DjangoBooks.com
Welcome to our Community!
Categories
- 18.2K All Categories
- 445 General
- 286 Welcome
- 11 Archtop Eddy's Corner
- 82 CD, DVD, and Concert Reviews
- 38 FAQ
- 9 Gypsy Jazz Italia
- 19 Photos
- 27 Gypsy Picking
- 4 Unaccompanied Django
- 4 Pearl Django Play-Along Vol.1
- 1 Gypsy Fire
- 26 Gypsy Rhythm
- 605 Gypsy Jazz University - Get Educated
- 117 Gypsy Jazz 101
- 191 Repertoire
- 144 History
- 96 Technique
- 40 Licks and Patterns
- Daniel Givone Manouche Guitare Method Users Group
- 17 Eddie Lang Club
- 1.1K Gypsy Jazz Gear
- 699 Guitars, Strings, Picks, Amps, Pickups and Other Accessories
- 350 Classifieds
- 41 Recording
- 39 Other Instruments
- 17 Violin
- 3 Mandolin
- 6 Accordion
- 3 Bass
- 10 Woodwinds
- 223 Gypsy Jazz Events
- 87 North America
- 87 Europe
- 49 International
In this Discussion
Who's Online 1
Today's Birthday
New guitar and video
Hello all, hoped you wouldn't mind me sharing my latest guitar with you. I wanted to build a guitar from reclaimed materials for the Holy Grail Guitar Show in Berlin this year (which was cancelled, unsurprisingly). Well, this is the end result!
It was made from an old mahogany tabletop, a kitchen worktop, an oak beam from a house and some cedar floorboards. The bracing is pretty unconventional since I had to work with what I had. For various reasons the top had to be 1.6mm thick (!) so I lattice braced it in addition to the usual ladder bracing. Seems to have worked out in the end (it hasn't collapsed!), and the sound is brighter than my usual guitars. The rhythm sound is very crisp and modern.
The fingerboard has some kandinksy-inspired inlays to continue a theme from some of my previous instruments. Let me know what you think!
and 1 other.
Comments
Wow man, that sure belongs to something named Holy Grail. It's amazing in every way. Doesn't sound all that bright. At least not in the sense of approaching harsh. Sounds very pleasant, fairly warm sounding guitar.
Your YouTube channels are a bit confusing. Why so many? But I subscribed to the one under this video, hopefully that'll be your main outlet.
Is the zero fret larger? Looks wider but is it wider and taller?
Is that your original tune? Beautiful melody.
Gorgeous Kandinsky-inspired inlays and tailpiece! Wow!
And the sound is very warm indeed.
My congratulations for bringing some beauty into this old pandemic-and-Trump-exhausted world!
Will
Edgar Degas: "Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things.... To draw, you must close your eyes and sing."
Georges Braque: "In art there is only one thing that counts: the bit that can’t be explained."
Nice work! Interesting tone. Is that recorded straight into a mic with no effects?
Alex,
Beautiful artistry here--both the craftsmanship and the playing. Agree with all above comments about the sound. Very warm and pleasing.
1.6mm is a very thin top! The guitar is a beauty so I hope the additional bracing is successful to prevent the top warping or moving around when the weather changes.
Great playing, I could not pick the tune either Buco, maybe original? At first I thought it was a tune from Le cœur des vivants but then it changed a different direction.
Wonderful work. The sort of a reverse of the standard Sel/Macc color scheme on the top makes for a very bold yet balanced aesthetic that is quite pleasing to my eye. I love it. Great sound and playing too.
Is that one of the Chinese-made tailpieces that one sees on ebay? If so, what is your opinion of it?
When I bought my Alex Bishop it had one of the Chinese made tailpieces. Absolutely fine and no better or worse than any others costing multiple times the price. I've since bought loads of the tailpieces and the bridges from China.
Incredible. A perfect example of tradition and modernity.
"Music: 'Insousciance' written and performed by Alex Bishop" it says on Youtube. Beautiful song!
One more reason to be sad that the Holy Grail didn't happen this year. Would have loved to try this guitar. Amazing work!