Reynolds Guitars

Which Luthier? Which Guitar??

2010-12-03T17:09:00.001-07:00

If you're like me you enjoy pointing the browser at various websites describing classical guitars and guitarists playing them. Which one has the best sound, who has something new and innovative? The addition of YouTube has spawned all sorts of sampling experiences so luthiers and dealers have learned to tempt guitarists using that medium. Alternatively there are many debates on the forums as to the "best" guitar based on commercial recordings.

My view possibly is like yours where I feel like the web videos almost always do a disservice to the luthier and player alike because of poor video and audio quality. In contrast commercial recordings are also a poor way to evaluate a guitar sound because of the studio recording effects usually alter the instrument's natural tone. I can defend the guitarist who makes a recording with studio editing because their principle objective is to present the music in the best way possible to the listener. Accuracy of guitar sound isn't and shouldn't be a high priority. In my experience when a guitar maker goes into the studio he is literally directing the electronic virtual sound of his instrument and the temptations to juice up the recording are hard to resist.

As a luthier, I like my fellow craftsmen and women, want to present the web viewer with information about my instruments. The web is a great way to present a guitarmaker's craft allowing people around the world exposure to descriptive text and pictures. The rate at which guitarmakers have learned from each other has resulted in quite an advancement in the craft. Guitarists learn from the luthier's website and similarly have educated themselves to the pros and cons of various design approaches advocated by guitarmakers.

Isn't this a good thing? Maybe, but it also leads to information overload and an escalating hyperbole amongst the participants. It has become quite a contest of words and the reality of selecting a guitar properly can get pretty muddled amidst the opinions and claims that abound. I know as a luthier the temptation is to believe my own descriptors and I have to be wary of this. Every guitar I build is not going to make every guitarist happy nor necessarily be the best for all types of music.

That said I try to specialize in building a client's guitar to his or her needs. This means that I need to do my job carefully when discussing tone descriptors and musical preferences. It isn't easy! As this is written I am entering into my tenth year of making double top guitars and I really do think this soundboard development greatly improves note production consistency with natural tone across the fingerboard. However for some clients they are going to prefer the subtle tonal differences found in a traditional solid top guitar. Moreover they may want a very traditional "Spanish" sound vs the piano-like sound of my Concert Grand guitar with it's very non-traditional construction and bracing. I enjoy making traditional guitars and my website features several Homage guitars including a Santos style Flamenco and a Torres bench copy.

So just to circle back to the original thought of how to go about selecting the luthier-built guitar that will be a great musical partner for you? Given the dizzying information overload out on the web I would organize your own thoughts and requirements while trying to shut out the opinions of all the "gearheads" out there. I would visit with the luthiers that appeal to you to see if they can make the guitar you want or are they going to produce their "signature" guitar thereby requiring you to adapt to whatever that may be. To be sure all luthiers are in business of doing a good job for their clients. Just be sure that you know what you want and can describe it and that will go a long way toward finding your great guitar. Good Luck!

Evaluating a Guitar in Tone Production Qualities

2010-01-06T17:30:00.000-07:00

The following lists the character of guitar tone production as I deal with them from a luthier’s standpoint. To evolved players there are other subtle issues that only they can evaluate individually and that I can only respond to on a case-by-case basis. Examples of this are responsiveness of vibrato; hard or soft action, timbre of a string going up the fingerboard, et cetera.

Articulation - Note consistency fret-to-fret and string-to-string, balance and intonation are all features of articulation as I define the term. If you listen carefully to a plucked note’s overtones as it decays, you can often hear weak notes where the note is formed but is lower in volume than it’s neighbor and of less sustain. Wolf notes are notes that are very loud and have little or no sustain. These articulation issues often are cured as the guitar ages but not always. They are also features of very resonant powerful guitars. One has to make the decision as to whether it is worthwhile living with those problems if the guitar is of exceptional quality otherwise. I would be careful of this, as I have seen some players become so obsessively focused on the fault that they have to sell the instrument. It is possible for a luthier to correct or reduce these note problems if only to move the problem note to one that appears less in music.

Intonation problems can spoil how we relate to guitar sound without us even being aware of it. A luthier can sweeten a guitar considerably just by refining the intonation to seemingly minor degrees. It is beyond the scope of this paper to explain what intonation is but suffice it to say that individuals react to note pitch accuracy either not at all or with excessive sensitivity. If intonation bothers you on most guitars, put yourself in the hands of a very good luthier and don’t change guitars or string types very often.

Balance refers to how well the bass, mid-range and treble voices blend with each other during passages in music that pass through those voices. A guitar with a strong bass and treble but with a weak mid-range can be destructive to the interpretive objectives of the guitarist. To what degree the player can evaluate this feature is highly individual and is likely best listened to while playing set pieces in context rather than scales. Correcting a mature guitar with poor balance is a difficult job and usually involves adding or subtracting density and stiffness from areas of the top or back. One would be better advised to move on to a different instrument.

As a general comment I observe guitarists listening closely to a specific note and playing it over and over in isolation with the exclamation “Do you hear that?” When they would be better served listening to potential problems in musical context. Remember that the guitar strings are normally always ringing sympathetically from previous notes and that is how almost all tone production is experienced. To isolate a note by dampening other strings is inappropriate and an inaccurate diagnostic procedure except for the luthier troubleshooting an issue.

Separation/Responsiveness - Ability of inner voices to support contrapuntal work. Alternatively, it can mean how quickly tones are produced and projected. This feature in a guitar voice is often appreciated in music that is fast moving with a lot of notes where the player wants little or no competition with associated tones. Flamenco music would be at one end of the response/separation curve while Romantic classical music could be thought of as wanting long held notes with vibrato and sustain for example. More players are sensitive to this voice feature than they themselves know and I believe that highly responsive guitars make for a lively playing style with a lot of feedback. This category can only be deduced by playing passages of music where one can expect familiar behavior from the instrument. If it’s not there in the way the player wants or needs then it isn’t ever apt to develop in that individual guitar.

Sustain/Resonance - I suspect that while sustain is on every guitarist’s list of important instrument virtues it can really only be evaluated in conjunction with separation and responsiveness as described above. This is because long sustaining, resonant guitars are at odds structurally with the features that allow responsiveness. Sustain usually need stiffness and mass, which takes longer to develop while responsiveness requires less of those things. Sustain and responsiveness then become a balanced compromise and this is where I spend a bit of time with a client to try and make sure the guitar will satisfy the needs of the music being played. To be sure certain woods such as Brazilian Rosewood are capable of differing sonic behavior than say East Indian Rosewood and this knowledge becomes the luthier’s friend when selecting woods to suit a purpose. For example think of the vibrato. Guitarists begin a vibrato and have to get on it right away before the natural sustain decays away to nothing. An instrument with power and sustain will allow the guitarist to bring in the vibrato slowly and still have something left to be effective.

Sonority - In an overall sense often described as from warm to brilliant the way I position the term. E.g. Cedar is often thought of as warm and Spruce as bright or (ideally) brilliant. Since this is a highly subjective judgment, there is no right or wrong. If you think the guitar is warm and that’s what you want then you are going to be very happy.

Timbre - Subtle qualities of note character in the guitar voice. This is where the colorful wine connoisseur-like vocabulary occurs. E.g. “That guitar has chocolate basses” Surprisingly, I find that players can communicate quite well with these creative terms and if I cannot drift into being too analytical they are helpful and fun.

