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This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.
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RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to SephardRick)
Rick,
I am basically off this list since I think it is time for me to give more respect to the younger builders here and retire from any of what may be considered a competitive building practice.
And although I'll continue to build, I know there has to be a balance in mutual respect for peoples feelings. And it is for this reason I wish all the best for this list.
I just got an e-mail today from one of Savage music company's sales to a fellow who took the guitar to Richard Brune to have an upgrade on the tuning machines.
I thought you would find this interesting:
Hi Mr. Blackshear,
I write you every so often to thank you for making this great guitar. Anyway thought you would get a kick out of this. I took it to Richard Brune's shop to have him check it over and put some Rodgers tuners on it. So I gave it to him to play and he was blown away :) Thought it was a stupendous guitar as I do. I have never heard it played by someone else so that was a real treat, what a great guitar. So his son Marshall comes into the shop in the back and can't see us and comes to the showroom and goes what the heck is that awesome guitar. He thought it was one from their collection, which I am sure you know Richard has some of the best guitars ever made in his collection.
Anyway thought you would like to know.
Thanks again for all the years of dedication to your art which has allowed me to have such a fine instrument. And yes I only use Daddario EJ46's :)
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
Tom,
The right people are appreciating your talent - The vendors, who market guitars.
Speaking of Savage Guitars, last year Rich Savage told me this personally about your guitars:
"...Tom is uniquely talented in all of his builds. Excellent guitars regardless of flamenco or classical genre. Best and thanks for taking the time to comment.."
I, for one, will stay tuned to your web page for updates.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
small world. I had Brune install Rodgers tuners on my Blackshear a few years back. It is the Reyes build with a cedar top. Several pros have played it and really like the guitar. It has such a sweet lyrical voice.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Tom Blackshear
Rick,
I am basically off this list since I think it is time for me to give more respect to the younger builders here and retire from any of what may be considered a competitive building practice.
I was afraid it was going to end like that. But I can understand your decision though. I think the rude attitude you've suffered is nothing but pure envy.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to FERREREZAKI)
Hopefully not.
We have seen other builders leave and return after being absolutely brutal to each other. Someone gets their feelings hurt and leave. Yet, in a few months they return. We all have one thing in common - Our love for Flamenco. There are not too many web sites dedicated to it.
Think about it for a second...Here, we have as members perhaps the greatest constructors and technical players coming together at this web page. Fortunately for all, Simon is a prince of a guy providing use of this site.
So, Tom probably needs space for now. This place is just too special to shunt. My bet is he'll return just as interesting and informative as ever.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to SephardRick)
quote:
Fortunately for all, Simon is a prince of a guy providing use of this site.
Thanks guys for your encouragement, and Simon should be applauded for all the fine work he has done with this forum.
I'm not offended at all from the banter of certain members, it's all a matter of playful back and forth that cannot be helped; with a group of guys who are passionate about their work.
So hang in there Amigos. Enjoy this forum for all its many benefits.
Posts: 6441
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to SephardRick)
I do it for my late friends Guy Williams and Ron Mitchell, and all the others who are passionate about the things that I believe really matter. Friendship, love, romance, travel and humour amongst others. This place is always open to those who don't abuse it.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Escribano)
Simon,
I noticed that you are in what appears to be a locomotive picture. Were you an engineer?
I had an uncle who was an engineer in Alabama who was called at three in the morning to take the train from Montgomery to Selma and back. Later he found out that he transported Al Capone that leg of the journey, going to Alcatraz prison in California.
Posts: 6441
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
quote:
Simon,
I noticed that you are in what appears to be a locomotive picture. Were you an engineer?
I had an uncle who was an engineer in Alabama who was called at three in the morning to take the train from Montgomery to Selma and back. Later he found out that he transported Al Capone that leg of the journey, going to Alcatraz prison in California.
No, I am afraid I am not. That is a recent photo that I took on a local steam line and I like the metaphor for my role here.
Cool story. The railroad is synonymous with your culture. It literally created modern America. I like the stories about the railroad workers naming geographic features and the new railroad stops along the way. Most of them are unmentionable
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Ricardo)
quote:
Imagine if Felipe and Mariano Conde were members here and posted their opinions. They wouldn't last 5 minutes
And why should they? The Conde's should face charges before the International War Crimes Against Good Taste Commission at The Hague.
The violin makers painstakingly create deep oil varnishes that are colored with sublime nuance, but the C Bros. pump in Orange Dye #37 and they are geniuses!
Tom,
You obviously have a following of members who support your work, it would be a shame to make them race all over the internet so they can keep up with your work. Consolidating all the guitar makers work who have spent time cultivating a presence on the Foro makes a lot of sense.
If you are willing to bury the tomahawk in a deep cool hole in the ground, rather than in each others skulls, I'm ready for that. I put forward a gentleman's agreement, that I'll stay off your street corner, and you stay off mine. A partitioning off of the Foro Luthery Section Cease Fire. There is plenty of space on the Foro if the boundaries of the themes and Personal Topical posts are respected. There's always enough blame to fill an auditorium should someone want to speak and assign fault, so I propose also we move on from that.
I'm not of the the school or opinion that makers of things have to be in lockstep *kumbaya feel good* relations with one another 100% of the time. It's unrealistic. Whatever personal misinterpretations or dislikes I have about our personality differences should not contribute to the Foro missing out on your contribution. The cohesion of the whole engine is more important than a few spare parts that squeak. As Mr. Spock would say "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." If I have misspoken and given myself too much credit for driving you away I'm sorry, but I suspect that you are smarting from our last exchange.
It's not time for you to deliver the 'Nixon -Checkers' speech just yet.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
Very good Stephen. I agree.
