SCRAPBOOK
SCRAPBOOK
inspiring members of the family of fretted instruments that graced my studio
Puerto Rican Tres
This beautiful instrument is a Puerto Rican version of the Cuban Tres.
The tres plays the montuno in Cuban music. The montuno is a repeated rhythmic vamp essential to Cuban/salsa music commonly supplied by the piano.
A Puerto Rican Tres has a different template (outline) than the Cuban Tres. The Cuban Tres looks much like a small dreadnaught (see below) while the Puerto Rican Tres has scaloped sides similar to the Puerto Rican Cuatro (see below). The Puerto Rican cuatro has five pairs of strings. The Puerto Rican tres has three groups of three strings each using nine of its ten tuners.
It’s interesting to note the scaloped template and ten string tuners of the Puerto Rican cuatro were retained in the process of creating a Puerto Rican version of the Cuban instrument.
GUITAR lute
In the early 1900s the interest in early music prompted guitar makers to make lutes. They applied elements of classical guitar construction to lute making. These instruments had fixed metal frets, wood binding, bridge pins and tuning machines. This one may have been made in Germany.
This Sitar made in Calcutta was an exciting guest displaying great craftsmanship, intricate carvings and inlay.
1959 Guild X175 Vintage Gibson L7 7 string Carlo Greco
This wonderful instrument is a 1933 Gibson L50. It has a carved top and is one of the most beautiful guitars that ever graced the shop. It’s present caretaker is Scott Ainslee, a great musician, humanitarian, historian, teacher. philosopher, storyteller, and authority on the music of Robert Johnson. http://cattailmusic.com/
More on Scott and the Gibson L50 on http://www.harrybecker.net/Luthier/Letters.html
This Parlor size guitar may have been made in France at the turn of the century. The spider web rosette complete with the spider is extremely well crafted and thoroughly charming.
1930’s B&D Senorita Rare Martin Archtop Ron Phillips Resonator
I was honored to have this ’59 Manuel Velasquez in my care as it awaited transfer to its present caretaker.
This final instrument is either proof of extra terrestrial intelligence or the result of one’s voyage into inner space.
The body is made of brass.
This German guitar has a very interesting and profound history having escaped the horrors of World War 2.
The unusual purfling design around the soundhole required great skill to do. Along with resetting the neck and repairing several cracks the handlebar mustache bridge was missing one end and one of its bridge pins. I was lucky to have an identical replacement.
The charming decal may be found on a variety of guitars distributed by Buegeleisen and Jacobson who started business around 1897 in New York City. This one from the thirties makes a great Blues Ragtime Guitar.
1954 Guild X375 - A rare and unique instrument featuring push-button pickup controls