Conference napalm::guitar

    once i had a handmade guitar.  it had a long stick poked through
    one end of a cigar box that had a hole cut in it and used rubber
    bands.  what a sound.   ;^)

    Not a custom, but I once bought a Michael Gurian Classical
    from Hampshire Music.  As I understand it, Michael Gurian went
    out of business a few years. He couldn't keep up with the commercial
    guitar manufacturers.  It was a nice guitar, but I prefer steel
    strings..  I traded it to a friend for a Martin D 12-20.
    
    The Gurian sure had a strange logo inside.... it read something
    like 'Michael Gurian Guitars.. Planet earth...third planet from
    the sun...'  Almost like he expected someone to find a Gurian floating
    somewhere past Pluto..
    
    Cheers,
    
    Gil
    

    RE: .1
    
    	Is *that* what happened to my first guitar!?
    
    _stew-

    I've got one that was made locally by David Kirkpatrick about 12
    years ago.  The top is Bavarian silver spruce, back and sides are
    Honduras rosewood, neck is Honduras mahogany with ebony fingerboard.
    The nut and bridge are both bone with Amercan redwood for the bracing.
    The soundhole is surrounded by an inlayed colored rosewood pattern
    and all the checking and detail is also rosewood inlay.  No decals
    or plastic except for the string pegs.  No fret markers.  The neck
    was fitted to my hand because I use my thumb to wrap around to play
    bass notes occasionaly.
    
    					John G.

    re:.2
    
    Shouldn't that have been "third stone from the sun..."? :-)
    				    ^^^^^
    
    --- jerry

    Well, I just had to add my axe to the list of "HANDMADES".
    It's a "Paul Hutton". Close grained Sitka Spruce top, Brazilian
    Rosewood sides and back (back is three-piece), Honduras Mahogany
    neck, Brazilian Rosewood bridge saddle and fretboard, ivory nut and saddle.
    (I call the bridge a bridge. The bridge saddle is the item in which
    the bridge sits. I've never understood why the bridge is universally
    called the bridge saddle. The bridge is exactly that; a bridge between
    the strings and the soundboard, with a saddle to hold it in
    place/location).
    
    Anyone out there have an explination for this?????    dep.

    The Best custom hand-made guitar's I've seen/heard are Ranney's.
    FYI, the 8-string bass that Chris Squire uses is made by this
    guy and is a good example of his work. They used to be made in 
    Michgan, but the luthier, Eric Ranney, Moved to Boston a year ago.
    I've had him set up my guitars and have seen his work. It's really
    nice...I'd buy one myself, but can't afford it!!
    
    WJB

	Anyone ever try a Borys guitar?  Roger Borys makes semi-hollow
	body jazz guitars up here in Burlington, Vt.  They are very
	nice guitars, but also very expensive.  I've seen him advertising
	in Guitar Player magazine recently.

	-gary

    A *late* reply.
    
    I have a hand made Tatay Classical Guitar-built for me in 1968.
    Tatay was an old Spanish traditional  maker that moved to LI in
    the mid 60s.  It has Brazilian Rosewood Sides and Back, Ebony
    fingerboard,  and of course, a thin, spruce top.  His sons make guitars
    today.  In 20 years it just gets better, and no troubles ever.
    
    It gets better every year.
    
    The *greatest guitar in the world* I've every played was a New Yorker
    by D'Angelico.  His apprentice, Jimmy D'Aquisto makes guitars that
    rival the Master, but he doesn't have quite the wood D'Angelico
    did.  People like Chuck Wayne, Joe Puma, and such play their guitars.
    There is a 5 year wait to get one of his guitarts today, and he
    has to believe you are a good person.
       
    I had a friend that was accepted by Jimmy D'Aquisto has his apprentice,
    but *quit* after 2 years 'cause he wasn't being paid enough.  (Jerk)
    Jimmy *gave* him a 7 string solid body for a wedding gift. 
                                                              

    I just joined Digital here in Denver and found this notes file.
    Terrific!  I have a custom made Martin that is now just 1 1/2 years
    old.  It is a virtual copy of the OM-45 of 1932.  It has a spruce
    top with scalloped bracing, Brazilian (!!) rosewood back and sides,
    snowflake neck inlay, tortoise shell like pick guard and headstock
    overlay with CF MARTIN in pearl, and abalone on the edge of the
    top, sides and back.  While it is new, its balanced tone and power
    are unreal. 
    Paul Malkoski 

    re: .10
    
    I'm drooling on my shirt.  Would it be rude to ask how much wampum
    you had to lay out?  Isn't that approximately a 00 size?
    
    Bob

    re .10 - nice stuff... If I still had my 000-18, I'd swap it...
    
    As mentioned elsewhere, I have two custom Martins, though neither
    QUITE as nice as you describe.
    
