Cuban Mahogany Parlour Guitar
- Dave White
- Blackwood
- Posts: 452
- Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 3:10 am
- Location: Hughenden Valley, England
- Contact:
Cuban Mahogany Parlour Guitar
Apologies to OLF'ers as this will be a repeat. I've just finished this commission for a Cuban Mahogany parlour guitar (more properly a Concert or O sized) which was fun as my very first commission four years ago was the same model and woods. This guitar is a copy of an early 1900's American all mahogany guitar I have but done with my design X bracing on the top and X/ladder hybrid bracing on the back. I have also done a ladder braced version of this guitar.
Specs:
Top/back/sides/neck are figured Cuban mahogany, plantation grown in Micronesia (so it's almost Australian ). Side sound port. The neck is from the same block as the sides. The binding is ebony with bwb top/back and side purfling, ebony end graft, heel block and ebony venner on the front and back of the headstock. The bridge is Old Rio rosewood with split bone saddle and ebony bridge-pins. Scale length is 624mm (24.57"), lower bout width 335mm (13.19"), upper bout width 240mm (9.45"), waist width 205mm (8.07") and maximum body depth 95mm (3.74"). Tuners are Waverly's with ebony knobs. The finish is hand rubbed pre-catalysed lacquer over Z-poxy on the body and tru-oil over Z-poxy on the neck:
Bracing is my usual "triabolic" with hybrid X braced back with cf flying buttress braces:
Here's the family - the original old boy in the middle, with the ladder braced version "Jack the Lad" on the right:
The owner won't be picking it up until the end of next week so I did a few recordings for her to capture the "new" sound. I did two fingerstyle pieces and some strumming to give her an idea. The strings have been on the guitar for three days and it was recorded with an AKG C1000S microphone and mxed down with flat EQ and no added effects. First, my version of Davy Graham's "Anji" played in standard tuning Capo II:
Anji
Next a ragtime piece I put together called "Candi's Rag" (Candi is the guitar's owner ), in standard tuning:
Candi's Rag
Finally I strummed the chords to The Kinks "Sunny Afternoon":
Sunny Afternoon
Thanks for looking and listening.
EDIT 8th June 2009 - The server that hosted these recordings no longer exists but you can still hear Candi's Rag here on my website, it's Track 16 on the Jukebox.
Specs:
Top/back/sides/neck are figured Cuban mahogany, plantation grown in Micronesia (so it's almost Australian ). Side sound port. The neck is from the same block as the sides. The binding is ebony with bwb top/back and side purfling, ebony end graft, heel block and ebony venner on the front and back of the headstock. The bridge is Old Rio rosewood with split bone saddle and ebony bridge-pins. Scale length is 624mm (24.57"), lower bout width 335mm (13.19"), upper bout width 240mm (9.45"), waist width 205mm (8.07") and maximum body depth 95mm (3.74"). Tuners are Waverly's with ebony knobs. The finish is hand rubbed pre-catalysed lacquer over Z-poxy on the body and tru-oil over Z-poxy on the neck:
Bracing is my usual "triabolic" with hybrid X braced back with cf flying buttress braces:
Here's the family - the original old boy in the middle, with the ladder braced version "Jack the Lad" on the right:
The owner won't be picking it up until the end of next week so I did a few recordings for her to capture the "new" sound. I did two fingerstyle pieces and some strumming to give her an idea. The strings have been on the guitar for three days and it was recorded with an AKG C1000S microphone and mxed down with flat EQ and no added effects. First, my version of Davy Graham's "Anji" played in standard tuning Capo II:
Anji
Next a ragtime piece I put together called "Candi's Rag" (Candi is the guitar's owner ), in standard tuning:
Candi's Rag
Finally I strummed the chords to The Kinks "Sunny Afternoon":
Sunny Afternoon
Thanks for looking and listening.
EDIT 8th June 2009 - The server that hosted these recordings no longer exists but you can still hear Candi's Rag here on my website, it's Track 16 on the Jukebox.
Last edited by Dave White on Mon Jun 08, 2009 5:26 pm, edited 5 times in total.