Power/ Dynamic Range- These are two related features of the guitar. Power is usually thought of as loudness or the ability to be heard at some distance. This is important for the professional player and should be almost a non-issue to 95% of all the rest of us. However there is something in human nature that values the loud guitar and no matter what anyone says it is the more powerful guitar that gets played. Luthiers and guitarists alike play word games with this descriptor and I’ll just make a few contentious generalizations:

A player should make choices regarding how powerful a guitar they want. If they play for their own enjoyment, choose the guitar that among other things sounds as powerful as is desired.

If you play out in un-amplified settings, choose the guitar that projects. For this you will need help from another player…..in other words get out in front of the guitar and listen to it from an audience perspective. I seldom see professionals paying enough attention to projection.

Cedar guitars often keep their sound around the player in an intimate manner while Spruce guitars brightly project their sound away. This causes many to believe that the Cedar guitar is louder. Having worked with concert guitarists as a concert manager, I believe that all other things being equal, Spruce guitars are heard better by most of the audience and they have much more color to boot.

Some guitars are a pleasure to play behind and some are not. Guitarists playing for their own enjoyment will enjoy a guitar more if they can hear it very well. One that gives them tactile or vibratory feedback while playing is also of value.

Some guitars that are superior concert instruments are less enjoyable to play behind because they project their sound forward so effectively. Many Lattice- braced Australian School guitars are examples of this type of instrument.

A Spruce guitar tends to provide those “singing trebles” more so than Cedar. Those singing trebles can be heard by the audience.

A Cedar guitar tends to deliver a big, warm bass to the player. Those big basses aren’t heard as well by the audience.

Dynamic Range as I define it is the usable range between low and high volume. For some guitars this span is small and there isn’t a lot of difference between normal playing volume and the loudest possible volume. This is the historical nature of the classical guitar. Guitarists over time haven’t had enough range of power available to them to take advantage of any interpretive possibilities offered by some other instruments. I believe that many contemporary makers are exploring the search for power for these purposes while retaining the basic quality of sound so revered in our instrument. In evaluating this quality in a guitar one will need help from another player and hopefully a player capable of exercising the instrument properly. It is very difficult to come to conclusion on several of the qualities detailed above by yourself

Color – The ability to provide effective tone variation for interpretive purposes is a natural virtue of the classical guitar. To be frank, I’m not so sure this is a very controllable factor by the luthier in traditional guitars and I suspect it is more a player skill than anything. Jonathan Leathwood while playing one of my Double Top guitars was searching for a certain color and it took some time. Eventually he did find the area on the guitar just “not where I was expecting it to be” I do know that when I go to our local classical guitar meeting, I always look for a certain player to demo the guitar as I know he can get great tone with a lot of color variation. In summary I believe that similar colors are available on every guitar but perhaps not in the same place or with the same stroke.

String Effects - Type and health of strings effect tone production. From the condition of the strings on guitars coming through my shop it appears that players aren’t sensitive to the terrific effect that strings have on tone production. The same can be said for dealers and retail stores for that matter. My own guitar instructor is pretty thorough in this regard and he will search for many months to find the right string for a new instrument while I have had other clients specify a certain string that the guitar must conform to. Which is the right method I’ll leave to the reader but I will resist certain string brands that are well known for intonation problems.

Keeping the intonation in mind, know that some guitars will intonate properly with certain types of strings but not with others. Just be aware of the possibility that you may not care for a certain guitar, which could perform much more, to your liking with the proper strings. This is a major issue when doing comparison guitar shopping. It may be that you could simply be selecting the best set of strings in the shop rather than the best guitar.

Set-up – How the guitar is set-up can have great impact on the quality of sound. Action at the nut and/or saddle can cause tone degradation, as can ill-fitting nut or saddles and their respective string slot ramps. If you listen closely to the partials of a plucked note coming on after the fundamental, sometimes you can hear a whine or irregular tone. Some people can hear this while others can’t. As a luthier I have had to train myself to hunt for these rogue notes as it can make the difference between a good and great guitar. I would ask for a luthier to check out a guitar before investing in it especially if you like a guitar except for a couple of issues. It is possible that they can be remedied.

Conclusion

Selecting the best guitar is a subjective matter but this doesn’t mean that it is a job to be taken on by your lonesome. As mentioned several times above try to team up with another competent guitarist for testing projection, dynamic range, timbre and so on. If there is a luthier in your area contact him to see what services he might offer you in evaluating a prospective instrument. Certainly I would attempt to convince the guitar owner or dealer to allow you the opportunity to play the guitar in your own environment over a couple of days. As a minimum take your existing instrument along to compare with possible candidates. There is an appeal about a fine instrument and as you go about evaluating a number of guitars, one of them will eventually speak to you in irresistible terms. I just hope that before you surrender you will have worked your way through as many items on the above list as possible.

Classical Guitar Sound

2010-01-06T17:28:00.000-07:00

It is a common thing to discuss a luthier's "sound" e.g. "Hauser's sound is always…” While it is true that most luthiers will produce a signature sound in their mature work, it isn't as safe to generalize these days because there are a lot of very talented guitarmakers producing a broad range of instruments. No longer can we characterize a guitar as coming from the "Madrid" or "Granada" schools just to name two. In truth there are probably any number of schools such as the Australian School, an American School, a European school and a Latin American School just to mention a few. Come to that, there are enough innovating luthiers in each area to bewilder any attempt at categorization.

Ok then, how about the hallowed "Torres-Hauser" tradition? I do agree that this "school" is somewhat helpful to describe some maker's style but in reality any luthier working with that model are doing their best to be differentiated from their seven fan strut brothers through quite variety of unique and personal refinements. It can be confusing.

If you try to relate to a "Fleta sound" or a "Romanillos sound", remember that most of the old masters guitars have been effectively removed from circulation as they exist for the most part in the hands of dealers or collectors where the prices make owning these guitars prohibitive but for the few. When it comes to valuing or studying the sound produced by a particular school or master luthier it has been reduced to so much historical mystique and hyperbole. Almost all professional guitarists are performing and recording on instruments made by contemporary builders. Some will say that the current crop of classical guitars lack the qualities of the old instruments but I think that isn't true especially when considering any character that can't be explained away by the notion of aged instruments sounding better because of age alone. It's so hard to build in 60 years worth of seasoning!

All that being said, some guitars are going to be better suited for some music types than others. A big warm, lush Cedar guitar probably isn't going to be the best guitar for pre-Romantic era music. Players who specialize in that music might prefer guitars with clarity, responsiveness and moderate sustain. Speaking as a luthier, I'm a firm believer that every guitarist should own several guitars to fit each musical period.

If you play out for audiences you might want to make sure your guitar has plenty of power so that you can compete in less than friendly environments where you're apt to be playing. If you play only in your own studio, how about a guitar that sounds great from behind the instrument since most of the time you're going to be the only listener? I have played guitars that would speak very well to an audience but sound terribly uneven to me the player.

I would recommend that any player searching for the fine instrument ignore romance and reputation and instead shop for sound and playability based on your personal evaluation not on dealer liner notes. Learn to discuss these issues technically with other players, dealers and luthiers without getting swayed by the romance. There are terrific guitars out there and you shouldn't have to go in debt to afford them.

Luthier Built Guitars, Part Four

2010-01-06T17:26:00.000-07:00

Why buy from a luthier? I suppose most of us value the notion of a handmade guitar in a world of consumer driven products. We can appreciate the great care and skill that it takes to build a fine instrument as well as the creative promise it represents. From the fine tonewoods to the hand rubbed finish, the luthier built guitar seems to have a presence that speaks quietly of high purpose.

