Acoustic Guitar

[jostenmeat]

Wood selection and bracing is where a great instrument comes from, along with a minimal finish. One great thing about French Polishing is that it can be repaired if it wears off or is scuffed/scratched. Thick poly finishes can't be repaired as easily and it's definitely not going to be invisible.

Yes, french polish can be repaired, but it's not exactly cheap, as it is a tedious process. I think the cheapest I found, when curious, was a few hundred dollars.

Wood selection and bracing are very important. The type of bracing can have an enormous effect on the sound. However, as with violins, cellos, and the like, there's a lot more to it, and I am led to believe a great part of the "art" in creating one is knowing the varying thickness/thinness that is desired over the entire top.

I usually greatly dislike lattice bracing, though there was one maker who did it pretty well, with some sort of hybrid version. It wasn't Humphrey, though that's a better implementation IMO, but just can't remember. Lattice bracing grew out of Australia, starting with Smallman, which was championed by Williams. I do like Locke's guitars, somewhat, with whom I've had the pleasure of chatting on a couple of occasions, also from Australia.

I prefer the more classic Spanish/French school of luthiers, whether Rodriguez, Marin, Friedrich, Bouchet, Field, etc. I've seen, but not played a few Hauser's (German), but I think part of me didn't want to try a $50,000 instrument. My good friend (well known guitarist) thinks it's the nicest he's ever played (Hauser I, specifically). I personally love Friedrich guitars, and probably have tried double digit of them, probably 2/3 of them cedar (but I prefer the spruce). Problem is you gotta be famous, and bring a very large sum in cash to get one, assuming he's even alive, which I'm now doubting.

 

[highfigh]

Yes, french polish can be repaired, but it's not exactly cheap, as it is a tedious process. I think the cheapest I found, when curious, was a few hundred dollars.

Wood selection and bracing are very important. The type of bracing can have an enormous effect on the sound. However, as with violins, cellos, and the like, there's a lot more to it, and I am led to believe a great part of the "art" in creating one is knowing the varying thickness/thinness that is desired over the entire top.

I usually greatly dislike lattice bracing, though there was one maker who did it pretty well, with some sort of hybrid version. It wasn't Humphrey, though that's a better implementation IMO, but just can't remember. Lattice bracing grew out of Australia, starting with Smallman, which was championed by Williams. I do like Locke's guitars, somewhat, with whom I've had the pleasure of chatting on a couple of occasions, also from Australia.

I prefer the more classic Spanish/French school of luthiers, whether Rodriguez, Marin, Friedrich, Bouchet, Field, etc. I've seen, but not played a few Hauser's (German), but I think part of me didn't want to try a $50,000 instrument. My good friend (well known guitarist) thinks it's the nicest he's ever played (Hauser I, specifically). I personally love Friedrich guitars, and probably have tried double digit of them, probably 2/3 of them cedar (but I prefer the spruce). Problem is you gotta be famous, and bring a very large sum in cash to get one, assuming he's even alive, which I'm now doubting.

IIRC, transverse bracing was the original method but at some point, cross-bracing became more popular, possibly in the early 1800s. I'm not a classical player and won't pretend to know as much about classical/flaminco guitars but I really like the sound and I know some really good classical/flaminco players, locally. 'Art' is definitely the word for the way some people make instruments.

I'm not sure I want to play an instrument that's so expensive- I might like it too much. Some of the steel string guitars I have played were just as far out of reach and some were more than that, but their value didn't rise that high until well after I played them- I worked at a music store and we got some very nice trade-in pieces. The owner is a classical player and he liked Pimentel and the real Ibanez, at the time.

One thing about French polishing- it takes practice, like anything else, but good results are fairly easy on furniture and smaller items. That's very different from musical instrument quality finishing. One of my customers has a Mac tuner and small power amp and both have the "wooden" case on them. I use quotes because it's walnut veneered particle board and the finish is sprayed on. When I really looked at them, I was NOT impressed, considering they came from McIntosh. The tuner was damaged when someone broke into their house and grabbed one piece of equipment and yanked, pulling some others onto the floor. The tuner case was slightly dinged and scratched, so I asked if he wanted me to "freshen it up". After looking at it and not getting the info I wanted from Mac, I decided to strip it, repair the veneer that was missing and stain it to match. It looked good enough without the sprayed on stain/finish garbage that I decided to French Polish it. I had very little experience with that, so I read up and practiced on some scrap and got good results, then got after it. It's very easy to fix mistakes, too. I got a mirror finish, used 4000 grit to give it a little haze by wet sanding and used paper towels to burnish it to a soft sheen. He and his wife have a lot of fine art and antiques (including some that are obviously French Polished) and their reaction was "WOW!!!!!". Well, that was her reaction- his, I can't post exactly as he said it. He asked me to do the same for the amplifier case but I wouldn't think of doing it on a classical guitar unless I was able to get the right training.

 

[Sheep]

How far down- D? Most need heavier or at least a thicker core/thinner windings.

C, For this song.

SheepStar

 

[Tarub]

 

[Wafflesomd]

Not that you can't learn certain things, but I'm sure you know that a steel string and classical/nylon are VERY different.

.

Yes I'm aware. It makes little difference for me really, and my instructor doesn't seem to care. I prefer the feel and sound of steel string, and my nails are hard as rocks. They do not degrade at all even on a steel string.

I don't care for having my acoustic between my legs with one propped up, in standard classical fashion. I use one of these however.

http://chadbecks.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/seating_ergo_fret1-225x300.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCJL3Buw0l0

I generally stick to fingerstyle artists under the Candy Rat label.

