|
Post by nkforster on Mar 16, 2015 19:37:23 GMT
A fascinating and insightful interview, which I enjoyed enormously. Thanks to nkforster and Martin. I was especially struck by the continuous development of techniques, materials and design. I should be interested to know if these arise as solutions to specific problems or challenges, flashes of inspiration or the structured re-evaluation of accepted wisdom? With so many variables, how do you quantify success? Brian Yep, all of the above! It's about striking a balance between the work I find really interesting and what is commercially acceptable. This is my living after all. I would never have considered making a flat top guitar in the past but when I realised making a guitar for students had to be quicker and cheaper, "flat top" shouted out at me. Then it was a case of getting me thinking cap on. How could I make the best flat top guitar? One that I liked, one that would do what session players wanted? That's when you think and think and think about an issue. It's often only when you stop thinking about it that the solution comes up, but that's only because of the hours you've spent thinking about the problem has created the conditions for the answer to arise. How do I quantify success? First, do I like it? That's the most important, 'cos if I dont, what's the point? This job doesn't pay enough to do things that don't interest me. Then, does it sell? You can spend loads of time working on a design, but if no one cares, you're just indulging yourself. The Session King is quite a commercial design really, because lots of people want a loud guitar. And it's affordable. And I really like them. I still like the shiny posh ones I do, but I actually like the "lived in" look. N
|
|
|
Post by nkforster on Mar 16, 2015 19:25:46 GMT
Hi Nige - really enjoyed reading your piece, and some lovely pictures and sounds made it even more interesting. The "Session" guitar sounds really interesting - what sort of price are you thinking of for the mahogany version...? Keith Send me an email through my site and I can send you the price list Keith. n
|
|
|
Post by nkforster on Mar 15, 2015 20:13:39 GMT
A fantastic interview - lots of interesting insights and snippets. I suspect that it wasn't like trying to get blood out of a stone Lovely photos, too, which is always nice. So, after the comments; the questions ... nkforster, 1. Would you ever consider taking on an apprentice as Stefan did for you? If so, what qualities would you look for? 2. There's no mention of finish in the article (or on your site, that I could see). Is that something you negotiate with the client or is it just as it is and if they don't like it they go elsewhere? 3. The question I always ask ... your order books are full so you clearly don't need endorsements but, if you could choose one musician to exclusively use Forster instruments who would it be, and why? Glad you enjoyed it Leo. 1. No. It's just training the competition. Mind, I've toyed with the idea of setting up shop somewhere warm and opening a lutherie school...There is a feller who does it in India. In the jungle by a beach. He only works 5 months a year... 2. For years Dave Wilson finished my guitars but last year he closed his workshop. I think he's still spraying Stefan's work in a shed somewhere but he ain't doing mine. I job my finishing work out to two other fellers now. One for the posh high gloss A/C work, and another chap who specialises in the nitro "relic" finish for the Session King. I've no interest in learning how to spray. I'd rather pay someone who does it full time. I have learned french polishing though and I love it, both the process and the results. The little Howe Orme replica is French polished. I took lessons from Roy Courtnall Summerfield in Lincoln, and last year travelled to Tacoma to learn from the master - Eugene Clark. I went on an amazing field trip around north India too as the guest of the Indian shellac board (IINRG) to learn about the production. I hope to write it all up on the blog this year. It's an amazing material. Sad thing is, shellac is too tender a finish for most players. Whilst they like the idea of it, the reality of an easily marked guitar doesn't go down well. But if anyone wanted their instrument French polished I'd be happy to do it. 3. The topic of endorsements is an interesting one. Few well known musicians can actually transform your business in the way you or they might imagine. The number of those who can is small. In the folk world, where most of my business is, you could count them on one hand. Most pro musicians won't sell you any more instruments than any other happy customer. They're the best endorsees - happy customers. Mind, I'd be chuffed to bits if Johnny Marr bought one!
|
|
|
Post by nkforster on Mar 8, 2015 13:08:08 GMT
This is Makie-e Trevor: You start off by practising drawing - you do that by copying existing stuff. Someone told me the Japanese words to learn and to copy are the same. Dunno if it's true, but it works! Then you practice with the lacquer and metal powder. Simple stuff at first to get used to the materials and methods: Then you get to go "freestyle" The picture above is makie-e still unpolished. This is polished: Nigel
|
|
|
Post by nkforster on Mar 7, 2015 19:41:46 GMT
I'm a bit disappointed with my efforts today, don't give up the day job time. I'll try again next week. Trevor, I've never inlaid more than a pearl dot in me life so well done you for having a go. Last year I went to Japan to study a traditional type of decoration called Makie-e. I was there all day every day for weeks. Should have been sat in the corner with a pointy hat marked with a big D! But I stuck it out, it wasn't until the last couple of days that things started to go right, and then they really did. A Japanese guitar maker friend of mine had seen my earlier attempts and been very....polite about them. When he came back a month later he was really surprised at the improvement. Patience and practice. It's easy with things...much harder with people! You'll get it. n
|
|
|
Post by nkforster on Mar 2, 2015 22:21:38 GMT
My, "This little Bird" sure has a sweet voice... what a wonderful tune. Thanks for posting the video. Nigel how did you find your replica compared to your original Howe Orme? Cheers, marcus Aye, she's great. Replica vs original? Same-same but different. There are very obvious tonal similarities, the original is richer in the bottom end but you'd expect that, it's Brazilian rosewood and Adirondack, and it's over 100 years old. Mind the replica is coarser which I really like. I was really tempted to make a Brazilian one but I'd struggle to sell it - despite these being great guitars they aren't even on the radar for 99.99% of players. Shame mind...