    #1 (made for me in 1980) is basically a customized D12-28 with the
    custom shop's woods (better than the assembly line) - 12-string
    rosewood, solid head with the abalone C.F. Martin, white binding
    around the head and neck, herringbone around front, back, and sound
    hole, snowflake fret markings, and gold-plated machines. 
    
    #2 (not made to my specs, but I wouldn't have changed much) is a
    Brazilian rosewood (rare these days) OM-28, which is 000-sized with
    scalloped bracing and a slightly longer neck (the perfect picking
    guitar). It also has herringbone inlay and gold machines (so it's a
    good match), and tortoise shell pickguard, although it has the usual
    C.F. Martin decal and slotted diamonds in the neck. 
    
    I have a reprint of an article from Guitar Player (?) magazine
    on the OM line. It existed for a while in the early 30s, and
    merged with the 000 line. The early 000s had 12-fret necks -
    i.e. 12 frets to the body - while the OMs had 14-fret necks. The
    later 000s retained the 14-fret configuration, but have a slightly
    shorter scale than the OM series. It is the longer scale and
    the scalloped bracing that give the OM its terrific sound. The
    OM-size is THE perfect size for finger-picking - it's got the
    power, but doesn't have that tubby sound you get from the D-size
    guitars when you fingerpick them. Perfect balance.
    
    A few years ago, Eric Schoenberg convinced Martin to start making
    OMs again. From what I hear, when Martin get their hands on some
    Brazilian rosewood, they whip out a few custom OMs and ship them to
    their favorite dealers. That's how I got mine - Eric was getting two
    of them in his store (the Music Emporium in Cambridge MA) and he
    told me about them so I was able to reserve one. 

    It's the same body size as a 000.  It also helps to have friends
    in the business.  And old friend of mine owns the second biggest
    Martin dealership in the world.  I ordered the guitar thru him.
     List price was 5,800.  I paid 3,200 and felt I got a great deal.
    I even had a chance to visit the factory when they were building
    it.  Even though it isn't old, it's tone is as good or better than
    the OM models of the '30's.  And it plays like butter.
    
    Paul

Wish I could remember the name of this company.

People from Gibson bought out a Tennesse factory when Gibson started closing 
plants.  They've improved upon what Gibson was doing in the sixties.

This guitar was around $2500 and worth every penny.  No dead spots, even where 
the neck joins the soundboard!  Beautiful, full tone.  Almost like a good 
classical guitar, only with steel strings.  Such a beautiful, full, loud sound 
that it would make a good jazz, folk, classical or plugged in rock rhythm 
guitar!  So much expressiveness, such a great feel to the neck.

Anyone know who this is?  They're hand-made.  My former instructor is ordering 
a seven-string from them now that he's tried their six-string, and will then 
sell his Borys seven-string.


				Mark

			Building Your own ---

	Over the past several years, I have gotten interested in the 
	Classical guitar and through my normal random processes wound
	up building my own instrument. 

	It is a rather crude instrument visually but sounded better than
	my Japan Inc. guitar I had been playing. That was the first.

	The second is in the making and should be done this coming spring
	-  building a guitar should be done in winter when it is dry -
	at which time I will start planning to build my first electric.

	Are there any builders out there I can share information with ??

	My DTN is 223-2112  or  STING::OLESIN

    I've been building my own guitars since 1969 & find that it's quite
    nice to have your instrument be what you like. I've done repairs
    on acoustic guitars & own a few, but never built one (I made a Violin
    once & that was quite a time consuming experiance). I currently
    make electric guitars for people, along with ones for my own use.
    I'm right handed, but most of the guitars that I make are for lefty's.
    When you also consider that I mostly make double neck guitars, then,
    all of a sudden, this becomes a rare commodity. I'd also like to
    contact other builders of thier own instruments. Currently I'm
    playing a 6 string/Bass double neck in a Duo & it's working quite
    well. The body is made of poplar (ugly wood but very light & strong
    - weighs about the same as my Gibson SG) & I got all of the pickups
    (3) for a total cost of $5.00 - I bought these from a fellow in
    a music shop, who had taken them off of other guitars, when they
    stopped working. All are humbucking (1 Demarzo & 1 Mity-Mite, &
    1 unknown Bass pickup) & all had a single broken wire, which was
    unbelievably easy to fix. The body is made of 3/4 inch planks with
    internal routering & copper sheilding, before gluing the planks
    together and cutting out the shape. Both necks were off of damaged
    guitars (cost for both - $30.00) as is some of the hardware. I
    Made a bridge for the 6 string neck to match what was on the Bass
    neck (Fender Precison). Total cost, around $120.00 (that includes
    the very solid case). It's a great guitar & records quite well.
    I made a few mistakes in the balencing (I really wanted a very light
    guitar, since I play this for 5 hours on some nights), but otherwise,
    I really like it. Double necks tend to attract a lot of attention,
    and it has become a trademark of the Duo (it's on all of our publicity
    pictures). The body took around 6 hours to make (not including
    finishing), and it sustains very nicely. Not bad for a weekend project
    with accumulated parts that had been lying around the garage for
    the last year. (I did it over New Years in 1984 - I so hate football,
    and that was all that was on the tube!).
    