In a more practical sense there is the likelihood of better sound, playability and strong value inherent in a handbuilt classical or Flamenco guitar. If you choose to work with a luthier, you can be assured of an instrument that is just right for you, a unique creative partner for your music.

Why would it be that handmade guitars possess all of the traits suggested above? To be sure there is a lot of romance surrounding the tradition of a dedicated craftsman laboring over a workbench to produce what some might call a work of art. In reality, building a guitar takes a lot of training, hard work and committment; a mix of technique, science and intuition resident in one person. To control the making of a guitar from design to execution focusing on hundreds of critical steps that must be integrated with sound and player objectives is an all-consuming effort. And this is precisely the reason why a luthier will usually produce an instrument far superior to a factory full of machines and specialists. The luthier can more accurately balance all of the factors influencing the completed guitar because he or she has the ability to make material selections and adjust thicknesses intuitively. An assembly line simply isn't designed to accommodate variations. Moreover, guitar factories can't walk that fine line of performance that luthiers always do, rather they seek the low road of warranty return percentages instead…it's a profit deal.

How can one locate candidate luthiers to work with? Start by asking around at music stores or repair centers; inquire of other players or guitar societies and finally let your search engine loose on guitarmakers having websites. In an evening you should be able to visit dozens of websites illustrating ideas that will find some appeal for you. Additionally, you'll find other details on the conventions of working with luthiers to acquire your guitar. Another option is to ask around at various classical guitar chat rooms and often you'll receive recommendations that will pay off.

If your budget isn't up to hiring the most experienced luthier, then you might take some time to locate the luthier just starting out on a career. Often these builders will have several guitars on hand at very reasonable prices…and the guitars can be surprisingly good. Expect some joinery and finish flaws and perhaps some action issues to iron out but this is also instructive for you. Additionally, it may well be that you can put a second guitar on order with this luthier after buying something on hand. This would give you the excitement of watching your own guitar come to life while still finding the experience very affordable. Beginning luthiers acquire skills very rapidly and don't be surprised if the second guitar from your builder is amazingly improved in many ways.

Just a brief primer on the conventions of working with a luthier:

Emailing questions to prospective luthiers has become a contemporary and effective way to interview your builder and it also gives you a good idea of how communications might progress on an order. Speaking from experience……..give the luthier a break, if you're just window shopping and not serious about entering into an order, be aware that the luthier is taking valuable time to be courteous with you and you should return the favor.
You should be able to receive client references from your candidate builder and this can provide insight as to the type of person you're thinking of working with.
Many luthiers require a non-refundable deposit when entering an order. I find in my own case that I have typically invested several hours of email interview time and phone calls to identify objectives and preferences followed by time to put the customers order into shape to be produced.
You may expect that individual luthiers request some level of payment when construction commences and payment in full before the guitar is shipped.
Most luthiers provide for you to have approval of your new instrument. If it's not right you should be able to send it back for a full refund or correction. Exceptions to this convention may be when you have specified features that would make it difficult or impossible for the luthier to resell.
There are a variety of options and upgrades that you can specify and it is smart to make sure you have a working record of all options and specifications to avoid misunderstandings.
Luthiers offer a variety of guarantees with their instruments. Be aware that since these guitars are made of wood and the builder can't be assured of how you and your environment will impact the instrument, humidity damage often isn't covered. Workmanship always is covered.

Don't be surprised if your luthier has a wait list numbered in years. This is one indication that you're entering into a world that doesn't offer instant gratification! Arrange to have periodic updates from the luthier if possible in order to keep your interest up. How do you know that the guitar you receive after such a wait will have been worth it? I assure you that taking possession of your new handbuilt guitar is not unlike the time when your first child comes into the world. You lose the idea of good, better, best comparisons with other guitars and you find that you treasure it for what it is, a great lifelong friend. Good Luck!

Buying a New Guitar, Part Three

2010-01-06T17:25:00.000-07:00

You have decided to buy a new factory-made guitar. The price ranges start at less than $200 and can easily top several thousand dollars. There are a couple of dozen manufacturers and numerous dealers in retail centers and on the Internet. Everything you have just read regarding used guitars applies here as well. Because a guitar is new doesn't mean that you can assume that there are no problems, in fact, often the opposite is true. A new factory-made guitar leaves its place of origin and is shipped to a dealer. Often the conditions in those two environments are quite different and this can have quite an adverse effect on a new instrument just discovering that it must shoulder string tension and learning how all of it's parts fit together. Necks can bow, tops can sag and frets can lift in a new instrument and in fact these are quite common problems. A responsible dealer will guard against those factors and assure you of a good experience, but in the last analysis, you should take that responsibility upon yourself.

It is common for new guitars to make better sound after it has been played for several months but don't count too heavily on this. If the instrument doesn't speak to you with allure at the dealers, don't buy it. This is one of the primary reasons for looking at used guitars first……you know how they are going to turn out.

One can observe a lot of chatter on Internet chat rooms regarding recommendations on "the best guitar for under $(insert price)" These are often useful conversations and equally often quite misleading as people usually recommend the guitar that they have in their possession. It is in our human nature to support the choice that we may have recently made. When these recommendations are passed along to us by anonymous, faceless contributors on the web, the results can be worse than wrong. I'm sure that there are better brands out there, but to listen to web advice and order a new guitar from a discount dealer based on that advice is sheer folly. The person who will do that is only interested in acquisition not in finding a good musical partner. I'll repeat what I've said earlier…………"Only buy the guitar that satisfies your ears and your fingers; brands and prices mean next to nothing" If one were to line up 10 identical guitars from the same maker, some will be poor, some will be outstanding and the rest average. Do not buy guitars sight unseen unless there is a return provision based on your approval.

There are hundreds of thousands of Classical and Flamenco guitars made each year by factories around the world. These factories are typically based in Asia, Spain or Latin America. Often the instruments are properly made and finished and look very good to the eye. Where this process falls down is in the lack of attention to fitting the best in design with optimum materials. Factories count on efficiency of operations, minimizing hand labor and keeping materiel costs (wood) to a minimum. These are extremely important factors in the lifeblood of a for-profit company. They are also the enemy of exceptional quality.

I find that some owners of factory guitars are not aware that their instruments are made of laminated woods…. not that there is anything wrong with that from a structural standpoint. Laminated woods are in use in my own guitars especially in the sides. But when laminations are used in the top or back, be aware that there is normally a severe penalty to be paid in terms of sonority. Lamination helps a factory minimize costs and warranty returns. This is because laminated wood is stronger and more stable, capable of handling a variety of environmental conditions in its lifetime. Usually the lamination consists of a thin exterior veneer, inexpensive filler and perhaps a third wood or fiberboard veneer for the interior. The result can look very good, but be aware that you are looking at the guitar equivalent of a Formica countertop.

The factory guitar, when selected properly, can provide a good instrument at reasonable cost and I am not attempting to minimize the importance of that fact. However, I would not recommend spending more $2000 on a new factory guitar as there are terrific bargains at that price for excellent used guitars and entry level handbuilt guitars from luthiers.

Selecting an Excellent Used Guitar, Part Two

2010-01-06T17:23:00.000-07:00

All right, even contrary to the wisdom of Bobby Jones the time has come to buy another guitar. You're not going to buy a new one quite yet but you've got enough bucks to afford a reasonably good guitar. You have decided to look into used guitars because you figure that it will have played into its mature voice and suffered any structural issues by now so as to not surprise you after the purchase. Good for you, for coming to this logic as there are surprisingly good bargains available in the used market. Where are these guitars? Start by inquiring with the local guitar teachers or guitar societies. They may know of people who have guitars for sale and probably even have some knowledge of the quality of the guitar. Often music stores specializing in acoustic guitars will carry some used guitars although not every city has such a store. One can find instruments offered on E-bay and at dealers to be found on the Internet via your search engine. I would not purchase any instrument without a return privilege usually a 5-7 day approval time which normally will cost you at least return shipping costs which can mount up dollar-wise. Finally, if there is a classical guitar luthier within driving distance of you they will often have a few used guitars for sale or know where some are located.

