Here are a couple pictures that show how I make my cutaways. I'm also interested in trying the "curvy" kind where the side follows the heel contour.

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Andy Culpepper, luthier
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 19 2013 13:17:48

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Andy,

Here's one we built several years ago using another method. It eliminates the sharp corner. Not better just different.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 19 2013 18:15:38

estebanana

Posts: 9351
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

The curved one is interesting to build from a sculptural point. The players say the access for the wrist and front forearm is better allowing a very natural grip on the high positions. That said all the cutaways look good.

If anyone tries the swept one let me know, I might be able to give a few thoughts that will save you a headache or two. Also charge more for it, its harder to make and you'll spend extra time.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 20 2013 0:45:53

Ruphus

Posts: 3782
Joined: Nov. 18 2010

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

Just discovered the last two pages as new to me.

Nice plausible explanation from Anders on colour choice in Andalusia.

So many beautiful guitars!
They all look like gems.

Me too dislike those broadened and flattened heels you often see with cutaways, and thus appreciate Andy´s solution a lot. Even a tad better with a rounded edge like John´s.
-

To the once original question whether cutaways impart a slight loss in sound, and the typical answer that `no´; I still wonder how there will be no sacrifice when the corpus is altered in such ways.

Is the smaller and stiffer bouts region near the heel so exclusively responsible for transfering upper fequencies that its loss of LF resonatig properties will hardly matter in the general sound picture? And similar with fewer reverberation in the chamber?

Ruphus

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 20 2013 10:28:02

Jeff Highland

Posts: 401
Joined: Mar. 5 2010
From: Caves Beach Australia

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

Strung this up yesterday
No closeups, still sorting cosmetics and setup
next to a standard classical from 4 years ago

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 24 2013 5:40:11

Ruphus

Posts: 3782
Joined: Nov. 18 2010

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

Both look very handsome. I specially like the top of the classical. Almost looks like kauri.

Is that a tornavoz in the bass?

Ruphus

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 24 2013 13:30:52

Flamencosaint

Posts: 25
Joined: Mar. 12 2013

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

Excuse my ignorance but does the cutaway in ANYWAY affect sound on a Blanca or Negra? ive always liked a cutaway but was told there's a loss of resonance and punch in flamenco guitars... how true is this?

Thanks

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 24 2013 14:09:53

Andy Culpepper

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

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

John,
That's a nice technique with the cutaway... I like the shaping a little better than what you see on those Antonio Aparicio guitars (and maybe others).

Flamencosaint, I don't think the cutaway necessarily affects the tone in a negative way. With the first couple cutaways I made I thought the high E string maybe wasn't all it could be, but I think I've solved that problem.

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http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 24 2013 16:24:46

Jeff Highland

Posts: 401
Joined: Mar. 5 2010
From: Caves Beach Australia

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to Ruphus)

quote:

Both look very handsome. I specially like the top of the classical. Almost looks like kauri.

Is that a tornavoz in the bass?

Ruphus

Thanks Rufus
They are both englemann tops from the same batch. The classical probably started with very slightly darker shellac and has aged.
Yes it's a tornavoz to get the first body resonance down (between B and C below E on a normal guitar) It's strung with Savarez Classical bass guitar strings.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 24 2013 22:28:04

Ruphus

Posts: 3782
Joined: Nov. 18 2010

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

You are welcome!
Now that you mention it, I see that they have quite the same grain pattern.

That´s whatt I imagined a tornavoz to do; reducing the output of low frequencies.

Acoustic bass can be such fun.
Had one that was amazingly groovy; really loved that thing. It was spruce top on rock-hard maple with rosewood fretboard.
Incredible lucky strike of Chinese cheapo production with great setup. Only that the top sunk in after some months. :O(

Since then I am having in mind to seek for another cinderella in the cheap shelves, but it hasn´t occured yet.

Yours just reminded me of how yummy it can be.

Ruphus

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 25 2013 0:04:50

constructordeguitarras

Posts: 1675
Joined: Jan. 29 2012
From: Seattle, Washington, USA

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

Stephen--
Do you have a good trick for cutting the binding channel on the back of the "swept one"? For me that is the most difficult thing on the whole guitar, because the angle between the side and the back is changing and not 90 degrees in that area.

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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 May 25 2013 3:10:44

Wayne Brown

Posts: 124
Joined: Oct. 22 2012
From: Huntersville, North Carolina, USA

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to constructordeguitarras)

Ethan,
I understand what you are saying. I too had alot of frustration cutting binding channels on the back of my guitars. I purchased a binding channel cutter tool from Stewart McDonald. It works great especially on steel strings where the neck is joined after finishing, but on classical/flamenco it works equally as well. You just have to finish your channel around the neck joint by hand.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 25 2013 20:23:48

estebanana

Posts: 9351
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

quote:

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

Stephen--
Do you have a good trick for cutting the binding channel on the back of the "swept one"? For me that is the most difficult thing on the whole guitar, because the angle between the side and the back is changing and not 90 degrees in that area.