|
|
|
Post by nkforster on Mar 1, 2015 17:51:44 GMT
Seth has been busy getting some video finished from last year. Here is Sunderland singer "This little Bird" playing my Howe Orme. Enjoy.
|
|
|
Post by nkforster on Mar 1, 2015 17:20:28 GMT
|
|
|
Post by nkforster on Feb 28, 2015 21:44:25 GMT
Alex, Why don't you discuss it with Terry and get him to do it for you? He retired, sold all his machinery and tools and has pretty much just stopped working, he kept his wood but that's about it, there are several other lutheirs around here who are still operating I've got Terry's machines! There's no room for me now in the workshop. It's like trying to make a ship in a bottle. n
|
|
|
Post by nkforster on Feb 26, 2015 18:50:01 GMT
Yes, it's ladder braced. Despite the unconventional structure it is a very American sounding guitar and I have to say it's better than any vintage Martin i've played, and over the years I've played a few. What you might not tell from the video is it's a very loud guitar. Very loud. It's interesting that Larsons and Howe Ormes never really made it, but laws of marketing apply to guitars just as much as any other product out there. You don't need the best product to be successful, you need good marketing. Gibson and Martin made decent guitars and had very good marketing. Howe Orme produced outstanding guitars but had almost no marketing... And aye, I have made one, and I featured it in this post: www.nkforsterguitars.com/blog/howe-orme-replica-new-ebook/I've lent it to Johnny Dickinson, he loves it. n I saw that link for your repro, looks like a great guitar. I think it's a real shame again ladder braced guitars (aside from Selmer type guitars) after the early part of the 20th Century or so diminished in popularity; I think they have a characteristic midrange clarity that differentiates from their X-braced counterparts (an assumption based upon my ears right or wrong) It's going off topic but nonetheless I'll ramble on. In addition to the reasons you mentioned I think the lack of success for Larson and Howe Orme type guitars in contemporary times in contrast to Martin designs is I imagine LB/HO's are really tricky to replicate. I read something by John Thomas (editor of the Fretboard Journal) he'd come across some excellent LB repro's but never really one as excellent as the originals (unlike Martins). Another issue for the lack of success for LB/HO is people are often a little suspicious of things which are different to what they expect. The other about the HO, aside from being loud it seems a really responsive guitar that reacts to the lightest of touches. A question about your guitars Nigel, have you ever done a comparison of two fairly similar guitars one with standard X bracing, the other with laminated X bracing? I did make a lot of guitars with laminated braces (like the Larson guitars) and I really liked them, they had a "roughness" to the sound which is pleasing. I've made loads of laminated and plain spruce braced Models S's and C's. I prefer the laminated ones but who knows? But this year I've changed how I brace significantly and that type of lamination is no longer appropriate. Another thing mind - the Howe Orme design is probably the easiest guitar I've ever made, as well as being one of the nicest sounding, that's why I made the process into an ebook (one day it'll be ready...) the design and the process is so simple and logical, it would be a great first guitar for a lot of budding luthiers. I'd love it if they were more popular but what can you do? Write a book, that's what... n
|
|
|
Post by nkforster on Feb 26, 2015 18:01:55 GMT
Superb guitar Nigel, is it ladder braced? It sounds really interesting. More precise with more midrange separation than a Rosewood Martin of sorts if that makes sense. A real shame guitars made by Larson/Howe Orme didn't become as influential in 20th Century guitar making. I'd love to play a cylinder topped, laminated braced guitar of yours one day! (if you make one!) Yes, it's ladder braced. Despite the unconventional structure it is a very American sounding guitar and I have to say it's better than any vintage Martin i've played, and over the years I've played a few. What you might not tell from the video is it's a very loud guitar. Very loud. It's interesting that Larsons and Howe Ormes never really made it, but laws of marketing apply to guitars just as much as any other product out there. You don't need the best product to be successful, you need good marketing. Gibson and Martin made decent guitars and had very good marketing. Howe Orme produced outstanding guitars but had almost no marketing... And aye, I have made one, and I featured it in this post: www.nkforsterguitars.com/blog/howe-orme-replica-new-ebook/I've lent it to Johnny Dickinson, he loves it. n
|
|
|
Post by nkforster on Feb 25, 2015 16:56:53 GMT
|
|
|
Post by nkforster on Feb 12, 2015 8:11:00 GMT
|
|
|
Post by nkforster on Feb 10, 2015 20:45:00 GMT
Congrats, Nigel. That's an impressing guitar. I really like the body shape. Does it go well with 13-56 strings ? Well, I made that one with 12's in mind, but yes, it's possible to build for 13's. Ian certainly prefers 13's. n www.nkforsterguitars.com
|
|
|
Post by nkforster on Feb 10, 2015 18:12:23 GMT
Is it me or does the guitar have no rosette? I like the different looking bridge, reminds me a Tele bridge in some ways. Good blog, I enjoyed the posts about other builders and their opinions towards giving away guitars for free. It's you! It has a herringbone and rosewood rosette. Naw, you're right it's hard to see on the video. Glad you like the blog. N
|
|