    							Jens Moller
    
    I'm also a member of the Luthiers Guild (located in Washington State).
    

RE < Note 5.17 by ATEAM::BERGERON >

	You can say that again!

    
    This is an incredibly late reply but although the topic may be dead,
    perhaps the perpetrators are not.
    
>        < Note 5.9 by BMT::COMAROW >
>                               -< A Late Reply >-
>
>    A *late* reply.
>    
>    I have a hand made Tatay Classical Guitar-built for me in 1968.
>    Tatay was an old Spanish traditional  maker that moved to LI in
>    the mid 60s.

    
    I too have an old "TATAY" spanish which was handed down to me and 
    thinking it of no great value, I refurbished it using ordinary varnish
    (but only a very thin layer).  It has since become one of my favourit
    instruments for its tonal qualities.  Does BMT::COMAROW Know any
    more about this subject and what does "LI" stand for.
    
    For interest I also have an ECCLESHALL acoustic 6 made by Chris
    Eccleshall here in England, which is a very light instrument with
    plenty of sound box and a very thin neck almost like playing an
    electric. This has certainly been my pride and joy.
      
    Colin                                                                    
    
                                                       
    

>    < Note 5.19 by TRUCKS::EGLIN >
>                            -< Who said "TATAY"?? >-
>
>          I too have an old "TATAY" spanish which was handed down to me and 
>    thinking it of no great value, I refurbished it using ordinary varnish
>    (but only a very thin layer).  It has since become one of my favourit
>    instruments for its tonal qualities.  Does BMT::COMAROW Know any
>    more about this subject and what does "LI" stand for.
 
    Long Island, is the 200 mile long island off New York City.  Actually,
    Queens and Brooklyn are physically on Long Island.
    
    A new of years ago Tatay, a traditional Spanish classical and flamenco
    maker moved to Long Island and opened a small shop.  Though many
    people sought to study with him, he would only teach his son.  The
    son still makes guitars, and they are very reasonably priced, and
    of better quality that the big companies, as each top is carved
    while listening to the sound of the taps.  
                                             
    He also makes other types of guitars, such as flat tops and does
    other repair work.  
    
    He is located in Farmingville, New York.  The shop is still small,
    he always has a number of guitars in stock.  
                                                 
    There is a company in Spain, called Cousins of Tatay.  Their guitars
    are made more in an assembly line style, have a different label,
    and are sold in fine shops, such as the Spanish Guitar Center  
    in Manhattan.   Tatay usually has a few in his stock as well.
    
    
   
    
                 

    
    	Hi strummers,
    
    	Anyone out there heard of Greg Smallman?
    	He makes many of the classical guitars for John Williams.
        (an Aussie classical guitarist)
        He made one for me back in '76 - called 'Shannon Vale'.
        It's a masterpiece:
        Brazilian Rosewood, Spruce top and beautiful finish.
        No fancy features but a sound that stands out in a crowd.
        I haven't found any instrument that's as pleasant to play yet.
    
    	That's my 2c worth!
    
    	Regards,	Phil Roddy (SNOV04::RODDY)
    			Sunny Sydney Australia.

    I've owned a custom guitar for some years now.  Made by
    Micheal Jacobson Hardy(?).
    He was making acoustics in the Amherst Ma region in the late 70s and
    early 80s.  I bought one of his first guitars that he sold and have
    owned it since.  I'd be interested if anyone else has heard of him
    and/or his guitars.
    -Tim

    re .22
    
    Yes, I met Micheal Jacobson Hardy on several occassions about 
    6 or so years ago. I found him to be highly resistant to any
    ideas that aren't his own. That's the kindest way I can describe him.
    He built some prototypes for some people I was working with back then.
    I'm not sure you can use the word "custom" if the customer has
    no say in the work that's performed. Hey, as long as you love
    what it is he makes, great.

    
    Just got it and am using it as my learning tool.
    
    Body is a p-bass style made from southern swamp ash. The neck is
    a Warmouth and the hardware is from a p-pass. Playing it through
    a fender showman bass amp (serial # 70) with Acoustic cabinet
    ( 2 15's). It is very rich sounding and the sustain seems endless.
    I will probably own others, but you know what they say about your
    first :-)!!
    
    					Cheers,
    					   John