Dave White
[url=http://www.defaoiteguitars.com]De Faoite Stringed Instruments[/url]
[url=http://www.defaoiteguitars.com]De Faoite Stringed Instruments[/url]
- Ron Wisdom
- Blackwood
- Posts: 420
- Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 1:18 am
- Location: Arkansas, USA
That's a gorgeous guitar. I really like the whole body in mahogany. And interesting bracing pattern. What sort of neck block does it get. Hard to tell from the photos. The way the upper bout braces are laid out it looks like you might have some sort of finger board support happening.
I read your "guess the tone woods" post on the OLF and thought that it was a great, entertaining exercise. Some were pretty well right on with their guess as well. Maybe they were just lucky, or there is a definite tone to different woods that an educated ear can pick out. Not my ear I'm afraid.
I read your "guess the tone woods" post on the OLF and thought that it was a great, entertaining exercise. Some were pretty well right on with their guess as well. Maybe they were just lucky, or there is a definite tone to different woods that an educated ear can pick out. Not my ear I'm afraid.
- Dave White
- Blackwood
- Posts: 452
- Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 3:10 am
- Location: Hughenden Valley, England
- Contact:
Serge and Ron - thank you my friends.
Allen,
I do a fully floating neck, usually - but not in this case - with an adjustable neck system. The neck block looks like this:
The neck is like this:
The building of this guitar is documented here on my website.
The OLF guess the wood was fun - I only hope that Kirby has recovered!
Allen,
I do a fully floating neck, usually - but not in this case - with an adjustable neck system. The neck block looks like this:
The neck is like this:
The building of this guitar is documented here on my website.
The OLF guess the wood was fun - I only hope that Kirby has recovered!
Dave White
[url=http://www.defaoiteguitars.com]De Faoite Stringed Instruments[/url]
[url=http://www.defaoiteguitars.com]De Faoite Stringed Instruments[/url]
- Dave Anderson
- Blackwood
- Posts: 260
- Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2007 2:38 pm
- Location: Florida, USA
- Dave White
- Blackwood
- Posts: 452
- Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 3:10 am
- Location: Hughenden Valley, England
- Contact:
Martin,
Thnaks - small guitars are a lot of fun!!
Dave,
Tnanks too. Part of the reason I did the "blind" sound clips was that mahogany topped guitars have a bad reputation with some builders/players. Hearing without any "visual contamination" is interesting. They make great guitars - especially if you want the bluesy growl - but you can also get great response, overtones and sustain out of them too. Also the top has Z-poxy on it like the b/s - and this is supposed to kill tone isn't it
I initially thicknessed the top to around 2.5mm and then went from there as the wood told me as I flexed and went through the bracing process. I have my tops thicker in the central bridge area and thinned out towards the side and back edges of the lower bout.
Thnaks - small guitars are a lot of fun!!
Dave,
Tnanks too. Part of the reason I did the "blind" sound clips was that mahogany topped guitars have a bad reputation with some builders/players. Hearing without any "visual contamination" is interesting. They make great guitars - especially if you want the bluesy growl - but you can also get great response, overtones and sustain out of them too. Also the top has Z-poxy on it like the b/s - and this is supposed to kill tone isn't it
I initially thicknessed the top to around 2.5mm and then went from there as the wood told me as I flexed and went through the bracing process. I have my tops thicker in the central bridge area and thinned out towards the side and back edges of the lower bout.
Dave White
[url=http://www.defaoiteguitars.com]De Faoite Stringed Instruments[/url]
[url=http://www.defaoiteguitars.com]De Faoite Stringed Instruments[/url]
Dave buddy I certainly don't mind giving you kudos on two forums because you deserve far more than that! This is a GREAT guitar and again your design eye and vision is outstanding.
You make beautiful guitars that are first and foremost guitars that beg to be played. And that my friend is what it is all about!
You make beautiful guitars that are first and foremost guitars that beg to be played. And that my friend is what it is all about!
Wow, I would have never thought you could get such rich sounds from such a small guitar. I my mind, parlors sounded more like ukes than guitars. Wow! Thank you for sharing the sound clips. I really like the sound. I've played Anji several times now. One question, how do I steal it and put it on my iPod?