What to look for? First, suspend any notion of buying by maker or brand. If you want the best guitar, buy with your ears and your fingers. Used guitars often have finish marks and come pre-dinged so you don't have to go to the trouble to make the first one yourself. Ideally one will not consider appearance or aesthetics but of course visual appeal does matter……. just make sure it is third or more on your list of important things rather than number one.

Here are the important issues to look at first before even playing the instrument:

1.) - Look at the action. If it is very high, take a look at the fingerboard by sighting down it toward the bridge to determine if it has too much bow. If it has a lot of bow check out the amount of saddle remaining above the bridge to lower the action. If the guitar has very little saddle showing and the action is very high then that is a guitar that is in trouble. These things can be fixed but the guitar would have to be available at quite a discount and make a very lovely sound to make it worth the costs to have a luthier repair things. Not that a lot of neck bow by itself isn't a serious problem but with enough adjustment left at the saddle sometimes these guitars will play very well.

2.) - Check the string condition and/or inquire as to the age if the owner knows. Surprisingly, if the guitar is in a music store you can pretty well count on the guitar having dead strings. Ask if the strings can be changed if they look dull, tarnished or worn. Bass strings in particular are vulnerable to rapid degradation. Needless to say, acoustic performance is best evaluated with good strings.

3.) - Hold the guitar up to the light and look for deformation of the top and back. Chances are there will be some, which is normal. Just make sure that it isn't excessive as this is a sign of stress due to string tension or humidity problems in the guitar's past. It would be a good idea to determine if the guitar is being stored in a proper environment especially if it is located in a music store. Often guitars can change once stabilized in humidity conditions that are right for it, usually between 35-50%. Anything outside that range can effect action and tone negatively.

4.) - Check the back of the bridge to make sure that it is securely attached especially at the base of the tieblock. Bridges can be reattached but it costs money and can have positive or negative effects on tone. Better to pass and look for a guitar without issues such as this. If the guitar has extraordinary sound though it may well be a good negotiating point.

5.) - Closely check the soundboard, back and sides for cracks. Surprisingly, cracks usually don't affect the guitar sound that much but they can have continuing structural threats to the guitars health. That being said, cracks on the back often can be very stable. The author has owned a guitar with a 4" fine crack in the back that has remained unchanged for over 30 years.

6.) - Look at the condition of the frets and fingerboard for wear. Many players think that this indicates a need for refretting but usually the fret can be dressed and polished without any problems. Any competent repairman can likewise repair fingerboard wear.

7.) - Operate the tuners up and down several turns to see if they operate smoothly. Tuners are easy to replace so don't place too much importance on them. Instead you can use that as a negotiating point and replace them at your convenience. Good quality tuners can be installed for you for less than $125. Excellent quality tuners are available for $200 installed.

Very well, now is the time to play the guitar in earnest. Listen for clear, strong basses especially on Cedar guitars. Often, older Cedar guitars can go muddy and out of focus on the bass side especially if the soundboards were made too thin. Conversely, Spruce guitars often develop very fine powerful basses as they age. On the treble side, listen to the high trebles, as you want to hear some sustain and character up there.

Listen for any weak or wolf notes. The good thing about older guitars is that they usually have worked out these problems. Now is the time to locate the problems in note production as one can have these problems escalate in importance and quickly ruin appreciation for the new acquisition.

Loudness or power, balance, separation and sustain should be evaluated separately on the candidate guitar with scales and set pieces you have identified before heading out to shop for the new instrument. Once you have narrowed down the acquisition to a couple of prospective instruments, then come back at a later time with your own guitar for a good comparison. The reason for this is that guitars can sound different in a strange environment and it is better to have along your trusty ax with its familiar tone. Even better is to ask to take the guitar to your home studio environment. Not likely, but it's worth the asking. Forget any preconceptions about wood types, only focus on the tone being made by the instrument and it's effect on your creation of music.

Look for the guitar that convinces you without reservation that you must have it. Please don't look at price tags or labels until you have completed all of the above steps. This may surprise you as it is possible that you will select an economical instrument over a more expensive one as your must have baby. Many guitars are priced on intangibles such as original price, maker or popularity………they can mean little or nothing, trust only your ears and your fingers. What if you select the guitar that is well outside your pocketbook? Sorry, that's the risk you take with my method!

Now is the time for negotiation. With used guitars there is usually room to move the asking price down somewhat. The old used car line "How low could you go on the price?" is always a good place to start. After hearing that figure it would be good to bring up any discount issues you might have such as needing new tuners or set-up work. Check into the quality of the case that comes with the guitar. If the guitar is in a music store, they may be willing to provide an upgraded case if you buy. As usual, you have to tread that fine line between finding a fair price and letting the guitar become a materiel thing to haggle over. Remember the guitar will bring it's personality to you in the creation of music and you don't want the acrimony of negotiation to accompany the new instrument to it's new home with you.

As a final note, forget about trading in your guitar or wondering if your guitar will hold its value or even getting into the idea of collectable value. Only buy a guitar because of its musical and emotional value to you. Never, never, never, ever fall into thinking of the guitar as an investment. A guitar is to be enjoyed here and now as our musical partner and just as a musical note exists in our imagination and dreams, the instrument that creates that magic is most valuable when it is fulfilling it's personal mission with you.

Selecting and Acquiring the Classical Guitar, Part One

2010-01-06T17:20:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you're coming to the conclusion that you would like to have a better guitar. No doubt this hasn't been a sudden urge as we all carry that little message in the back of our brain that continues to whisper encouraging acquisitive thoughts. These are ideas such as "I need a guitar that inspires me" or "This thing is much harder to play than a good guitar would be" and the deadly "I've always wanted a fine instrument and by now I deserve not to wait any longer".

If you're like me, these little messages would often arrive when I was least able to afford these whims. So let's start there…….you want a better guitar but right now you're going to have to settle for putting on a new set of retreads on the old family bus and finding a way to restore your interest in your existing guitar.

Let us pause for a moment and consider the words of Bobby Jones, golf's greatest legend, advising us on "Choosing a Putter"……I think you'll find some parallels:

"Nine times out of ten, a change from one type of putter to another will effect no lasting good. The new one may work better at first or on occasions, but consistency would be better served by sticking to the old one and making friends with it.

It is, of course, up to the individual to choose the kind of putter that he wants. The design makes little difference so long as the balance is good, the club is easily handled, and the face is true. Whether the head be aluminum, wood or iron is a matter of little consequence, generally speaking, although it has been the experience of most good putters that that certain types of clubs are more reliable under certain conditions"

From "Bobby Jones On Golf " published by Broadway Books used without permission but with all respect possible.

So with the words of the Maestro ringing in our ears let's start by taking off the old strings and refreshing the fingerboard with a good cleaning with some Lemon oil and 0000 steel wool. This can really make the fretboard sparkle and cause you to look further and critically at the shape of your instrument. Next use some guitar cleaner such as that from Gibson Guitar and clean the finish thoroughly inspecting for cracks or finish checks. Clean the tuners with a bit of Naphtha or Mineral Spirits applied with an old toothbrush and then re-oil the gears.