 

[Sheep]

I like the sound of both. This is a great cover using nylons.

SheepStar

 

[HDPCsound]

I have been learning with some friends, and an online course that i found...is not that good, but i think there are better ones.

 

[Sheep]

I have been learning with some friends, and an online course that i found...is not that good, but i think there are better ones.

Are you one of Midcow's rep padders?

SheepStar

 

[GirgleMirt]

Thanks, I was about to go to youtube to post some vid about a kid who knew how to play guitar, this is leaps and bounds better than that crappy kid on page 1.

real acoustic guitar player vids:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkidVP0AcQ8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZx_ckGDa64
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip111lXjDSs&feature=fvw

same kid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSXeter4eD0 vs real.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4-LGy5Wnm0&feature=related vote?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxMcyv3yNDI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orsQSmHNq6U&feature=related

when you can play some of these songs, you can say you're a real acoustic guitar player!

 

[jostenmeat]

I've had the great privilege of meeting, playing for, playing with, studying with, a fair share of the world's great classical guitarists. I have to admit the world of CG is very, very tiny, and everyone knows everyone, and if you really wanted to meet one of them, it's not that hard to do.

I was supposed to study with this guy. I stayed at his place when I first played for him, to see if he would take me on a student. The hospitality is on a whole nuther level over there in southern Italy. His brother, who happens to be an amazing cook and pianist, slept on the freekin couch so that I could sleep in his bed. So, before returning to live in Italy, I had to wait some time before he could finish up one of his world tours, and so I took the time to meet (and play Bach) for my second choice of instructor, a Frenchman (who doesn't appear to have any youtubes), outside of Barcelona. Welp, that guy stole me as a student, and I ended up living in France for two years, along with my Italian dictionary. I felt kind of bad, but it was cool, and I ended up seeing Aniello again several years later in Germany, drinking till dawn . . .

One of the pieces I performed for him was the following, here performed by the composer himself, who I had the fortune of meeting and speaking with at a festival in Florence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDSS8J7j9Lk

Upon arriving in France, I stayed with an insane old lady for a few weeks, until most fortunately this fellow and I became roommates. He became my best friend from Europe. During my stay, he won his first two international competitions, and shortly after I left, he won a third, of much greater significance. He was also eyewitness/innocent bystander of my insane consumption of booze with Aniello . . .

I received my Master's degree under this man's tutelage:

I don't have any you tubes, and if I did, I wouldn't share them anyways. I haven't played anymore since at least a few years, but I am now playing violin again, in string quartet. We picked up a Stravinsky work that's kickin my ***, so I should get on it . . . I'm hoping to revisit Europe in June for the first time in 7 years, and I've been invited to stay with Remi, and perhaps we can work on some violin/guitar duo's; I have Piazzolla in mind.

 

[manofsteel2397]

pick up a beginners book and learn the courds then learn the basic blues scale and as long as you play the notes in that scale you cant go wrong

 

[Nemo128]

Thanks all for the advice. It's been a rough couple weeks lately so I haven't been responding to this. In the process of a seperation right now, ironically I bought my guitar cuz I always wanted to learn how to play when I was younger and wanted to play for my ex-to-be now. I'll dig through all the posts eventually and try to do some learning, once things are a little less unstable.

 

[jostenmeat]

Thanks all for the advice. It's been a rough couple weeks lately so I haven't been responding to this. In the process of a seperation right now, ironically I bought my guitar cuz I always wanted to learn how to play when I was younger and wanted to play for my ex-to-be now. I'll dig through all the posts eventually and try to do some learning, once things are a little less unstable.

I have a lady friend who is sure that heart breaking women make for the best motivation for writing songs. I think she's right; my friend wrote a song called "I want to lay down and die", and it's really badass. lol.

Over dinner, that Italian guy and I were talking about life, music, and of course women, and he thinks they have absolute control over our emotions. Nothing you can do, just surrender.

If you want to wallow further in deep sorrow, I recommend Shostakovich string quartets. If you need some redemption, some higher form of order out of nearly complete chaos, I recommend Bach fugues. Well, that's what I would do.

Good luck.

 

[manofsteel2397]

I have a lady friend who is sure that heart breaking women make for the best motivation for writing songs. I think she's right; my friend wrote a song called "I want to lay down and die", and it's really badass. lol.

Over dinner, that Italian guy and I were talking about life, music, and of course women, and he thinks they have absolute control over our emotions. Nothing you can do, just surrender.

If you want to wallow further in deep sorrow, I recommend Shostakovich string quartets. If you need some redemption, some higher form of order out of nearly complete chaos, I recommend Bach fugues. Well, that's what I would do.

Good luck.

i agree it does make for some of the best song writing but so does a smoking a little green too not that im indorsing it just when i was younger and smoked a lot a lot of creative songs came my way

 

[Lordoftherings]

Over 40 years of playing guitar, and still picking.

First, you need to feel the music in your soul.

From that, it's all yours, at your own rhythm & pace.
And practice is always the key.
Playing with others is a unique and fast learning experience.

You'll know that you're good when other people are feeling good,
yourself included, if you are indulgent enough.

Good luck & keep on picking.

And Blues Up,
Bob

 

[Nemo128]

Thanks all for the kind words, great way to put it Bob.

I'll pick it up tomorrow or this weekend, it's been too long sing I took it out of the case.

 

[highfigh]

First, you need to feel the music in your soul.

If this doesn't happen, your name would be Kenny G.