davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Oct 25, 2013 19:35:11 GMT
This year is ten years on since I built my first guitar and 2014 will be the ten year anniversary of De Faoite Stringed Instruments so I'm going to be making some special and some different/oddball instruments as time allows over the next year or so. The first made a sort of debut at HB4 and I've just added it to my range. It's a small 12 frets clear of the body slothead guitar called "An Féa Caol" that with different string gauges can either be used as a Parlour guitar or tuned three semitones higher as a Terz guitar. This guitar shares the same body shape as my Terz Harp guitar "Fimbrethil" but without the hollow arm. Tolkien translates "Fimbrethil" as "The Slender Beech" which in Gaelic is "An Féa Caol". I wanted to use some special woods for this instrument and decided on some figured pear supplied by Bob Smith of Exotic Hardwoods (Timberline) in Kent and given it's maple like quality, Western Red Cedar was the made in heaven top choice. The only neck wood that worked for me visually was pear and Bob came up trumps for this. Bindings, endgraft and heel-cap are Macassar ebony with black/ pear black purflings and Gotoh tuners with ebony buttons. Fretwire is Gold Evo and the fretboard is also figured pear bound with Macassar ebony and a Bog oak nut to keep the black perimeter. This is an experiment and it may well get dirty with playing use but so far so good. It's 610mjm short scale length is the same as a standard sized guitar Capoed at the first fret and using it as a Terz you can get the sounds of a normal guitar Capoed much higher but with lots of fingerboard space. The guitar illustrated has a Western Red Cedar top with figured Pear back, sides, neck, bridge and fingerboard together with Macassar ebony bindings. I've done some recordings of my own compositions with this guitar tuned as a Terz in FCFBbCF tuning (the same intervals as DADGAD) that I've put up on The Plucky Duck (so apologies if you've already heard them there) and I love the different voice that you get: "Three Steps Up - Calypso""Job Half Done"With the Capo at the fifth fret - equivalent to DADGAD Capoed at the eighth fret: "An Féa Caol"
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alig
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Post by alig on Oct 25, 2013 19:45:05 GMT
Dave,
That is a thing of some beauty. Best of luck with it and your Tenth Annivesary celebrations. HAve a great year!
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007
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Post by 007 on Oct 25, 2013 20:18:37 GMT
Fabulous Absolutely fabulous a joy to behold
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Post by earwighoney on Oct 25, 2013 20:34:26 GMT
Beautiful sounds.
The combination of Cedar and Pear works really well, a sweetness to it's tonality.
Dave, do you plan to make the flamenco with pear? Cedar isn't always seen to be the most conventional soundboard for flamenco but I think with pear as the back/sides it could be a great choice as the guitar above proved!
What's the bridge btw?
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Oct 25, 2013 21:04:32 GMT
That's a really lovely guitar, Dave! I think the pear and cedar are a great match, both visually and (after listening to those recordings) sonically. It has a huge, resonant sound with tonnes of sustain.
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Oct 25, 2013 21:47:33 GMT
Cracking little beauty is that! Thought it seemed v promising at Halifax, and the sound is certainly coming out now. As I said before, the tune named for it is a superb piece, Dave, and shows off the guitar to perfection; just love it!
Looking forward to meeting her again sometime!
Also looking forward to seeing what you come up with for the 10th anny year- am sure there will be some interesting instruments emerging!
Keith
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Oct 25, 2013 22:08:53 GMT
Also looking forward to seeing what you come up with for the 10th anny year- am sure there will be some interesting instruments emerging! Keith A devil's frying pan, perchance?
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Post by Mike Floorstand on Oct 25, 2013 22:24:32 GMT
A very pretty thing! The pear fretboard doesn't show up well in the photos any chance of a close up? The bog oak nut works well visually how does it feel/sound when playing?
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leoroberts
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My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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Post by leoroberts on Oct 25, 2013 23:04:13 GMT
Aye, a beauty to look at, and to listen to (and, I'm sure, to play as well)... some instruments just have to be played by their creator to get the full synchronicity
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Post by scripsit on Oct 26, 2013 1:27:38 GMT
Lovely instrument, Dave, and I would keep it as a 'Terz' because of the special sounds you are able to get out of it tuned up.