Let TomB and his followers have their little get-together and we´ll all be happy. I have more or less given up on foro flamencos luthiery section because of the behaviour of the very same "club". But if that changes, I believe I will participate some more again.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Anders Eliasson)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Anders Eliasson
Very good Stephen. I agree.
Let TomB and his followers have their little get-together and we´ll all be happy. I have more or less given up on foro flamencos luthiery section because of the behaviour of the very same "club". But if that changes, I believe I will participate some more again.
Yes I remember. I do not blame you, it is a tight nit group to say the least, a chosen few, only speak their peace and crap on the other people trying to use the forum for what it is intended to be used for, information from every body' and not name calling other .s point of view
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to estebanana)
quote:
"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." If I have misspoken and given myself too much credit for driving you away I'm sorry, but I suspect that you are smarting from our last exchange.
Steve,
I love you man, and I've always tried to lift you up with your building practice. I was going to leave the forum due to my own thoughts about spending too much time posting about my work. I gave you a friendly butt slap about Eugene Clark in parting, that's all.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
I really appreciate input from all of our Luthier members. All of you have been a wonderful source of knowledge for me regarding flamenco guitars, and I really hope all of you will continue to contribute. The forum is very fortunate to have so many experienced buildings who are willing to share their different viewpoints for the benefit of all members.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to yourwhathurts69)
quote:
I really appreciate input from all of our Luthier members. All of you have been a wonderful source of knowledge for me regarding flamenco guitars, and I really hope all of you will continue to contribute.
I hope we will be able to accommodate you and the other members with this ideal.
Personally, I have reached the end of much of my association here, as my main idea was to share some of my fine-tuning techniques with the list members. My thrust was to level the playing field for all guitar builders, with these techniques, from Mexico to the farthest reaches of Spain and Europe.
I've pretty much been able to accomplish this information and I am now happy to give it a rest and continue to build my guitars, as most other master builders are doing with-in their own business's.
My visit and work here was planned to identify certain rudimentary and fundamental ways in which to share my techniques. And I think this speaks of this list as being no different in human reactions but certainly showing its valid content for its readers.
Concerning Social-anthropological concepts, we have quite a bit of that to deal with and in this genre there is a necessity to be skilled in our conversations so as not to wash out the basic ideal that needs to be the forefront of the message; namely guitars.
I wish everyone here a pleasant continuation with the hope that you go from strength to strength with one of the greatest sources of flamenco information on this planet, to date.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
For those who follow my building practice:
I am putting my home up for sale the first of this July 2017 so I'm packing for the move. I may be able to finish the 1987 Reyes style flamenco or it may have to wait until I move into a new place.
House hunting is for the birds but we need to scale down quite a bit to get ready for retirement.
It's been a fun 55+years working in this business and I hope to keep building; even a scaled down practice that has given me much enjoyment throughout the years.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
Tom,
Thanks for checking in. As we get older, it is prudent to plan for the decline in different areas of life. So, I understand your situation, planning for retirement. Hope things go well for you and your family.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to SephardRick)
It's a hot housing market in San Antonio right now, with 20% increase in the past few months. The realtor thinks our home will sell the first week....Oh BOY! Now, where do we go?
I think the 1987 Reyes style will have to wait to be finished until we find another house.
And like Brian implied the other day, at our age it's best for us to finish the guitar and then call around to see who wants it. I've been doing this for quite some time now and it seems to work for me.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
The housing market is good but the realistic ideal may be that it will sell at a slower pace, so this means I might have a chance to finish out the guitar before moving.
Right now I'm working on a proprietary idea that will cause the sound to gain a natural reverb sensation. This should gain some presentation in treble sustain, etc.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
I'll be getting back to some building in about 1 week and will try to journal it on the list through the finished product, if possible.
If I don't sell the home then I'll make some small improvements and retire here, with the kids to pass this on too.
This situation has been educational for me, I've learned a lot about the real-estate market already. And like they say, it's not how many people view the property, it only takes one to buy it.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
OK, back in the saddle again...
Just doing some scraping on the sides to smooth things out, and tomorrow I'll try and start the routing process for the binding/purfling.
If I can maintain steady timing, things should go faster with the finish up for the bridge and fingerboard.
This particular guitar is an interesting project, as it has a pattern akin to Amigo's 1987 Reyes style and some new innovation in tonal production that I'm very excited about.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
Just finishing up with the binding/purfling and will show the work later today. The guitar is going well, so far, and I hope to sand the top and install the bridge early next week. It seems that people are still viewing my website with 100,079.
Actually here is the latest view for the guitar at:
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
Just a heads up that there will be some more pics today, as my wife loads them on the Internet.
The top is about ready to sand but I have some sanding to do on the sides and back before I get to the top.
Everything, so far, is good. This thing has taken so much time that I'm almost afraid to finish it out. Oh well, fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
RE: Tom's tutorial Manuel Reyes Flam... (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
Hi Tom,
Jeff here in So. Oregon,
I am hoping you are not in the midst of Harvey's path and all is going well.
I understand your situation, understood by those of us who have more yesterdays than tomorrows. We likewise are paring down, and am loath to part with a 40 plus year collection of wood and tools.
Our real estate market has been "hot" owing to dope growers coming here from all over the US..
And just when we decided to leave (11 1/2 acres) and put our house up for sale, announced yesterday.... the county is banning future dope farms on rural residential property. As a result, we have taken a 20 % hit in the price.
Maybe we'll just stay and grow dope.. far more profitable than legitimate work.
For your current build, are you going to use a Brazilian rosewood bridge?
Jeff
PS.. And best wishes for all of you caught up by Harvey. Hang in there.
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