Now let's consider the strings. Often a guitar can change its voice character substantially with a change of string brand, type or tension. The composite strings can sometimes energize an older guitar and clean up muddy sounds you may have grown used to. These strings are often a bit more expensive but worth it if they renew your interest in the instrument. I would recommend Hannabach 728 basses and Carbon trebles as a good place to start. Hannabach also offers "Goldins" that will indeed energize the tone of your guitar in ways you might enjoy. Savarez Alliance trebles and Corum basses are also highly thought in the composite choices, as are the D'Addario offerings. Finally, try varying the tension a bit to see if you like the differences. I would recommend high-tension basses and medium tension trebles as a place to start while some experienced players like just the opposite.

Finally, look at the action. If it seems high then that can have a negative impact on playability. The standard is 4mm between the top of the fret and the bottom on the string on the bass side and 3mm on the treble side. Most players like the action a bit lower than this. Also check the action at the nut. Fret each string between the second and third fret and then touch the string exactly at the first fret. There should be only a slight distance of about .006" between the top of first fret and the bottom of the string. 006" is the equivalent of a two pieces of index card stock. If this action is too high it will make barre chording more difficult and when coupled with a higher overall action will reduce your enjoyment in playing.

Now, what to do about high action? Some players are comfortable in grinding away at nut and saddles to adjust action. But this is not recommended for the average person as one can greatly affect sound and intonation with a poor job. Best to take your guitar to a competent repair person to verify your opinions regarding action. If possible, locate a classical guitar luthier who will be familiar with the idiosyncrasies of the nylon string guitar. While you're at it inquire as to anything that might be done to improve the sound or playability of the instrument. Surprisingly, both can be helped with some tinkering of the fit of both nut and saddle perhaps even replacing one or both with better, intonated versions. Expect to pay $50-100 for such refinements.

Assuming you've done all or part of the above you should find some improvement in your relationship with your existing instrument. Hopefully you'll be able to stave off your Guitar Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) until another time. At the least you'll really know your instrument is truly the best that it can be and if nothing else can make a good back-up or travel guitar in your future.

A Back Buzz Test - What a Relief!

2010-01-06T17:19:00.001-07:00

Here is a little test for your guitar set-up and your reading skills. First, locate this chord and play it several times on your guitar with varying attack and left hand pressure:

In case your reading skills are as poor as mine, the chord is written in tablature on the right. Just for interest, this chord is from a Chopin Waltz, Opus 69 #2 from the B major section. Perhaps not a fingerboard position one plays regularly but useful for our purpose.

I have client, Randy Drake who visits me from Denver with his Contreras Double Top, a very wonderful guitar, but an instrument with some issues, namely the ability to generate unearthly noises as though possessed. This guitar has seen a fair amount of repair work with the result that the refretted fingerboard was very straight and couldn't be played without a fair amount of buzz. Over the course of a couple of visits I was able to minimize most of the problems, but Randy likes to be able to dig in and play with a very strong attack and eventually the Contreras would howl in protest. So nothing for it but to defret the guitar and add relief to the fingerboard. As you may know relief is usually needed in order for the guitar to be played with little or no buzz and with a more playable low action. Relief is often mistaken for forward bow in the fingerboard but the luthier usually places it there intentionally.

Randy came back to pick-up his exorcised guitar and was initially very happy to have finally have his old friend back in tip-top shape. But this too would pass and the following day Randy called to report that strange noises once again inhabited his instrument. I resorted to an old repairman's tactic by reminding him that I could fix anything that was broke, but since I couldn't fix his guitar, therefore it must not be broke. That stalled him for only a moment and recovering nicely insisted that we give it another try.

After an inspired session of fine-tuning action, frets and string choices, the guitar was performing well except for the chord illustrated above. When Randy would play it there was a substantial back buzz on the bass E string. I had been convinced that it was simply a matter of raising the string at the nut and the job would be fait accompli, but not so. I began to suspect that I had the relief too far forward on the fingerboard. I asked Randy to play the chord on three other guitars in my shop and lo and behold two out of the three had a similar back buzz! None of these guitars exhibited buzz of any sort previous to being asked to play Chopin's devilish chord. We finally did reduce the problem so that the back buzz occurred infrequently but in order to totally fix the problem would probably have created others.

Still, I will have to ponder the design of relief of the fingerboard and perhaps this F#7th chord will come to be a good standard test for proper relief placement and the playability of the guitar will benefit. You can contribute by trying this chord on your guitar(s) and letting me know the results. Also if you have any similar tests that you would recommend for a lonely luthier to try out on those cold winter nights, by all means pass those along as well. Thanks for your time and if nothing else perhaps you'll find that your guitar can make interesting sounds.

A Bit O' French Polish

2010-01-06T17:18:00.000-07:00

by Anon

A master craftsman Albert were,
French Polisher by trade.
They always said 'e'd put a shine,
on anythin' yer'd made.

It were lucky that Old Albert,
was still around t'day.
'Cos, when 'e were only learnin' like,
'e caused a right affray.

It were on 'is biggest job so far,
an' it were goin' great.
'E were doin' a coffin for Tom Maguire,
who'd passed 'is sell by date.

'E'd done the outside really well,
showed all the grain in t' wood.
Then thought 'e'd do the inside up,
t' make it look right good.

Now Tom 'ad gone all stiff like,
an' Albert really toiled.
T' get the bugger out o' box,
'e squirted 'im with oil.

Tom were put in t' corner,
an covered with a sheet.
Then Albert started in the box,
but promptly fell asleep.

An 'our or two 'e lay there,
then woke up with a start.
As the coffin 'e were layin in,
were dropped onto the cart.

The lid? well it were screwed down tight,
hermetically sealed.
The only sound that Albert 'eard,
were the squeakin' of the wheels.

Then 'e 'eard the organ,
an' the vicars voice that boomed.
Though Albert shouted out right loud,
'e felt impendin' doom.

All alone 'e lay there,
in the box as black as night.
Till 'e found 'is box o' matches,
an' set 'is polishin' cloth alight.

Ashes to ashes an' dust t' dust,
is as far as t' vicar got.
When someone shouted out from t' back.
"What's that smoke comin' out o' box?"

By now, Albert were well aglow,
an' flames shot out the lid.
'E rolled an' banged about so much,
that off the stand 'e slid.

Landin' at the vicars feet,
the coffin split apart.
An' Albert came forth from it.
"By eck," 'e sez, "that smarts!"

It were just 'im and the vicar,
cos everyone else 'ad fled.
"It's a miracle!" Sez the vicar.
"Yer've come back from the dead!"

"Don't be daft," sez Albert,
"yer were tryin' t' do wrong one.
If yer 'ang on 'alf an 'our,
I'll go an' get Old Tom."

So Albert drags Old Tom in,
t' the sound of oohs an' sobs.
Then, just t' make amends like,
'e polished up Toms clogs.

What Tension Strings?

2010-01-06T17:17:00.002-07:00

Like most players I often change string tension in order to see what effect it makes on the guitar or to find out if my mistakes are simply the fault of the strings. Sadly, it seems there are no significant differences that I can tell, especially with my playing…….Drat!

I sent for information from D'Addario (pronounced "Da Dairy O" they told me) and they sent along some useful information and it was as I feared. Low tension strings will come in at about 82 lbs total tension where Extra Hard Tension will pull away at about 89 lbs. Steel Strings come in at about 170-180 lbs (!) There was also information on each individual string but I had already exercised my anal retentive reserves for one subject to report in any more depth.

