New X Braced, 14 Fret Models

I've had a few requests for some X braced, 14 fret guitars over the past few years.  I've built a few X braced, 12 fret Larson copies, but for the most part what I do is ladder bracing.  I've also made a few 14 fret ladder braced guitars.  I've been wanting to build more X braced guitars, figuring that there are enough things that I do differently (hide glue, varnish finishes, domestic woods, relatively light bracing etc), and I've been curious as to how those things would apply to X braced guitars.

 I've also been gradually moving away from making copies of things and letting my different influences melt together (the same approach that I take to playing music), figuring that I'm ready to start making instruments that are my own.  There are some folks out there making great reproductions of vintage Martins and Gibsons, and it would take me a while to get to where they're at, and I don't want to be stepping on anyone's toes.  As a result, I've started taking some of my existing models, comparing them with great vintage guitars, and coming up with something new.





The first guitar like this that I built was a 14 fret Anunziata.  I had a request from Hubby Jenkins of the Carolina Chocolate Drops for something that was comparable to an old Kay that he had been playing.  The Kay was similar in size to the Annunziata, and it was ladder braced.  Hubbie wanted 14 frets to the body so I started drawing up some plans until I came up with something that I was happy with.  I gave it an inlaid pickguard and a whale tail bridge to make it look distinctive.  I used some nice flamed birch for the back and sides hoping that it would give it a dry sound with lots of bite.  It came together wonderfully.


I built a second one at the same time with all the same features, but with a black top instead of natural.  The black top made the red and green purfling pop, as well as the pickguard.  Taking a trick from Orville Gibson, I left the flamed birch back and sides unpainted and decided to stain them a deep cherry red.  In my mind, the look of that guitar takes the cake.  They both look great, but the black one really does something for me.

 

The second 14 fret model that I've built is the Angelina.  I've had a couple requests for L-00 type guitars, as well as for a Martin 00-18.  I have a 00-17 in my collection, and a friend lent me an early 30's Gibson L-00.  I've done a lot of comparing of the two of them, picking things I like about each, as well as things I didn't like.  I drew a dozen or more sets of plans until I came up with something that I liked.  I recently finished the first one and I'm very happy with the way that it turned out.







For this first one I used red spruce for the top and Madagascar rosewood for the back and sides.  It has an inlaid pickguard, whale tail bridge and red and green mosaic purfling.  It also has a solid peghead, which is a first for me.  I'm looking forward to hearing it open up, but so far it sounds great. I can't wait to make more of them, experimenting with the bracing and different tonewoods. 

Craig Ventresco and Meredith Axelrod

Here's a great video of Craig Ventresco and Meredith Axelrod tearing it up on the  Leecan and Cooksey tune, 

Cold Mornin' Shout

Milwaukee Ukulele Festival

I'll be heading to the Milwaukee Ukulele Festival this weekend with a new uke and some guitars. If you're in the area, come down and say hi. There will be a lot of great players there and it promises to be a good time.

Cleaning the Shop Sale.

I've been cleaning out my shop and clearing space for new guitars and equipment. I've pulled out some things to sell. If you're interested in anything, would like to see more pictures, or have any questions, please email me, todd at fraulini dot com.




Angelina 12 String- I made this guitar earlier this year to bring to summerfestivals. The top is Sitka Spruce, the back and sides are paduk. The neck is mahogany and the fingerboard and bridge are Madagascar rosewood. The pickguard is inlaid into the top. French polished varnish finish, Golden Age tuning machines. The lower bout measures 14 5/8" with a 26 1/2" scale. It is 2" at the nut and the action is currently set to 1/8" on the bass and 3/32" on the treble. It is lightly built and was intended for lighter gauge strings (.011"-.060"), tuned to C#. With my standard set (.013"-.066"), I'd tune it to A. It has a great sound. SOLD



Erma buit by my apprentice- My apprentice, Cyrus Brown-LaGrange, built this guitar in 2010. It is a copy of an Oscar Schmidt made Galiano. It has a red spruce top, birch back and sides, poplar neck, Madagascar fingerboard and bridge, Golden Age tuning machines, varnish finish. It is 13 1/2" at the lower bout, 1 3/4" at the nut. The action is 3/32" on the bass and 1/16" on the treble. It's a well made, great sounding little guitar. SOLD







30's Stella Decalomania Concert guitar- All birch with a tailpiece, 13 1/2" at the lower bout with a 24 7/8" scale. It is 1 3/4" at the nut. The action is 1/8" across the board. It is a sturdily made guitar, fairly clean.
$600








1930's Slingerland Guitar- Made by Regal. Spruce top, mahogany back and sides. X braced, repaired top crack, replacement bridge, new frets. 24 7/8" scale. Great sounding guitar. The case was painted up by the original owner "Texas" Eddie Gabe of the Red River Ramblers. $700












