Commissioned a Custom Non-Traditional Gypsy Guitar

[iim7V7IM7]

About 18-months ago, I picked up a Asian gypsy guitar (Gitane) as an experiment to see if I liked playing this style of guitar. Well, I really did and I found myself playing it a lot when I was between archtops earlier this year. I liked the feel of the guitar, the Argentine strings and the responsiveness of the top. Its just plain fun to play. The quality of this instrument was amazingly also amazingly good (to be fair, I had it professionally set up and a replacement bridge made). I had never played a Chinese manufactured guitar before and I was really quite impressed.



There were however traditional aspects of the design instrument that I did not enjoy:

- The 26-1/2" scale made some stretch chord fingerings difficult
- The French 10th fret decoration instead of the 9th is confusing
- The D and G strings cut into the headstock by design is traditional but idiotic
- Garishly decorated 3 on a plate tuners and tail piece is just not my style
- It is very midrange focused, designed to cut through the mix
- The fingerboard hanging over the sound hole interfering with my pick

I began to wonder if all gypsy guitars had these design attributes. Most companies, small shops and luthiers seem to be trying to recreate the original Selmer/Maccaferri formula. The musical genre is deeply entrenched into Django and these historic traditions drive the design of these instruments. These instruments were Europe's solution to high volume orchestra playing (the USA's was the Archtop guitar) at the sacrifice of the subtle overtones that we associate with flat top guitars.

There were two names in traditional gypsy guitar construction Michael Dunn (who is essentially retired) and Shelley Park. in terms of French instruments, Duponts are quite well regarded. but, these designs are better versions of what i already had, but did not address what i was looking for. There where three luthiers who were doing something a bit different. Bob Benedetto and Ryan Thorell were creating hybrid archtops with elliptical sound holes. Having a fine Archtop already, I was looking for something more in the flat top school of construction. Bernie Lehmann, an upstate NY based luthier has been making a flat top gypsy with some different bracing and features. Bernie seems to have his own take on these instruments and has built them for a few decades now. Here is a blurb on some of his non-traditional construction techniques with Gypsy guitars:

http://www.lehmannstrings.com/Articles/selmer.htm"]http://www.lehmannstrings.com/Articles/selmer.htm

After talking with him, and discussing my goals; I decided to commission a custom gypsy style guitar that had many aspects that I liked in the traditional instruments, but addressed some of their shortcomings (from my perspective, many players love these aspects). These guitars are traditionally laminated back and sides, spruce tops with walnut neck. D-holed instruments are more for rhythm and are traditionally 12-fret to the body. Some D-holes are 14 frets at the body but have a longer scale.

- A shorter 25-1/2" scale with 14 frets at the body for easier chording
- Traditional fretboard markings for no confusion between instruments
- A slotted headstock where the strings don't contact the wood
- Individual open geared tuners and a more subdued tailpiece
- A more resonant, x-braced, full spectrum instrument
- A fingerboard that doesn't hang over the sound hole

We decided on a solid tonewood design. Instead of Bernie's typical East India Rosewood/ Sitka Spruce top, we decided on something a bit more exotic; Cocobolo for the back and sides and Adirondack Spruce for the top. Here is a back and side set that we're considering:



Bernie is going to x-brace the top and to put a sound port in the upper bout. His headstock design spreads the strings without cutting into the headstock wood and he is using individual tuners and a low-key ebony tailpiece. Unlike a traditional Manouche guitar, it will have a bone saddle in the ebony bridge. So while retaining many aspects of a Gypsy guitar, it will lean a bit more towards a acoustic flat top in many construction aspects.

Below, I have listed the detailed specs. I am expecting it around tax time next year. I will post photos of the build if and as I get them.

:-)

Bob

SIZE:
LOWER BOUT: 16"
UPPER BOUT: 12"
BODY LENGTH: 19"
DEPTH AT NECK: 3"
MAX. DEPTH AT BRIDGE: 4"
DEPTH AT END BLOCK: 4"
SOUND HOLE: D-Shaped
SCALE LENGTH: 25-1/2"
FRETBOARD RADIUS: 12"
NECK SECTION: C-Shaped
NUT SPACING: 1-3/4"
BRIDGE SPACING: 2-5/16"

BODY:
TOP WOOD: AAA Adirondack Red Spruce
BACK WOOD: Quartersawn Cocobolo
SIDE WOOD: Quartersawn Cocobolo
BUTT WEDGE: Dark Flamed Koa
ROSETTE: Cocobolo with Purfling
BODY BINDING: Dark Flamed Koa
PURFLING: Black-White-Black
BACKSTRIP: Chevron
SOUND PORT: Upper Bout, Elliptical
SOUND PORT BINDING: Dark Flamed Koa
PICKGUARD: Transparent
TOP FINISH/COLOR: Aged Tone
FINISH: Polyurethane

NECK:
NECK WOOD: Quartersawn Mahogany
FINGERBOARD WOOD: Ebony
FINGERBOARD BINDING: Dark Flamed Koa
TRUSS ROD TYPE: Double-Action
HEAD VENEER: Cocobolo
HEAD BINDING: Dark Flamed Koa
HEADSTOCK INLAY: "Lehmann" in Abalone
NUT MATERIAL: Bone
FRETWIRE: Luthier Mercantile 7400
# OF FRETS CLEAR: 14
# OF FRETS TOTAL: 20
FINGERBOARD INLAY: Abalone Dots 3, 5, 7, 9, 2@12, 15 and 17th frets
FINGERBOARD END SHAPE: Convex to mirror arch of D-Hole
HEEL CAP WOOD: Cocobolo
FINISH: Satin

HARDWARE:
TUNING MACHINES: Waverly, Gold with Ebony Knobs
BRIDGE/SADDLE WOOD: Bone/Ebony
TAILPIECE: Ebony with Brass Insert
STRINGS: Argentine .011s
HEEL CAP STRAP BUTTON: Gold
TAILPIECE BUTTON: Gold
CASE TKL 8800 Series

[Steve Z]

This is going to be a great build to follow. Wonderfully descriptive post.