What does this mean? I guess I can give up on the notion that some tougher strings will energize my old beater, and I suppose I shouldn't fear that those Super Hard tension strings might eventually pull my bridge off or sink my top. As far as playability is concerned, there are players who certainly can tell the difference between tensions and are very specific about what their hands can perceive.

But in truth there is very little difference between string tensions and I think it takes a very evolved player to deduce the differences between normal and hard tension strings. My conclusion is therefore, that if someone asks you about string tension you should report "Of course there is quite a difference!" and then you will be thought of as an evolved player from then on.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

2010-01-06T17:17:00.001-07:00

My daughter announced her wedding plans early this year and they included her Dad (me) playing the guitar……and singing (!) Of course, her memories of me playing and singing to her as a child were perfect……….much more perfect than stark raving reality I assured her.

Nonetheless, I was soon embedded in the ceremony and while I convinced her that time had taken away those dulcet tones she remembered, I still had to play the guitar. Right about now those of you who have heard me actually play are thinking "Yikes!". My youngest son upon hearing the news asked incredulously "Have you been practicing………a lot?"

Since the wedding was to take place outdoors in Santa Fe, New Mexico before 150 invited guests, my mind immediately went into overload hum. The saving grace was that I had the presence of mind to arrange for Dale Miller to play the wedding and reception and all I had to do was to identify a single piece to murder in solo performance.

Keep in mind that I don't now, nor have I ever, had serious aspirations as a guitarist. Sure, I like to noodle around but my repertoire consists of about a dozen small pieces none of which do I know more than about 70%. I have been taking lessons from Dale Miller for a few years and he rewards me for not mentioning this in public, such has been my progress. I'm on my third lap through the Christopher Parkening book having been held back the first two times.

As a guitarmaker, it is helpful to have a couple of tunes that I can play to evaluate my work and that of other makers. The first is "Danny Boy" and one of the others is "Romanza", the anon version. This is a song that is easy to learn and hard to play well and since the topic seemed to be right on for a wedding, this is the one I selected. Yes, I know it is a shop worn piece, but how many people in a wedding party are going to know that?. Besides, I really like it……..honest, I really like it. And this as an aside to Woody, I did first learn it in tablature years ago before I knew you weren't supposed to take the easy way out.

I had some ideas for an arrangement that could turn the song into something lyrical and less mechanical than the way one typically hears the piece. And so I turned to my instructor with fear in my eyes and insisted in having help with making me the original "Johnny One Note", a guitar player with exactly one song in his repertoire. Dale asked "How long before the wedding?" I said "About three months" He said grimly, "That doesn't give us much time" Since I already knew most of the song I thought this was a little pessimistic.

During the days and weeks that followed we worked on basics of interpretation and the use of free and rest strokes for variation, and so on. I also decided to play not my own guitar, but rather the instrument my guitarmaker son had built for me some five years ago and since this was his first classical, we had to go in and do some fancy set-up work to make it acceptable for my erratic playing technique. Being mildly superstitious, I also attached a bird's feather found at the wedding site to the peghead for inspiration. I took to playing the piece cold without any warm-up. I would take my guitar outdoors to unfamiliar places and play with fierce concentration. Once, I played the piece reasonably well with a bug crawling up my nose and two Mosquitoes drilling into my thigh. Finally, I read every book I could find about performance anxiety (there are many!) The secret is to know your piece cold and to believe that you have something to share with your intended victims……er, audience. Gradually I came to actually believe that I could nail this thing or at least prevent it from running off into the ditch……..or if it did, I could fake my way back on track without my Daughter and guests knowing it. Failing any of that I would simply burst into song thereby distracting attention from my playing. By wedding day I was ready.

You need to know that my wife has an ability to see into the future. And in this case she predicted rain would engulf the whole wedding party and sweep them off downstream to Albuquerque. As you can well guess, the hours leading up the the great event were indeed filled with rain and the preacher, actually, a facilitator as my daughter is a tree hugger and would never do anything in the conventional way………well , never mind, I'll just stick to the issue. Fortunately, the clouds lifted just enough to perform the wedding and everything went smoothly and emotionally forward. When the time came for me to play I blubbered my way to the microphone as any father would.

I sat down where Dale had been playing in his usual sensitive way, taking care to tune carefully and quickly, preparing my mental state and visualizing the song. I began to play and eventually realized that I was sounding all right! Furthermore the sound amplification gave me a sense of legitimacy and power………I was performing! Suddenly, all manner of flashbulbs started going off in my face as the photographers began recording my debut for posterity. (Gulp) My first unplanned crisis had arrived and I almost stopped to shoo the Paparazzi back into the crowd, but thought better of it and kept moving along bravely.

I had determined that during the piece that I would glance confidently toward my Daughter to show her that her old Dad could still manage. This I did and when I looked back at my guitar, I had no idea where I was, but my fingers were still moving. That is they were moving into the ditch. Ok, I can fake this and I did with little interruption in tempo. I continued grinning as though that was just improvisation and went on to finish the piece. When I looked back at my Daughter, she was in tears. Oh-oh, I hadn't expected that I could play that badly! As it turned out, to my relief, she was simply moved by the events around her and later claimed that she was just "over-stimulated".

Well, that's what I did this summer. I have now officially retired from show business and am happily noodling about on my guitar. But every once in a while I think back to those camera flashes and wonder what might have happened if I had gotten serious about the guitar back when I was Jim Bosse's age. I have resolved to make another attempt to acquire some fundamental music skills and just maybe…….well, never mind.

Selecting The Steel String Guitar

2010-01-06T17:16:00.000-07:00

Players looking for a steel string guitar have an unlimited selection of excellent guitars to choose from. Moreover the prices for good guitars are at an all time low thanks to the ingenuity of American guitar factories. All of the name brand factories such as Martin, Larrivee, Taylor and Gibson offer instruments for under $1000 that are as good as any factory guitar made in this century.

A modern guitar factory is still a labor-intensive industry, but thanks to the use of computer controlled machinery and modern finishing systems, it now takes well under 10 human hours to build an instrument. To be sure there are sacrifices made to productivity. Niceties such as binding trims, gloss finishes and solid tone woods sometimes give way to the bare essentials. Still for the player community, the entry-level instrument offers a terrific bargain in sound and durability. Try looking at the Martin all-Mahogany series that sell for $6-700 in all sizes for a warm and thoroughly enjoyable guitar.

If you prefer that special instrument drawn from the vintage era complete with inlays and exotic woods, there are still plenty of choices from all of the major factories, typically leaning on their past designs, artist models and special custom trim packages. In these guitars you can look for upgraded woods, gloss finishes and plenty of shell inlays (accomplished by computer CNC machines) For these guitars you can spend as much money as you care to…….$2500-$5000 is commonplace. But you still need to exercise judgment regarding the sound and playability of your purchase compared to the lower end instrument. Often they are made on the same assembly line with the same machines and people.

Most of the guitar factories look for a consistent type of sound that people have come to expect from their guitars. There is little in the way of experimentation to advance sound within an existing design. If you are shopping for a Martin Dreadnaught then you can pretty well know that 80% of all Martin Dreadnaughts are going to sound similar to each other and up to your expectations. Another goal is to avoid returns either for repairs or because the guitar didn't sell. So each guitar is going to stick to the safe processes, thicknesses and construction ideology.