1920's Bluebird Guitar- Most likely made by Harmony. All birch with a crystaline finish. Very clean and all original. 2 repaired back cracks. It is 12 5/8" at the lower bout with a 24" scale. The action is 5/32" across the board.
$200








1920's Slingerland Decal Guitar- Most likely made by Regal or Stromberg Voisinette. Spruce top, birch back and sides. Painted fingerboard, replacement ebony bridge. 13" at the lower bout, 24" scale, 1 13/16" at the nut. Action is 3/32" on the bass and 1 /16" on the treble. New Golden Age tuning machines. 3 repaired top and 2 repaired back cracks. Plays well, sounds good.
SOLD









1940's Harmony mandolin- All birch flat top and back with f-holes. Two repaired top cracks. Clean shape, all original. Action is 1/16" across the board. It is sound, plays well and sounds good.
SOLD

Pickguards and Faux Tortoise

The vast majority of the guitars from the time period that I focus on, from 1900 to the mid 1930's, didn't have pickguards, though some of the fancier ones did. As a result I haven't made that many instruments with pickguards. I have had an occasional request and I've put on quite a few clear guards which give added protection but aren't highly visible. I have been fascinated by pickguards though and the materials which they have been made out of and have been experimenting with them increasingly over the past year, even making some of my own faux tortoise material.



In the very old days pickguards were generally made from the shell of tortoises. I have a couple old bowlback mandolins with genuine tortoise shell guards and while it is beautiful stuff, it has many drawbacks, mainly that tortoises need to be killed in order to get it. It also fluctuates greatly with humidity and is prone to cracking and warping. It fell out of favor in the late 1800's, I'm not sure if that was related to some sort of tortoise conservation sentiment or to increasing costs. I assume it was the latter (These days it is highly illegal to make anything with genuine tortoise shell). As a result substitutes for tortoise were developed in the late 1800's.


Some of the substitutes were made from casein, a protein and bi-product of milk, others with celluloid nitrate. Pickguards on instruments tended to be of the celluloid variety and had their own drawbacks. First, they are highly flammable and I'm told that many of the plants that made it ended up exploding. I believe there is one plant in Italy that still produces the stuff. Second, it tends to decompose and can eat away at finishes. While many people still like to use it because it has "the look", it's a little less than ideal.

A few luthiers have developed their own versions of faux tortoise, principally John Greven and his Tor-Tis materials. John has done a wonderful job of recreating the look of genuine tortoise shell, as well as many of the patterns that the Italian companies made from celluloid, which showed up on some of the great vintage instruments. The modern substitutes are made from material which are not volatile like celluloid, are more stable than either tortoise shell or celluloid, and are also much more environmentally friendly than the other two options.

A few years ago, after making a guard from some of the Tor-Tis material, my mind started to wander as to how one could go about making something similar. I thought about it for quite some time and had some theories going through my head before I started experimenting. When I finally did give it a shot I was pleasantly surprised, but my mind started to wander even more, thinking of patters, shapes, possibilities etc. I did quite a bit of experimenting before I was happy with what I was producing. I won't go into the process or the materials, but I would like to share photos of some of what I have produced and show how I've put it to use.

I've really enjoyed experimenting on this new front, and I look forward to making more guards in the future. In addition to protecting the finish and the top, they look great and really add to the personality of the guitar.

Shellac

Shellac is the primary ingredient in the varnishes that I make and use. I dilute the shellac in grain alcohol and mix it with resins. I like working with shellac for several reasons, mainly because it is a natural product and is not harmful to my health like many of the other finishing options on the market. While it's not the toughest finish in the world, it's easy to repair and bring back to life, it looks great, and it ages wonderfully.
A friend recently passed along this video on the harvesting and processing of shellac. It's fascinating and informative. Mr. Velji, who made the video, really knows his stuff. If you're interested in a good source for shellac, or on learning how to French polish, I would highly recommend his site shellacfinishes.com, where he sells a variety of grades of shellac, as well as a DVD on the process of French polishing.

Francesca at Retrofret

I just finished a Francesca 12 string which is currently for sale at Brooklyn's Retrofret, one of the finest vintage guitar shops in the country. The guitar has a red spruce top, mahogany back and sides, ebony fingerboard, Brazilian rosewood bridge, Stella repro purfling and a repro tailpiece, which I made. It was built with fresh hot hide glue and has a French polished varnish finish. The scale length is 26 1/2", with strings from .0013" to .0066", it is intended to be tuned down to B or C. It's a great guitar, the closest thing that you will find to an old Stella 12, for 1/4 of the price.