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I don’t know any of the details. He was one of the original great American makers, he sure made a lot of guitars. I think he regularly participated in the Gerardo Nunez courses, apparently Gerardo has one of his guitars. But he’s more known as a classical maker.
Sad news. I met him at an exhibition of handmade musical instruments where we were both exhibiting, in Portland, Oregon, USA, in 2014. He was friendly and open. That's him holding one of my guitars.
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In the interview, Ruck mentioned Niel Ostberg. I met Ostberg just before I moved from Chicago to Seattle at the end of 1989, at an exhibition at the natural history museum where he had built a wigwam. He was so enthusiastic about building things and I guess he sensed a kindred spirit in me, because he reached out in a big way and stayed in touch after I was in Seattle, sending me information about his projects.
I can really relate to Ruck's description of his time in Phoenix, Arizona. Having grown up in Phoenix myself, I vividly remember the orange groves and olive groves Ruck mentions in his interview. On summer nights you could smell the orange blossoms from groves within a couple of miles of my home. Great memories.
Bill
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And the end of the fight is a tombstone white, With the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here, Who tried to hustle the East."
I'm so sad to hear this. Bob was a mover and innovator coupled with hard work and a desire to succeed. I will miss him.
A little on the humorous side, when Bob returned my call one day; in the conversation we talked about guitar building and he suggested that I get more into electrical ways to find tone and balance.
I confessed to him that I had been building so long with straight intuitive skills that I felt more comfortable with it, and that I was happy with the results. This is some what laughable when I just read his take about.......
"In Manuel's Velaquez' talk today, numerous times I heard him say that this is the way he does it, and he likes it that way; it may not be the best way, but he likes it that way. He seemed very content."
Bob, I didn't get a chance to tell you goodbye old friend; have a meaningful journey.
Yes, he was quite an interesting fellow. I am lucky to own one of his blanca's and luckier still to have known him. Its a fantastic instrument and it will always be a remembrance of his skills and craftsmanship.
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So sad. I met him in 2004 when he gave Gerardo his negra at the end of the course. Here is Gerardo with the second guitar made for him which he traded for the negra:
I wanted to stop watching that video but couldn’t. Is that the cedar top negra I’ve seen Gerardo with?
It’s the spruce Cypress guitar he traded or rather returned the negra for. At :47 you can see the sound port above the neck joint on the side.... there is one below it as well.
By the way Gerardo is interpreting this piano piece (the only guitar version I came across):
Sorry I got it backwards..was thinking he traded in the Blanca in that video for a negra. Your talking about the negra he uses in the Encuentro.
I thought I remember reading recently he sat on this Blanca and cracked it?
I was referring to the interpretive dance in the vid btw. Stayed for Gerardo’s playing and certain other scenery
You are very confused in your old age. Encuentro video guitar is made by Andres Marvi....Vicente Amigo sat on his Reyes and broke it. History of Nunez and Ruck is 2004 he had a negra that nobody ever saw....2005 he traded it for the blanca in the video above. 2006 another blanca was made minus the sound ports but Gerardo rejected it. After that is is foggy which guitar he kept and used, I think he ended up with another Ruck blanca. I think last year or couple years ago a detachable neck blanca was made for Gerardo as well. Not sure how many Rucks Gerardo has in his possession at present. I do know that a couple of Rucks that Gerardo did not keep were sold to students of the curso each summer.
Lol I am a bit confused. I did inhale some formaldehyde laced MDF dust yesterday. That can’t be good. Anyway, that’s right Encuentro guitar was Marvi duh. Thanks for the clarification.
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