Today is the Golden Age of Guitarmaking so many experts say and that is because of the rise of the handbuilder, the individual Luthier who makes special instruments to order. These craftsmen and women can and do advance the state of the art through experimentation and personal attention to every materiel selection and process along the way to building a guitar. Here you will find tolerances taken to the limit of design inspiration along with the finest of woods. The individual Luthier can hand select and match tonewoods where factories cannot and this shows in the sound and playability of the instrument. Players needs can be identified and custom matched by the handbuilder to yield that perfect instrument. Keen-eyed readers will note that the author is a Luthier so I'll try not to be too self-serving , but the instruments made by modern handbuilders can be startling in their sound quality for about the same cost as higher end instruments from the factories. Even though I build guitars, my favorite exercise is to fondle the used and vintage guitars at the Folklore Center and I learn a lot about how guitars age, how they are set up and where the differences are. I admit to having bought several older guitars in my time and there should be a special place for these instruments in your consideration. You get a chance to see how the instrument will turn out without waiting years for the mysterious "playing in" process. Also, chances are that whatever would go wrong already has and has been adjusted or repaired………."what you see is what you get". Finally whatever you pay today for that older guitar, chances are that it will retain that value for a long time. Not that I recommend collecting guitars for investment purpose, but if you really like the guitar there is nothing wrong with owning say two or three……or even five to seven…..or ……..well, I should be careful here in case my wife happens to read this!

Tonewoods

75% of all steel strings today are made with either Mahogany or East Indian Rosewood with a Sitka Spruce soundboard. These are the sounds one expects to hear in a guitar. But more and more, the guitar factories are turning to alternative woods or plastics in order to meet their profit margin requirements. Along the way they are attempting to reeducate their customers to accept new woods and materials. This is a good thing, as there are many different tonewoods available that will yield excellent sound and are beautiful as well. Examples are Cocobolo, Honduras Rosewood, Walnut, etc. Be sure to educate yourself about the various tonewoods coming on the market. This will help you find that "just right" guitar as well as help the world supply of tonewoods, which are under pressure internationally. As players, we all have our ideal of perfection in the guitar. In reality, it is more important to have the instrument connect with you than to know that it is constructed in certain ways or built of the "correct woods". The perfect guitar provides the tone you want and inspires you to play well. To be sure, the aesthetics of the guitar including the woods it is constructed of contribute to value, but "tone first, playability always" should be your key. When having a guitar commissioned, you need to have confidence that the woods you select will produce that tone you expect. Today, you have an excellent selection of tonewoods from around the world that will help you create a very personal unique sound for your music. Have fun with the choices!

Steel String Sound

Sound is a subjective and personal thing. Scientists know that the human brain stores sound patterns and any new incoming sound is compared to that database in a qualitative way. There is more to that perfect guitar sound that you hear in your head than you may have thought!

If I were to describe in words my perfect guitar sound it is not likely that you would disagree with my word vision, while in real life if we actually hear and play those sounds there are apt to be differences of opinion………some of them pretty strong! To the non-player, most guitars pretty much sound alike. It is the quality of the playing that makes the real difference to them. It is also true that the differences between great guitars and good guitars are sometimes very small. But those differences then become all the more important to us. A musical instrument is a personal, emotional partner and the way we feel about it affects our musical well-being. If you visit a music store with a wall of guitars for sale, chances are you will make a connection with one of them. It will help if you know why and make that selection based on knowledge. This means listening critically to a lot of live and recorded music, playing a lot of guitars and talking to other players. The guitar magazines such as "Fingerstyle Guitar" and "Acoustic Guitar" often present articles on these topics and they are very helpful. I would be a little careful of the chat rooms on the Internet as there tends to be a terrific set of braggadocio floating about e.g. "All Taylors suck!" or "Martins Rule!" All factory guitars produce instruments on a bell curve. That is 15% of their guitars are going to be poor, 70% are going to be average and 15% are going to be "cannons" I would hesitate to say, for example that Guilds are better than Gibsons because it is the individual guitar that counts…..don't fall for brand "nameitis", evaluate each guitar on it's own merits. In the last analysis, even a very modest guitar is a wonderful thing, can be played well and is capable of thrilling you as the player and others as listeners. Choose well but don't obsess.

La Chitarra di Liuteria

2010-01-06T17:14:00.000-07:00

This is a great book on the masterpieces in guitar making by Stefano Grondona and Luca Waldner. It is written in Italian and English and is the best work I have seen on the development of modern classical guitars. Importantly, the book includes a CD of many famous makers' guitars including Antonio de Torres who has several instruments featured. Of these, there is a first ever recording of Torres most famous instruments including those of Llobet, Tarrega and the controversial papier maiche (cardboard) guitar.

Also featured are the guitars of Enrique Garcia, Simplicio, Manuel Ramirez, Santos Hernandez, Esteso, Hauser I/II plus Jose Ramirez III and Bouchet among others.

The book is well written and beautifully photographed by the authors who are certainly well qualified. Stefano Grondona, a top concert guitarist and Luca Waldner, a luthier have produced a scholarly work providing biographies of the makers as well as important measurements of many of the featured instruments. Additionally, there is a chapter on the craftsman's workshop illustrating how guitars are built in the traditional manner.

The CD accompanying the book is well recorded with excellent selections from guitar literature including my favorite a Barcarola from Mendelssohn performed on a legendary 1906 Enrique Garcia guitar. I would only find fault with the accuracy of the recordings since to my ear they seem to be produced with too many studio effects to hold serious historical value. As a luthier myself I have attempted (briefly) to produce recordings to demonstrate my instruments and became aware of the difficulties involved. That should not detract from the total effort of book and recording however. Grondona and Waldner have had rare access to important guitars and have given anyone with an interest in the instrument a landmark work. This is a book that has a lot of substance and will require many hours to absorb all that it offers.

An effort of this magnitude doesn't come cheap. You can order it from the Guitar Salon in California for $100 or from Chanterelle, the German publishing house for about $75. Unless you select a more expensive shipping method, the Chanterelle option will take several weeks longer than the Guitar Salon source.

But Why Can't You Sing "Danny Boy"?

2010-01-06T17:10:00.000-07:00

A Message To My Guitar

My Dear Guitar:

Certainly there is no question that the best song of the past millennium was "Danny Boy". Sure enough there were plenty of good songs. No doubt several are springing to mind such as "You are the wind beneath my wings" or "Amazing Grace" Perhaps some ditty by O'Carolan. But when it comes right down to it, how many songs had their own PBS special? And you know that Danny Boy was the first song played at Elvis' funeral. Sharon Isbin, that fine Irish guitarist included it on her latest album and this two century old melody recently was featured on the Chieftain's "Circle of Tears" release. While no finer credentials need be offered, there are many more that I could use to illustrate the point. Suffice it to say that this indelible and durable melody also known as "Londonderry Aire" has etched itself into our chromosomes for the rest of time. In the early part of the last century, Frank Weatherford's touching lyrics made it the "Danny Boy" that is so loved around the world. All of these are facts I have shared with you many times.

Also featured are the guitars of Enrique Garcia, Simplicio, Manuel Ramirez, Santos Hernandez, Esteso, Hauser I/II plus Jose Ramirez III and Bouchet among others.

Now the problem is that Danny Boy does not pair up so well with the classical guitar, yourself included. In spite of the fact that Eric Clapton did a terrific version on his Rameriz for PBS, you know the one I have played to you many times? You are my favorite instrument you know that, and haven't I purchased those expensive strings you fancied?, not to mention getting rid of that tiny buzz on your G string. Sorry to be so straight to the point, but somehow you're not demonstrating the ability to render this melody with the sustained color necessary to do it justice. You might try it on your own someday when I'm out………….You know, just to prove it to yourself.

