Building info?

[Frei]

Hello, I am looking for sources on building baroques. I am getting the GAL plans, but are there any other reference articles out there on building, other than the lute books and the 2 GAL articles. I tried to get Big Red Book #2 on loan, but they would't lend it out to my local library. I am trying an end around though.

I have built a dreadnought to near completion, do you think the GAL articles are necessary?

I've got Baroque fever bad.

Thanks

[Michael. N.]

I presume this is for Lute? My humble advice is to go for the David van Edwards CD course. The plans are much more detailed and the course is clearly laid out and every step is detailed. It even contains a plan for the making of the mould.
The GAL plans are fine if you have made Lutes before but lack important detail, that is why they point people to the Lundberg book. I think you would be in for a major headache trying to build from those plans without any other reference material. Either way the Gal plan/s and the Lundberg book should be sufficient. Better still would be both the CD course and the Lundberg but that is a rather expensive option.

[Jelma van Amersfoort]

Hello Frei

If you're talking about Baroque guitars, have a look at: http://www.crane.gr.jp/indexE.html

This very nice Japanese gentleman has some free plans and a lot of photos about baroque guitar making.

Jelma

[Frei]

Hi, Oh, sorry, Baroque guitars, I'm actually selling my 'beginners' lute kit for the baroque guitar plans, and if I have to, the big red book #2. I have seen Lundbergs book, and its pretty detailed.

http://www.luth.org/plans/pl27.jpg

The Baroque plans in the Crane site don't look historical, I think they were modified to turn it into steel string or something. The guitar looks pretty late also, and French?

I am just about to start another drednought, but Im thinking I will go with Baroque guitar instead. The modern drednought shape seems to actually be a throwback to some of the Italian designs. =)

[Michael. N.]

Ah yes, that plan. I had it at one time, lent it out and the rest is history. It's a 'round back' or Italian type Baroque guitar. I don't think Lunbergs book will help a great deal, at least not directly. Advisable to go with some type of mould for this, either solid or toast rack style. You could do a slightly simplified version and miss out the veneering on the back of the neck and the inlay that sits proud on the back. The sides can be made of one piece as opposed to strips. The number of staves on the back can be reduced, you could even turn it into a flat back - then it becomes a true French Baroque guitar.
Apart from that Crane site I don't know of any sources that explains the process of making such a beast. I'm afraid it's a case of using the plan, some knowledge of Lute construction all mixed in with modern guitar making.

[Frei]

The Crane site shows him building one, he is quite amazing. I will be building the simplified version of this, use a 15' bowl for the back, flat top etc. Adi, and Mahogany most likely. Contrasting "ribs" will be routed in, stained a darker color I guess. Rosette inlays for striped spacing. (2 peice back - Im going to fake it.)

"Standard" bolt on neck. Sycamore? Looking now. Maybe Mahogany or Sapele,

For a mold he used a foam plastic, and carved it, very nice, quite amazing. It foams up over the mold a bit and dries. I am familiar with this plastic stuff. He is amazing.

Ok here is the kicker, where do I find those parchment prints for the rosette things inside the guitar? He seems to have copies of them. Wow.

[Michael. N.]

Oliver Wadsworth sells some templates for Parchment rosettes. I've made a few and can assure you they are a LOT of work, especially since you really need to make masses of punches for the various cut outs. Alternately go to Parchmentroses.com and get Elena to make you one - her prices may seem high but after you've made one of those things you'll be left wondering how she manages to make them for so little. Her waiting time is around 3 months.

[Frei]

Wow, she's pretty good. How about casting them in paper? I like that idea better.

I'm looking at some fruitwood for bridges, what is a good dimension for the rough blank? 5 course (GAL plans) Is 1"X1"X6" a good size for rough wood? and how thick is the neck at the heel, final thickness....

Thank all!! =)

[Michael. N.]

Casting them in paper? Assuming that casting paper is possible (I'm not convinced) why do you like the idea better? I fear you may be looking for a problem that doesn't exist or you are trying to re-invent the wheel.
If you want to simplify it then just do a fretted wood type without parchment. Search in U-tube for 'Vihuela' and you will see my fretted wood rosette. Simple, elegant and rather like music it doesn't have to be complex to be valid.

Keep with the GAL dimensions.

[Waling Tiersma]

I made the roses for my 4c-guitars from a design that I found on Oliver Wandsworth's website.
On the computer I scaled the pictures to the size required for my instrument. The patterns for the 2 layers are in different colors so I was able to print them separately quite easily.
The prints were miror-images of the original.
I glued (with as little glue as possible) the images to the back of the parchment and cut it out along the pattern. The resulting 2 layers were glued together after carefully removing the paper. Result is quite good. It took approx. 8 hours per rose of 2 layers.
(Apart from one little incident.... With the second rose it was a bit hard to get off the paper. Afterwards I tried to iron the parchment to flatten it. ONE SHOULD NOT DO THAT. Parchment shrinks heavily under heath! I hade to cut a new one.)
See the post about the rose on my weblog (automatic translation from dutch by google)

In my vihuela I made a rose following the same design, but of parchment and pear.

[cristina gutierrez]

see larry d brown's online notes at www.cincinnatiearlymusic.com

[Frei]

Wow, that has alot of information. The Renaissance guitar shows a good one.

[Frei]

I am trying to do my own design right now. The theme will be hearts. Still a little rough, but I'm getting an idea of how to simplify it.