colins
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Post by colins on Mar 14, 2016 12:31:33 GMT
Well it's time for you all to get your arranging heads on, I'm starting the build for the 2016 prize, so let the fun begin. Oh and the song that you have to 'arrange' the traditional tune Blackwaterside.
The guitar will be a White Spruce/Gonzalo Alves OOO 12 fret with a 15" lower bout and 632mm scale length. Fingerboard and bridge will be Ziricote and the neck slot head laminated curly sycamore.
White Spruce is in my opinion the best of the American Spruces, used a lot by high end US and Canadian builders like Mario Proulx, think Adirondack with a sweeter voice. Gonzalo Alves (Astronium fraxinifolium) is a tropical hardwood from Brazil, it is considered a great alternative to Brazilian Rosewood and was used extensively by Martin in the 19th century. Both of these woods were sourced from Grant Goltz.
This is the wood that will be used.
This is the model of guitar for which you'll be competing, different woods of course.
Guitar competition rules
1. The competition is for a new arrangement and performance of 'Blackwaterside' and is open to all registered forum members.
2. The piece can be either be solo guitar or vocal accompanied by a guitar and can be a video or audio entry, no multi-tracking.
3. One entry per person.
4. The competition will be judged by Colin Symonds, Dave White and James Daubney, whose decision will be final.
5. The prize for the winner will be a White Spruce/Gonzalo Alves OOO 12-fret guitar built by Colin Symonds.
6. A condition of entry is that the winner agrees to buy a specified Hiscox case.
7. The competition will run for the period of the build thread of the guitar and will close when the finished guitar is posted.
8. All entries to be posted in this thread. There will be a separate thread to post comments on the entries and of course a build thread so you can watch it coming together.
9. Geordie Reggae versions are allowed.
When posting an entry, please tell us as much as you can about the piece, tuning, influence etc
Good luck.
Colin
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Mar 14, 2016 16:13:06 GMT
Excellent! I've been waiting for this... <goes to find and listen to versions of Blackwaterside, a song which he should probably know already but doesn't>
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colins
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Post by colins on Mar 14, 2016 16:36:32 GMT
For those unfamiliar with Blackwaterside the main versions I listen to are by Sandy Denny (surprise, surprise) off her North Star Grassman album, and Bert Jansch on his Jack Orion album, probably the latter would be more useful to most of you. But don't forget it's YOUR arrangement we want. Leo if you want to wear a long blonde Sandy D. wig well feel free!
Colin
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Post by andyhowell on Mar 15, 2016 7:50:26 GMT
Excellent! I've been waiting for this... <goes to find and listen to versions of Blackwaterside, a song which he should probably know already but doesn't> Ddont go listening to too many other arrangements :-) |
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Post by andyhowell on Mar 15, 2016 7:51:20 GMT
Ah ha ....
... Rembering I already have an arrangement of Blackwaterside :-)
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colins
Luthier / Guitar Maker
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Post by colins on Mar 15, 2016 8:22:53 GMT
Andy, don't forget that the rules say 'new' arrangement.
Colin
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Mar 15, 2016 11:55:32 GMT
I've started on mine already!  The guitar is a very enticing incentive, but I'm also quite excited about trying to do something interesting with this piece. I only know Bert's (and Jimmy's  ) version of this, and I'm not overly familiar with it, so it's pretty fresh to me. Thanks for hosting this competition this year, Colin - it's a great excuse to get us lazy sods doing something again (not including those Plucky Duck regulars of course)! Can't wait to see the guitar develop too  |
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David Hutton
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Post by David Hutton on Mar 15, 2016 15:29:15 GMT
I know many of you will be thinking there is no chance of winning, but it's ok, I'm ineligible, so you have a real chance!
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Post by Mike Floorstand on Mar 16, 2016 23:21:26 GMT
Great idea for a competition, and an excellent prize! It's been quite a few months since I last won a guitar, so I might have a crack at this one myself ...  |
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Post by lavaman on Mar 17, 2016 2:03:52 GMT
Once again you're very generous colins . Thank you. I have an idea for an arrangement in my head. Hopefully it will work. |
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Mar 17, 2016 9:25:48 GMT
... my first attempt sounded vaguely familiar to me - I'd subconsciously nicked a fair representation of the intro from Bert's "Running from home".  Back to the drawing fret board.  Keith |
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Mar 17, 2016 10:28:15 GMT
... my first attempt sounded vaguely familiar to me - I'd subconsciously nicked a fair representation of the intro from Bert's "Running from home". Back to the drawing fret board. Keith Very honest of you, guv'nor  At least you borrowed from another Jansch masterpiece! With Bert's version of BWS so prominent for guitarists, and using the melody so well as a part of it, it'll be tough to ignore that style. Unless, of course, like me, you can't play that well anyway |
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doc
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Post by doc on Mar 19, 2016 2:19:29 GMT
I can say with complete confidence that anything I play never sounds like Bert Jansch.
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Post by 1more4theroad on Mar 19, 2016 9:39:56 GMT
Ummm - Wow! New to this forum, but very much liking how you guys are doing things!  Might just have to see what I can come up with |
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Post by andyhowell on Mar 19, 2016 14:39:53 GMT
Andy, don't forget that the rules say 'new' arrangement. Colin Ah. I shall start again :-) It's hard this, that Bert version is so pervasive. Have gone back to the Ann Briggs recording! |
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) version of this, and I'm not overly familiar with it, so it's pretty fresh to me.
Might just have to see what I can come up with
Jo whoever he is.
