New page on building guitar number 100

I´ve decided to make a new page with the entries of the building of my guitar number 100.

There´s a link on top of this page or you can click here:

http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com.es/p/building-guitar-number-100.html

Scroll down to see the latest entries.

Building guitar number 100

Its been a very special summer for me. The death of Sole, my lovely wife is all over the place. The last 2 month have been totally in the light and spirit of her last weeks, her death and what comes after. I´m not totally sure what comes out of this vacum, I feel that a new life is there around the next corner, but its difficult for me to see it or feel it. I know the answer is patience and that I have to take care of myself, which I do. Time will show what there will be.

BUT.... Things happened in the workshop during the last days of Sole´s life. I built my guitar number 100...... Just a number, I know, but a special one and because of the timing a very special one. It was built together with number 99, which can be seen on my blog. I was aware of the very difficult situation I was in, so I chosed to build both 99 and 100 as “free” guitars. They were not orders and when finished, they´ll be put up for sale.

I wasnt in the mood to write about number 100 back then. I didnt have the energy and I concentrated 100% in being with Sole and working when I had my hours off. The workshop was pure therapy and I know that it helped me through a very difficult period. I took a lot of photos of the process and I will SLOWLY post them and if I find the energy, write a bit about the proces. Its not going to be a “how to build a flamenco guitar” thread. I´m not that kind of person and I believe that we all have to find our own way.

So, I will start with a photo of where I am right now... Or more or less. This is the guitar in raw before French polishing. I´ve just started the FP. The guitar has been hanging in my workshop with controlled climate for 2 month and the wood has taken a little bit of color from the light. Thats very beautifull and will make the FP look deeper. Maybe I should do things like the old violinmakers did. Hang the instrument in the sun for some month, so that it takes its natural color before you start putting FP on it. It would look great with a couple of raw wood guitars hanging in my lemon tree.

Its a traditional Blanca with wooden pegs. (They can be changed to mechanical pegs) 650mm scale, 53mm nut, Its going to be natural color. There are a few minor extras in purfling, bridge and rosette. More about that later.

I chosed to build a Blanca with pegs for a couple of reasons: I like them. They are the “real” thing. Very vibrant and I cant imagine the history of flamenco without Blancas with pegs. Also, I´ve made a lot of them over the years. Maybe some 25% of my building has been pegheads. And finally, beauty... IMHO, its the most beautifull flamenco guitar.

Everything is standard. German spruce (master grade). Mediterranean Cypress back and sides, Honduran Cedar neck, Ebony fingerboard and a very pretty Caviuna headplate.

Making the scroll and head of the violin

So here´s another one of those processes that was unsure about. It looks so difficult and it aint easy, but everything have their tricks and so does the scroll of a violin. Lots of small cuts, patience, very sharp gouges and some homemade scrapers.
This is the way it looks now. Its far from being finished, The pin in the scroll is not totally straight from all angles, but you have to look with a critical eye to see that.
I will leave it like it is for now and do the final shaping and finishing off when I´ve made the box of the violin.

Building violin number 1

Its been and still is a very complicated summer. My wife left planet earth a week ago after 2 years of ALS and I´m still trying to find myself in the chaos that I´m in. Dont worry. I´m strong and I do things that I like so I will find my way with time and patience. When I´ve had time, the last month or so I´ve been doing little things and one of those has been to start the building of what hopefully will end being my violin number 1. I see it as a new spirit growing from the ashes of my wonderfull wife, Sole.

The first and very interesting part has been to make the sides with their corresponding linings.

99 ready to be French Polished

So here she is. Number 99. She´ll be french polished together with number 100 when I´ve finished that one. Right now I´m doing little things in the workshop. Its to hot and I will go on hollydays soon.

the bridge

So here´s the finished bridge. It wont be glued on until the guitar has been French Polished

Box assembled

So here you have the box assembled with the neck. Esthetically, I like this guitar a lot. It has a quiet but very well balanced look.