- Dennis Leahy
- Blackwood
- Posts: 872
- Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 12:32 am
- Location: Duluth, MN, US
- Contact:
Well, Dave, I had fun with the guess the wood and body style thingie, though I find it hard to believe someone (Kirby?) "knew" it was a Mahogany top. If he really knew, then I doubt my ear will ever "get it." I thought I could hear a small box, and because of the quick attack, sort of ruled out the softer sounding Redwood and Cedar. But, I'd be the first to admit it was totally a guess.
Make the next one from WA Sheoak, with a Port Ordford Cedar top, and see if anyone gets it.
Anyway, it was fun, and your guitar is gorgeous!
Dennis
Make the next one from WA Sheoak, with a Port Ordford Cedar top, and see if anyone gets it.
Anyway, it was fun, and your guitar is gorgeous!
Dennis
Another damn Yank!
- Bob Connor
- Admin
- Posts: 3132
- Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:43 pm
- Location: Geelong, Australia
- Contact:
- Tom Morici
- Blackwood
- Posts: 103
- Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2007 5:46 pm
- Location: Montana, USA
- Contact:
- Dave Anderson
- Blackwood
- Posts: 260
- Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2007 2:38 pm
- Location: Florida, USA
Dave, I used to have an old Guild mahogany top drednaught that sounded, well, I didn't like its tone at all. I can see now that great tone can be brought out of a mahog top as you have certainly done. I would like to try it myself after I gain more experience. Your guitar here has sure inspired me to attempt it in the near future. Thanks
Dave Anderson
Port Richey,Florida
Port Richey,Florida
- Dave White
- Blackwood
- Posts: 452
- Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 3:10 am
- Location: Hughenden Valley, England
- Contact:
Hesh - Thanks - I'm blushing I still have a long, long way to go in terms of fit and finish but this will come with the more I make. Fortunately I have been close to the sound I want from very early on in my building.
Lillian - Don't let small guitars fool you - they have lots of volume and character if you do them right and they are very comfortable to play. I don't know how you can save the mp3 but if you can't figure it out then pm me with your e-mail address and I'll send you the mp3's you want.
Dennis - Thanks. Some people do have those sorts of "ear" for tone and woods.
Bob & Paul - thanks.
Kim - Thanks. Yes Candi placed her order as an indirect result of the Cheltenham show. She'd been looking for an all mahogany parlour for a while and read some nice things Sam and her friend said about my guitars at the show on the Taylor Guitar Forum and checked out my website.
Tom - Thanks, you do some pretty interesting stuff yourself.
Dave - I've done a number of different top woods - Euro, Lutz, maple, cedar, sapele and Cuban mahogany and each has worked very well in it's own way if you work out how to get the best out of each individual piece of wood. I also have a set of Douglas fir that has a great tap tone that I will try out soon. Funnily enough the one that I haven't got round to trying yet even though I have a set and can't get excited about is Sitka I'm going to have to pluck up my courage soon and give it a try.
Lillian - Don't let small guitars fool you - they have lots of volume and character if you do them right and they are very comfortable to play. I don't know how you can save the mp3 but if you can't figure it out then pm me with your e-mail address and I'll send you the mp3's you want.
Dennis - Thanks. Some people do have those sorts of "ear" for tone and woods.
Bob & Paul - thanks.
Kim - Thanks. Yes Candi placed her order as an indirect result of the Cheltenham show. She'd been looking for an all mahogany parlour for a while and read some nice things Sam and her friend said about my guitars at the show on the Taylor Guitar Forum and checked out my website.
Tom - Thanks, you do some pretty interesting stuff yourself.
Dave - I've done a number of different top woods - Euro, Lutz, maple, cedar, sapele and Cuban mahogany and each has worked very well in it's own way if you work out how to get the best out of each individual piece of wood. I also have a set of Douglas fir that has a great tap tone that I will try out soon. Funnily enough the one that I haven't got round to trying yet even though I have a set and can't get excited about is Sitka I'm going to have to pluck up my courage soon and give it a try.
Dave White
[url=http://www.defaoiteguitars.com]De Faoite Stringed Instruments[/url]
[url=http://www.defaoiteguitars.com]De Faoite Stringed Instruments[/url]
- Dave White
- Blackwood
- Posts: 452
- Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 3:10 am
- Location: Hughenden Valley, England
- Contact:
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 131 guests