Danny Boy in the key of A major is one of my trial songs for all of my new guitars and for all of the unfamiliar guitars coming through my shop to give me an indication of quality. Most of your brothers just run out of treble sustain at about the seventh fret. Trouble is there are still several frets to go. Sure I could give you a break and go to a lower key or alter the tuning or some other transcriptionist's trickery. But if you want to touch those soaring emotions this music is capable of, you go for it in the high register.

As we start a new century, I'm pretty sure that you'll be around long after I'm gone. But, and don't take this as a threat, I'm on the lookout for that guitar that will sing up there in those octaves where I need it to for Danny Boy. And I would like for you to just take this little message to heart and the next time we go for Ol' Danny Boy, you'll be able to yodel better than Rex Allen.

Thanks for stringing along with me,

Randy

Caring For Your Guitar

2010-01-06T15:52:00.000-07:00

The guitar being made of wood is sensitive to changes in humidity, temperature and gravity. The following observations come from some time servicing guitars in my shop as well as a few decades in caring for my own personal instruments as a player.

The No Care Method

I would like to address my behavior as an enthusiast over the years first because it exemplifies the level of care chosen by some players today. This is to say I did nothing but change the strings and wipe off the grime every few months. I bought my first quality instrument in 1972. It was and is a 1969 Martin D35 Dreadnaught. It is the guitar my kids grew listening to me play and it has sort of an heirloom status in my family. At least they are fighting over who should get the guitar when I "shuffle off". This guitar was made in humid Pennsylvania at the Martin factory and has lived here in the arid high mountain plains of Colorado ever since. It was never humidified or saw a stand. When it was time to move our residence, it took me some time to locate the case. Most of its life it stood leaning against the wall in my bedroom where it occasionally fell subject to the laws of gravity. It has flown on airplanes through the luggage handling system in a regular hard case, It has gone camping and on various trips outside the state and has remained under the stress of heavy and medium steel strings at 180lbs of total tension during the last 34 years.

So how is the guitar doing today after all that time of hard flatpicking and relative abuse? It's doing fine, thank you. The neck is absolutely straight and the only crack in it is a tiny one in the back and was there when I bought it thirty years ago. The finish looks pretty good except for where I strummed outside the pickguard area. The soundboard is structurally perfect and the action has never changed in spite of my years of neglect. The sound is terrific.

Right now you're wondering what type of advice am I going to offer based on the above. Actually where I took "care" of my guitar as a practice of ignorance, some players consciously choose to think of their instruments as a working tool and do not wish to treat their instruments as a hot house flower. No humidification at all and thrown in the backseat protected by a simple gig bag. No fuss, no muss. Expensive instruments expected to hold up like 3/4-ton pick-up trucks. You might be surprised that there are some big name players counting on their guitars as the significant tool of their trade who intentionally select this method.

The obvious problems coming from the "no care" school are that their guitars often aren't as lucky as my old Martin. Some guitars under these conditions will simply give up and develop all manner of playing problems, serious cracks and degraded sound. Lack of humidity or rapid swings of humidity can cause the instrument to literally shrink resulting in low (or high) action as well as highly variable sound quality. I know that repairmen typically won't treat these players practicing this No Care Method very sympathetically whereas they will go the extra mile for those instruments that are obviously given proper care. To be sure there are all manner of degrees of care between No Care and The Best Damn Possible Care Method and somewhere in here you may find a process that fits your style.

The Low Care Method

Most of us practice this method. This is the player who provides a pretty good single arched case for his guitar and keeps it there when he is not playing it. There is some attempt to humidify the guitar…….at least there is a humidifier in the case and sometimes it is actually filled with water. Once each year when the strings are changed the finish is wiped off with a commercial product from one of the guitar factories. A variation to this approach is where the guitar is left out on a stand in the practice area so that it can be ready at hand for spontaneous fits of playing inspiration. I am one of those players. The results of this method mostly count on the player not being too active and the guitar is mostly at rest and protected from rapid humidity swings at least when it is in the case. Unfortunately, guitars left on stands can become victims to toddlers, dogs or vacuum cleaners not to mention dropped tuners, capos or music stands. Additionally, if your home is not humidified please be aware that humidity can swing wildly through the day typically drying out during the day and heating cycles while rising at night at cooler temperatures. Low Care Method guitars can suffer changes in action and sound quality while experiencing buzzes that come and go. Often small cracks and dings will show up over time.

The Pretty Good Care Method

This is a practical method that you can live with and offers care that your guitar will be happy with. This involves buying a high quality double arched case and padded case cover and absolutely keep your guitar in the case when it is not being played. Place the case inside a closet in your playing area so that it won't be subject to the whims of gravity. Purchase a Planet Waves Humidifier and follow the instructions. Why Planet Waves? Because it can hold far more water than any other humidifier as of this writing that gives you more time between fillings. You can also place a travel soap dish with self-applied perforated holes so that the moist sponge you place inside can help humidify the case. Finally and most important, buy a digital hygrometer that are commonly available for $20-30 from Radio Shack or local cigar stores. The use of this device is critical to the Pretty Good Care Method as it allows you to work with knowledge about humidity that your guitar lives in. You can keep it in the studio where you play and/or inside the case. In this manner you can begin to work intelligently without guessing as to the single most critical component for a wood instrument……Humidity.

When you are finished playing your guitar, wipe off the finish and strings with a soft dry cloth. If you are a classical player concentrate on the upper treble bout on the back where it rests on your chest. This area seems to be particularly vulnerable. Another area is where your right forearm rests on the lower bass bout on the side and soundboard. If you need to remove a foreign substance you can use a slightly damp cloth. Normally you do not need to use any of the commercial guitar cleaners but of course you can if the finish on your guitar is lacquer. Do not use these on recently French Polished instruments.

The Pretty Good Care Method will help your guitar live a long time in a healthy state and it will be very consistent in terms of sound quality and playability while being resistant to seasonal shifts. As a result you'll feel pretty good about your ability to take care of your guitar.

The Best Damn Possible Care Method

Building from the Pretty Good Care method, this system chooses, as it's primary strategy, the acquisition of a fiberglass flight case such as those available from Mark Leaf or Calton. These cases are not permeable because they have rubber or neoprene seals and of course are not made of wood that is highly hydroscopic. As result these cases will maintain temperature and humidity like a bank vault. Additionally, These cases are exceptionally rigid and are trustworthy enough to go through the airline luggage system with integrity. One can also purchase case covers made to resist heat build-up for these flight cases.

Now assuming that you want to have your guitar residing in it's special single purpose studio out and available to be admired and played on your whim, you will want to do two things. First is to purchase a wall hanger fixture that will securely hold your guitar off the floor and not subject to gravity. No guitar stands please! Finally, install a humidification system in the room or better yet in your home. They make the environment healthier for you and your loved ones including the guitar. Mount a quality digital hygrometer next to your guitar so that it can be monitored easily. Also carry one in your case for the same reason.

Players employing the Best Damn Possible Care Method will also want to take their instrument to a luthier for a check-up every 1-2 years depending on use. A luthier will be able to check for a variety of common health issues faced by guitars and will inspect for fret and fingerboard problems, hairline cracks, finish problems, etc.

Conclusion

It would be a good thing to make a conscious choice of one of the methods detailed above. It may not be possible or practical for some of these methods to fit into your lifestyle but at least you'll be making knowledgeable decisions.

Many of us play the guitar and take the health of the instrument for granted. It would be helpful to adopt some form of regular maintenance where we look with a critical eye for problems. Perhaps this could be done when strings are changed but most important is the habit of putting yourself in the role of the luthier and critique the instrument as though you had never seen it before. It's a useful habit and can prevent small things from getting to be big things. Good Luck!