The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 04-01-2012, 12:04 AM
JoeCharter JoeCharter is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,549
Default Which steel string builders also build nylon string guitars?

One of my dreams is to travel to Madrid and commission a guitar from Paulino Bernabe -- but since I'm not a classical guitar player, I always thought that such a guitar would be a waste in my hands.

Does anyone here on the AGF build nylon string guitars with "traditional" specs? I'm looking for something that sounds loud and lively -- not some quiet crossover that's meant to be plugged in.

I'm a steel string player and this wouldn't be my primary guitar but I'm still interested in getting a good quality instrument.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 04-01-2012, 12:14 AM
Larry Pattis's Avatar
Larry Pattis Larry Pattis is offline
Humanist
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Oregon
Posts: 11,947
Default

Joe,

Not many top steel-string builders fit the bill as top classical builders. John Mello might be one, and I know Matt Mustapick builds in a classical vein.

I recommend a fellow here in Eugene, Anders Sterner.

Anders and I have talked quite a bit about nylon string guitars as they might be used for someone like myself...nothing directly in the works yet (for me), but Anders understands and respects fingerstyle music.
__________________
Larry Pattis on Spotify and Pandora
LarryPattis.com
American Guitar Masters
100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists

Steel-string guitars by Rebecca Urlacher and Simon Fay
Classical guitars by Anders Sterner
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-01-2012, 12:55 AM
harvl harvl is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,726
Default

I’ve built a few nylons but they have all been more of a cross-over version. I still consider them a bit of a work in progress compared to my steel strings.
__________________
Harvey Leach
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 04-01-2012, 06:41 AM
D.Kwasnycia D.Kwasnycia is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Chatham Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,401
Default

I have built nylon guitars as well, with great results, but, steel string is where I carved my nitch. Once you build in one vain, steel string or nylon one will be better than the other. They really are two different animals.
__________________
Dennis,
www.kwasnyciaguitars.com
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 04-01-2012, 06:54 AM
Thomas Rein Thomas Rein is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Saline, Michigan
Posts: 71
Default

I built my first guitar, a steel string dread, in 1972 and first classical in 1978. I continued building both until 1987, when I switched entirely to classical. In 2005 I became interested in building steel string guitars again and have transposed many contemporary classical guitar construction details, like double sides and French polished soundboards, over to my traditional x-braced steel string guitars. If interested, I've got pics and videos of all my guitars on my site.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 04-01-2012, 08:43 AM
rgregg48 rgregg48 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky
Posts: 3,773
Default

[QUOTE=JoeCharter;2991478]One of my dreams is to travel to Madrid and commission a guitar from Paulino Bernabe

The fact that Paulino is dead, might present a problem...

My favorite luthier for such things is Johnny Walker, building classical guitars since 1968 and always under the radar,, great guitars
www.Johnnywalkerguitars.com

not to be confused with John Walker who is a fine steel string
builder.

regards,
Rick
__________________
Classical guitars, flat top steel string
A few banjos and mandolins
Accrued over 59 years of playing
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 04-01-2012, 09:20 AM
Brackett Instruments Brackett Instruments is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Grover NC
Posts: 5,154
Default

I suppose there's builders who do both well, but as Dennis said, they're 2 different animals. I would recommend Waddy Thompson to build you a nylon string. Waddy doens't build steel strings though.

http://waddythomsonguitars.com/
__________________
woody b politically incorrect since 1964
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 04-01-2012, 09:48 AM
JoeCharter JoeCharter is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,549
Default

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. A couple of them caught my eye.


Quote:
Originally Posted by rgregg48 View Post
One of my dreams is to travel to Madrid and commission a guitar from Paulino Bernabe

The fact that Paulino is dead, might present a problem...
Paulino Sr. has a son. I spoke to him last month.

http://www.paulinobernabe.com/
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-01-2012, 01:17 PM
Alan Carruth Alan Carruth is online now
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,180
Default

I started as a classical builder back in '74 or so, but got into steel strings pretty early on. These days I make about as many classicals as steel strings.

You're right that classicals and steel strings are different beasts, and you realy have to approach them differently to do either one justice. OTOH, they're both guitars, after all: they have a lot more in common than guitars and violins (which I also make) do. In some ways,once you get the differences clear, making one sort can help you understand the other: things like the differences in top bracing make more sense once you see why it's done the way it's done, and you have a better handle on how to move in different directions with the sound.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 04-01-2012, 01:33 PM
Kent Chasson Kent Chasson is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 909
Default

I can't claim a lot of experience with nylons yet but I'm working on it.

This one is voiced very traditionally with some non-traditional elements.

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=245209

PM sent, by the way.
__________________
Chasson Guitars Web Site
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 04-01-2012, 01:51 PM
JoeCharter JoeCharter is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,549
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kent Chasson View Post
I can't claim a lot of experience with nylons yet but I'm working on it.

This one is voiced very traditionally with some non-traditional elements.

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=245209

PM sent, by the way.
Kent, how much flexibility do you offer with the overall design (the headstock and rosette, for example)?

How would you compare/describe the sound of your nylon string instruments?
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 04-01-2012, 01:53 PM
JoeCharter JoeCharter is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,549
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas Rein View Post
I built my first guitar, a steel string dread, in 1972 and first classical in 1978. I continued building both until 1987, when I switched entirely to classical. In 2005 I became interested in building steel string guitars again and have transposed many contemporary classical guitar construction details, like double sides and French polished soundboards, over to my traditional x-braced steel string guitars. If interested, I've got pics and videos of all my guitars on my site.
Thanks for posting. I love this rosette BTW:

Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 04-01-2012, 02:35 PM
Kent Chasson Kent Chasson is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 909
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeCharter View Post
Kent, how much flexibility do you offer with the overall design (the headstock and rosette, for example)?
That's a good question. Being more inclined as a craftsman than a business person, I've always sought out business advice from those who are better at it than I am. One thing that the business minded folks seem to universally agree on is that "branding" is important. In the guitar world, that usually means having a signature headstock and rosette. So I have put some work into developing those things in a way that reflects my sense of esthetics. But it has also become clear over the years that my real goal in building is to collaborate. I don't want to build my favorite guitar for everyone, I want to build my client's favorite guitar. So that's a long-winded way of saying I can be flexible.


Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeCharter View Post
How would you compare/describe the sound of your nylon string instruments?
That's a shorter answer. I'll let you know when #1 is strung up. Should be about a month.
__________________
Chasson Guitars Web Site
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 04-01-2012, 03:02 PM
wcap wcap is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,414
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeCharter View Post
One of my dreams is to travel to Madrid and commission a guitar from Paulino Bernabe -- but since I'm not a classical guitar player, I always thought that such a guitar would be a waste in my hands.

Does anyone here on the AGF build nylon string guitars with "traditional" specs? I'm looking for something that sounds loud and lively -- not some quiet crossover that's meant to be plugged in.

I'm a steel string player and this wouldn't be my primary guitar but I'm still interested in getting a good quality instrument.
Based on the various classical guitars I tried out when doing my classical guitar shopping about 7 years ago, I'd go with Burguet before Bernabe.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 04-01-2012, 03:25 PM
Thomas Rein Thomas Rein is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Saline, Michigan
Posts: 71
Default

[QUOTE=JoeCharter;2992099]Thanks for posting. I love this rosette BTW:

Thanks, Joe. I made that one myself in the traditional Spanish method with naturally colored woods.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:18 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=