A network for historic guitars and vihuelas

Homemade vihuela

I just finished my first scratch build; a vihuela. It stated out as an 1816 salon guitar (GAL plan #36) but an error in measurement left me with a neck too short, and a headstock too long, so I built a vihuela instead. It's not real pretty, but it sounds really nice. It has a tighter waist than most vihuelas you are likely to see since the body shape was a guitar design. The top is Engleman spruce, the back and sides are East Indian Rosewood. The neck is mahogany. The fretboard is Bolivian rosewood, and the bridge is another species of rosewood that I have forgotten the specifics of. I posted a blog of the building process if anyone is interested.

http://neowalla.webs.com/apps/blog/

Attachments:

DSC_0163.jpg, 42 KB

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Scot Tremblay on August 3, 2010 at 5:40

Very COOL, Mark.

When I sent that drawing to the GAL, oh so many years ago, I had no idea the manifestations that would result. I've seen that little Salon guitar as a steel string, a twelve string, 5 string uke, semi-solid body electric, baroque guitar and now a vihuela. And why not?

I wonder....has anyone out there (other than me) made it as just a boring old 6 string Early Romantic guitar?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mark Day on August 4, 2010 at 0:25

Scot,

Cool to hear feedback from the man who drew the plans! I didn't know you were on here! I probably will actually make a 6-string out of those plans later. I screwed up when I measured the scarf joint and ended up with a neck that was too short and a headstock that was too long, and so thought...hmmm vihuela! I need to practice the "V" joint and Spanish foot neckblock. I made this a butt joint bolt on, but it's my first build so I tried to keep it as simple as possible.
These old small bodied guitars are really the nicest sounding things out there, I think.