Can we expect the first DeFoite reso this year? Or, since you have had so much success with doubled course instruments, some variation on a 12 string? Would love to hear a big box 12 with plenty of sizzle and clang.
Kym
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davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Oct 26, 2013 8:47:26 GMT
Alasdair, Paul, Martin, Keith and Leo - thanks for your kind words. Shubbs - The bridge is pear as well. A "Flamenco Rosa" is still on the list but my instinct would be to use a Caucasian spruce top rather than cedar for that extra "bark". Also looking forward to seeing what you come up with for the 10th anny year- am sure there will be some interesting instruments emerging! Keith A devil's frying pan, perchance? I couldn't possibly comment Joe - It's not easy to photograph the fingerboard but here's an attempt. It feels like a normal fingerboard. I've used wooded nuts a few times before - Lughnasa has one - and they "sound" just like bone ones and seem to wear pretty well too: Lovely instrument, Dave, and I would keep it as a 'Terz' because of the special sounds you are able to get out of it tuned up. Can we expect the first DeFoite reso this year? Or, since you have had so much success with doubled course instruments, some variation on a 12 string? Would love to hear a big box 12 with plenty of sizzle and clang. Kym Kym - it's definitely staying as a Terz and I'm currently working on an arrangement of "An Féa Caol" with another guitarist and flute player at the local Folk club but with the Capo on the fourth fret to make it a more friendly key of Am. I think Gerry Douglas's "overkill" on The Transatlantic Sessions" has put paid to a reso, BUT I do have some lovely quartersawn oak with nice figure from an old chest of drawers and a hankering to make my take on an old Stella 12 string with tailpiece and long scale length tuned right down so watch this space
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leoroberts
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My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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Post by leoroberts on Oct 26, 2013 9:13:49 GMT
BUT I do have some lovely quartersawn oak with nice figure from an old chest of drawers and a hankering to make my take on an old Stella 12 string with tailpiece and long scale length tuned right down so watch this space Bloody hell ... a DeFaoite 12er would have to come with ear plugs, a health warning and it's own earthquake shelter!
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davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Oct 26, 2013 10:05:19 GMT
Bloody hell ... a DeFaoite 12er would have to come with ear plugs, a health warning and it's own earthquake shelter! Maybe I'll put a hinge on the back then
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Post by earwighoney on Oct 26, 2013 13:12:34 GMT
Look forward to the 12 string! I think I've been badgering Dave to build one for several years now!
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alig
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Post by alig on Oct 26, 2013 13:38:28 GMT
Alasdair, Paul, Martin, Keith and Leo - thanks for your kind words. Shubbs - The bridge is pear as well. A "Flamenco Rosa" is still on the list but my instinct would be to use a Caucasian spruce top rather than cedar for that extra "bark". A devil's frying pan, perchance? I couldn't possibly comment Joe - It's not easy to photograph the fingerboard but here's an attempt. It feels like a normal fingerboard. I've used wooded nuts a few times before - Lughnasa has one - and they "sound" just like bone ones and seem to wear pretty well too: Lovely instrument, Dave, and I would keep it as a 'Terz' because of the special sounds you are able to get out of it tuned up. Can we expect the first DeFoite reso this year? Or, since you have had so much success with doubled course instruments, some variation on a 12 string? Would love to hear a big box 12 with plenty of sizzle and clang. Kym Kym - it's definitely staying as a Terz and I'm currently working on an arrangement of "An Féa Caol" with another guitarist and flute player at the local Folk club but with the Capo on the fourth fret to make it a more friendly key of Am. I think Gerry Douglas's "overkill" on The Transatlantic Sessions" has put paid to a reso, BUT I do have some lovely quartersawn oak with nice figure from an old chest of drawers and a hankering to make my take on an old Stella 12 string with tailpiece and long scale length tuned right down so watch this space Dave, I often wondered why wooden nuts (!) aren't seen more often. I have an old Orsino (1980 isn) which has one and it's lasted fine and always sounded just fine. Anything to do with the zero fret?
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