Yes I had a difficult time with the compound curves meeting and constantly changing as edges.

I have been thinking about this and I came up with the idea of taping a flexible metal straight edge exactly where the line needs to be and using a knife to score the line. Then carefully use a chisel to remove the mass in the channel.

You can't use the router past a certain point on the back or front because the reference surface slants radically off of 90 degrees. As you know.

The other thing I learned the hard way is to leave the rib on the cutaway side the full width because when you fit it to the block and bend the curve that becomes the cutaway you use more rib width. You need an extra half inch rib width to compensate for the curve drawing the rib towards the back of the guitar, leaving you short on the top side if the rib is not extra wide. I missed it on the first one, but was able to save it with binding width, but it was a situation I did not need to hassle with.

The way the cutaway moves into the heel gave me lot of things to think about as far as style.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 26 2013 0:41:51

constructordeguitarras

Posts: 1675
Joined: Jan. 29 2012
From: Seattle, Washington, USA

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to Wayne Brown)

Thanks for sharing, Wayne and Stephen. Yeah, Wayne, I was thinking of trying that Dremmel tool from Stew-Mac. Stephen, that sounds like an interesting idea, the straight edge. Somehow I left enouh side width without thinking about it first--I always taper them towards the heel during assembly.

Another thing that I found difficult was clamping on the binding during gluing--which I usually do with just luthier tape. I needed more pressure because of all the curvature. I'm thinking of making up the back binding using two flexible thinner strips on each side instead of one thick strip on each side (I think Irving Sloane and Bogdanovich have pre-built them up from several veneers) to save that headache.

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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 May 26 2013 1:05:53

Andy Culpepper

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

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

Another Padauk negra... been getting orders for these, with good reason. I've had great results with the stuff. Video tomorrow!
Got a decent camera and liking it...

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Andy Culpepper, luthier
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 3 2013 20:53:21

RTC

Posts: 667
Joined: Aug. 20 2008
From: DFW Area, Texas

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

I have always admire your work. Can't wait for the video.
Can you tell me how does the sound differ from your Blanca's, and do you use the same internal patterns?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 4 2013 1:43:49

Wayne Brown

Posts: 124
Joined: Oct. 22 2012
From: Huntersville, North Carolina, USA

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Andy,
That's a beautiful guitar. I love the color and especially the peghead.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 4 2013 11:50:57

Andy Culpepper

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

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

Muchas gracias RTC and Wayne.

I use the same bracing and internal construction on all my guitars these days.
The Padauk guitars are a little bit like a blanca on steroids. Every note kind of jumps out and articulated rasgueados are pretty much effortess. Padauk has a little bit of a harder edge to the sound and it can be more trebly, even excessively so. But I think I'm getting that under control pretty well.

video:

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 5 2013 2:39:47

Ruphus

Posts: 3782
Joined: Nov. 18 2010

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

As I can´t access YT no avail of the video for me.
But I have heard enough recordings of your guitars to have a specific idea of what makes your very characteristic make.
Which is flamenco sound on steroids.

The new one is just beautiful once again. Though looking different, still simlarly to the last padauk one with its tempting appearance.

Sometimes guitar characteristics seem to come through visiually.
At least my experience with batches in stores appears to confirm that impression to quite a degree.
The vibrant ones seem to somehow be radiating their property visually.

However that be, fact is that your creations speak to me.
Like mermaids.
Making me crash into rocks under the misty sea.
Waking up stranded on a new shore.

With the maid in my arms and words on my lips: "Where have you been all those years?"

Carve on, maestro, carve on!

Ruphus

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 5 2013 12:47:32

tijeretamiel

Posts: 441
Joined: Jan. 6 2012

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to estebanana)

A smashing sounding and looking Coral/Padauk negra Andy, good job. All the spruce/paduak guitars you've made have been cracking. Have you ever thought about making one with a cedar top? A cedar top could tame some of the trebles...

Coral/Padauk negras are my favourites (well on evidence of videos etc, not had a chance to try one out) is they seem to have the tonal strong points of negras but sound more crisper/percussive for rasgeos.

I'd get one in a heartbeat if I could!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 5 2013 13:13:54

krichards

Posts: 597
Joined: Jan. 14 2007
From: York, England

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

This my 'trademark'.
Not original, I copied the idea from Pedro Maldonado.
Quite tricky to get it right.

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Kevin Richards

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 16 2013 10:31:37

RTC

Posts: 667
Joined: Aug. 20 2008
From: DFW Area, Texas

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Andy:
x2!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 16 2013 16:02:11

constructordeguitarras

Posts: 1675
Joined: Jan. 29 2012
From: Seattle, Washington, USA

RE: "Luthiers share your creati... (in reply to constructordeguitarras)

I just want to add a picture of this guitar (p. ll of this thread, posted April 28, 2013) being played by the guitarist in the foreground. A video is in the works.