[Frank67]

What a nice project! Keep us updated with the progress. I also love the sound of gypsy guitars and argentine strings. They wear quickly but sound wonderful.

[fws6]

Interesting.....


please scroll forward 6 months

[iim7V7IM7]

We ordered a top wood set this week to evaluate.



Instead of Adirondack Spruce, we are going try a Carpathian Spruce top. This top set comes from the mountains in Romania from a 350-400 year old tree in 2010. This quartersawn set has a very even and tight grain (28-30 grain / inch) and exhibits good cross silking and some bearclaw. He still needs to tap test it.



The cocobolo came from southwest Mexico and was harvested back in 2009. While not particularly ornate in pattern, it does exhibit a true quartersawn cut which should be stable and the sapwood against the Backstrip should look interesting. This wood being so dense will need to be thinned more than rosewood.

[Hammertone]

I've hd the pleasure of playing some of Bernie Lehmann's guitars at various shows as well as at his shop in Rochester. Lovely instruments, built with a very individual style. His "gypsy guitars" definitely have their own sound.

[iim7V7IM7]

Well, after about 1-year, my guitar is now complete and should arrive next week. I will post my thoughts after it arrives. In the mean time I will share some shots that Bernie sent me. I couldn't be more pleased with how it came out.

[callouscallus]

Congrats! Awesome unique design, you dared to take a risk, admirable in my eyes as well as adventurous

[monk]

Congratulations! That's a beautiful instrument. I hope you'll post some sound clips.

[Jehu]

Wow, congrats! Looks like a pretty sweet and unique instrument. I really like the thematic consistency.

Can't wait hear how she sounds!

[Jabberwocky]

Dat's the shitzzz!!! Hope it sounds as great as it looks.

[Klatu]

Fingerboard inlays, elaborate D-hole rosette, rose side port, mustache and tailpiece inlays . . . Bernie sure knows design. That is one elegant beast.

[Frank67]

Looks impressive - congratulations! I also really liked the reasoning that lead you to this project. Can we hear how it sounds?

[iim7V7IM7]

Thanks guys...I will try to get some recordings up soon once I am set up to do so. Here is a peek under the hood...it has an asymmetric x-braced top.



Ladder braced back

[jazzbow]

I notice the top doesn't have a 'pliage' crease, are the braces arched?

Super fantastic wow guitar BTW

[iim7V7IM7]

I notice the top doesn't have a 'pliage' crease, are the braces arched?

Super fantastic wow guitar BTW

Yes, they are arched. Here they are in a dished sanding fixture to establish the domed arch.



Here they are being carved after installation...



The back ladder bracing is also arched (see the shadows above the back set)

[JSanta]

Well that is truly a thing of beauty! I'm looking forward to how it compares tonally to your old Gitane. I recently upgraded my Gitane to an Altamira and the difference is drastic (in a good way)!

Congrats again, I really like the attention to detail and that this guitar looks different, but still traditional.

Edit: I didn't realize that Bernie was from my home town! I hope he's still building when I move back there in a few years...

[mr. beaumont]

Wow. THat's HOT.

[pubylakeg]

Beautiful ! Innovative and conservative at the same time. Happy NGD and thanks for the pics.

[jazzbow]

Yes, they are arched. Here they are in a dished sanding fixture to establish the domed arch.Here they are being carved after installation...
The back ladder bracing is also arched

That's really sound engineering there! The whole body will blast out the volume. I had a Le Voi that would drown out dreadnaughts and I'm guessing you guitar will eat them up and spit them out too.

[iim7V7IM7]

I suspect that you are right.

My last grande bouche was maple/adirondack and it had monster volume. It also had a traditional 26-5/8" scale. This guitar has a 25-1/2" scale, so I suspect that it will have slightly less volume. I also think that due to its bracing style, it will have more overtone content than its ladder braces predecessor. Ladder bracing seems to emphasize the fundamental tones. the asymmetric x-brace is probably less ideal for Hot Club band context and better for solo performance.

We shall see...

That's really sound engineering there! The whole body will blast out the volume. I had a Le Voi that would drown out dreadnaughts and I'm guessing you guitar will eat them up and spit them out too.

[gingataff]

Gorgeous guitar. I'm ignorant in the ways of bracing and such so can only defer to those with more knowledge, but the wood and inlays... Wow!
I love the laminate on the headstock, the rosette and the border on the fretboard.
If she sounds anywhere near as hot a she looks...

[iim7V7IM7]

Gorgeous guitar. I'm ignorant in the ways of bracing and such so can only defer to those with more knowledge, but the wood and inlays... Wow!
I love the laminate on the headstock, the rosette and the border on the fretboard.
If she sounds anywhere near as hot a she looks...

Here is a traditional ladder braced top in a gypsy by Canadian luthier Shelley Park.



Bernie uses a modified x-brace pattern (more like a flat top).

[jaco]

Very nice! Hope to hear a sound clip!

[DRS]

How unfortunate that I opened this thread. Now I have the image of iim7V7IM7's beautiful guitar etched into my mind.