MIMF

My younger brother Marty is a classical guitar player, so when I started building guitars a few years ago, one of my first thoughts was to build a baroque guitar for him. After a year of research I decided to give it a try. I started with the GAL plan #27, and the article in the Big Red Book #2 (http://www.luth.org). I used the GAL plan for dimensions, bracing, and scale length, but I used the Jan Vermeer painting for my decoration. This proved to be a very rewarding project. I had to make some very interesting decisions on whare to draw the line in regard to historical accuracy vs playability (more on that later), but first a few pictures.

This a picture of the Jan Vermeer painting. I changed the rope binding from maple/rosewood to maple/bloodwood at the neck body joint, to add a little color to the body.

Here is a photo from the front view.

The soundboard is bearclaw sitka spruce, the sides are mahogany with rosewood binding. The back of the GAL plan has a very arched back. I decided to build more of a flat back. I used 3/4 inch strips of maple and mahogany glued on a 15 ft. radius disk. I added 1/2 inch of depth to the sides to "make up" for the loss in volume due to not using such an arch on the back.

One of the changes made for playability was to add a saddle to the bridge. I made the bridge from three pieces of rosewood. The center of the bridge I pinned with maple dowel. The mustache are 1/8 inch rosewood hand carved, and glued to the soundboard.

In the Vermeer painting you can't tell what the rosette really is. I made a celtic rose design and had one of my scenic artists cut it on our CNC router as a training exercise. It is made from 1/8 inch cherry, and gold leaf. One of the other changes I made was to use fret wire in place of tied gut frets. I am still not sure about this one, but my brother and I thought it was the best idea for a working guitar. I also added a K&K style pad transducer pickup under the bridge so Marty can plug this into his amp when performing.

I bought some banjo pegs, but decided not to use them. I used ebony friction pegs, and they are working out fine.The neck is maple, rosewood, and mahogany, with rosewood/maple rope binding.

I gave the Baroque guitar to my brother last weekend, and he said he was very happy with it. He played one of my favorite pieces on it for me ( Gaspar Sanz "Canarios") and it has a very nice tone. However, even though the tone is very nice, the string tension seems too "loose" to me. I put medium tension nygut strings on it, but I think it needs high tension strings. Marty said he would try the high tension strings, but was still very happy with it. This was a very good project. I still have all the molds, and jigs, so I will probably build another one at some time (maybe with gut frets).

Very nice!

Looks very close to the picture.

What is the scale length?

There's a lot of love, patience and and fine measure of expertise in there. Love it!

Very nice Patrick! I've got that plan (it's the one by Brune', right?) and it's on my to-do list. From what I understand (which isn't much), the baroque guitar takes a little different technique and somewhat "floppy" strings are natural. This might be helpful: http://www.classicalguitardelcamp.com/v ... 821f052fd6

Beautiful interpretation from a great masterpiece by a true master!

Very nice!

Excellent job. Looks great.

Thanks for the kind comments everybody! This was a fun project. Steve the scale length is 68.8 cm. Yes Charlie this was the R.E.Brune' plans. Thanks Charlie for the link to the string tension. I will have my brother read it. I bought him a set of high tension nygut strings to try, and a set of Roosebeck baroque strings as well. He will get used to it I am sure. I liked the tone of it, it just seemed loose to play.

Nice job!

Beautiful guitar. I've been drawing up a guitar based on the Rawlings Stradivarius. Your rosette is very, very nice.

Beautiful guitar Patrick, it really catches the feel of the original in the painting....

Nice!

Lucky brother

Patrick:
I would be interested if you happened to have a photo essay on the rope binding process just lying around that you wouldn't mind sharing.