Bracing Soundboards and Fitting Ribs

A few photos of the next two guitars. Tops and backs are braced and cleaned up. The linings have be notched and small end caps are cut to secure the harmonic bars to the ribs.

A Few New Rosettes In Process

Starting working on a few new guitars and trying out a few new rosette ideas. It's always fun to mix things up even if only a little bit. These motifs are all very much inspired by traditional designs by Antonio de Torres and Herman Hauser.

First Concert Model of 2016 And Exploring More Adventurous Woods

Yesterday, I strung up the first guitar of the year! It features a European spruce top, Indian rosewood back and sides, Spanish cedar neck, Macassar ebony fretboard and Gotoh premium tuners. It's a relatively conservative combination of woods and design that makes a great sounding instrument. It's balanced, lively, warm and has plenty of volume and projection.

In other news, I'm busy French polishing one guitar and I've started cutting, planing and joining tops and back and side sets for a few new instruments. I'm particularly excited about starting a pair of new Torres inspired guitars with Macassar ebony and Peruvian Walnut back and sides. Both are pretty flashy and have some very cool figure in them.

First Coats of Shellac on Brazilian Torres Model and Albero Sonatas

Got the first seal coats of shellac on the newest custom Torres Model. This is going to be a very attractive guitar!

In other news, my good friend Ryan Whitney has just finished editing and publishing his own edition of thirty Sebastián de Albero sonatas for harpsichord. It's a very clean and thorough edition. He has also taken on the task of recording all thirty sonatas. Here is a recording from the first batch of videos. Great music and brilliant playing as usual!

Birthday Side Project, Bridge, Pumice and binding

Finally back in the shop and getting into the groove of things after all of the holidays. I took the day off for my birthday and made myself this desk with a bunch of scrap mahogany and walnut. Very pleased with how it turned out!

Other than that, I've picked up on the pumice pore filling of the next spruce concert model, finished up a bridge and got the binding installed on the Brazilian rosewood Torres model.

First Coats of Shellac and Bracing Up Latest Torres Model

Been getting some good work done on these two instruments before taking time off for the holidays.

Got the first wash coats of shellac on this new spruce and Indian rosewood Concert Model. It's always great to see the color warm up and all of the grain start to pop.

I also got the latest spruce and Brazilian rosewood Torres model braced up, everything fit and the box closed. This particular one is a custom order and the last one sold almost immediately at the Rosewood Guitar Shop, but there should be another coming in a few months time!

New December Guitars

Strung up the newest Torres model a couple of days ago and I'm very happy with how it turned out. Deep resonant basses, lively trebles and an alluring traditional Spanish character.

Hot on its heels and ready for French polishing is the latest concert model. European spruce, Indian rosewood back and sides and Macassar ebony fingerboard.

Shiny, Shiny Spruce and Questionable Editing

Every once in a while, I like to take a few photos of plane shavings as I'm working because I still find them to be extraordinarily beautiful. These are from a spruce top I'm preparing and a Spanish cedar center seam reinforcement on the back of a new guitar.

I friend of mine also just lent me an old book about the Ramirez family and I found a couple of the editing choices to be somewhat comical. The title is pretty great and I particularly like the picture of their "Fun system."

New Instruments and Lots of Photos!

This is the latest guitar off the bench. It has a big and lively sound with lots of color. It has a nice balance across the fingerboard with just enough high-end frequency response to articulate, project and shimmer while maintaining plenty of the low to mid-range warmth that provides body, flexibility and a strong fundamental.

  • Solid western red cedar top
  • Solid Indian Rosewood back and sides
  • Spanish cedar neck
  • Elevated Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • French polish finish
  • Gotoh premium tuners
  • 640 mm scale length
  • $4,500

Here are a few photos of the latest Torres model just prior to its first French polishing sessions.