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-   -   MARK BLANCHARD Bristlecone [Italian Spruce | Brazilian Rosewood] (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=596397)

jt1 04-25-2021 04:54 AM

Stunning guitar, Bob. Cogratulations!

I'm looking forward to seeing it and you at Woodstock and Artisan.

iim7V7IM7 04-25-2021 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhw48 (Post 6699557)
That is a happy looking guy!
Congratulations on a beautiful looking instrument, and -- from your description -- beautiful sounding as well.

Thanks! I am still getting to know it, but a delight so far...:)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemoman (Post 6699619)
Congrats on your beautiful new Blanchard, Bob!

Many thanks for taking us along on this informative ride...

Enjoy!

I am glad that you found it informative...:up:

Quote:

Originally Posted by cigarfan (Post 6699830)
Thanks for the report. Sure is lovely. Congrats Bob!

Dennis, I hope you get a chance to audition it at one of the upcoming guitar shows...

Quote:

Originally Posted by jt1 (Post 6699849)
Stunning guitar, Bob. Cogratulations!

Dennis, I hope that you can audition it some day...:up:

I'm looking forward to seeing it and you at Woodstock and Artisan.

Count on it JT...:)

Richard Mott 04-25-2021 08:15 PM

Bob, great looking guitar but I have to disagree that the Brazilian isn’t dramatic looking! It has a fascinating texture and the colorful banding on the back is beautiful, all the drama anyone could ask for.

Gitfiddlemann 04-26-2021 06:54 AM

Bob,
Hearty congrats on a your amazing new Blanchard. Mark takes guitar building to a whole new level, combining both artistry and masterful woodworking skills.
Your narrative, as always, was a very compelling read, as were all the pics, and I'm sure Mark appreciates how much more informed and aware people are now of how he goes about his craft.
In any case, you seem very happy with the result by the look on your face. :)
Lastly, among the many pleasant elements of this thread was seeing Kath chime in again in her inimitable style. Great to have her back around on the forum.
Enjoy your beautiful new Blanchard! :up:

justonwo 04-26-2021 07:54 AM

A real stunner. I hope you enjoy it in good health!

iim7V7IM7 04-26-2021 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Mott (Post 6700606)
Bob, great looking guitar but I have to disagree that the Brazilian isn’t dramatic looking! It has a fascinating texture and the colorful banding on the back is beautiful, all the drama anyone could ask for.

Richard, I agree and also find it to be beautiful! :)

We just see so many examples of stump wood with dramatic crotch figure or even sometimes some beautiful landscape figure as well and I was making a visual comparison regarding its dark, subtle pigmentation.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...20934227E.jpeg

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...09886971E.jpeg

This is a straight grained, quartersawn set from a cocoa plantation in Brazil. A friend who is a well established expert on Brazilian Rosewood recognized the types of parasitic holes in the raw set that are associated with cocoa. While it was certainly an "old growth" tree (A 9"set containing no sapwood reflective of a large tree) that was left to provide shade for the cocoa when the forest was cleared. So during some of its later life before the parasites killed it, it did not need to struggle for light through the canopy. Hence some of the wider grain that can be seen in it. Since Brazilian is a glassy wood that can be prone to cracking, I am happy that it is well seasoned and dried (been in Mark's shop 10-15 years) and is well quartered.

What is most important is that the guitar sounds EXCELLENT...:up:

iim7V7IM7 04-26-2021 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndreF (Post 6700848)
Bob,
Hearty congrats on a your amazing new Blanchard. Mark takes guitar building to a whole new level, combining both artistry and masterful woodworking skills.
Your narrative, as always, was a very compelling read, as were all the pics, and I'm sure Mark appreciates how much more informed and aware people are now of how he goes about his craft.
In any case, you seem very happy with the result by the look on your face. :)
Lastly, among the many pleasant elements of this thread was seeing Kath chime in again in her inimitable style. Great to have her back around on the forum.
Enjoy your beautiful new Blanchard! :up:

Quote:

Originally Posted by justonwo (Post 6700889)
A real stunner. I hope you enjoy it in good health!

Thanks Gents!

Hanter 04-26-2021 10:25 AM

I enjoyed the build thread tremendously and have learnt a lot throughout the process. You certainly provide enhanced technical commentary and that gives more insight into the luthier's thoughts and work. The end product is an absolute gem of an instrument and I wish you many many hours of fun and enjoyment playing with it. Congratulations!

justonwo 04-26-2021 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7 (Post 6701021)
Thanks Gents!

Gent? There must be some kind of mistake here!

iim7V7IM7 04-26-2021 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hanter (Post 6701044)
I enjoyed the build thread tremendously and have learnt a lot throughout the process. You certainly provide enhanced technical commentary and that gives more insight into the luthier's thoughts and work. The end product is an absolute gem of an instrument and I wish you many many hours of fun and enjoyment playing with it. Congratulations!

You are quite welcome. I am glad that you found it informative. I enjoy looking at beautiful wood figure or a novel/elegant decorative feature as much as the next fan of guitars. But in the end, these are tools that we use to make music with. We all know that luthier X's guitars sound different than luthier Y's guitars. But why? By looking over the shoulder of a builder who is generous enough to share their thinking one can try to glean some insight into why luthier X's guitars sound different than luthier Y's.

eKat 04-27-2021 06:25 AM

When perfection is understated . . . .
 
Hi, guys (remember, that's generic, not genetic)

Whoa. . . did this puppy turn out beautifully!

About this Brazilian rosewood; it is the epitome of understated perfection, from grain orientation and structure to variety of color. It's breathtaking.

The entire guitar is an exercise in integration; it speaks of all elements, not one of which jumps out and slaps you in the face.

AND. . . Bob, I'm stoked that you're lovin' the way it sounds, after all, it's not supposed to be just a guitar shaped object.

Here's to untold hundreds of hours becoming one with your second Blanchard. It would be really fun if you checked in periodically with updates on that journey.

KEEP THE MAGIC ALIVE!

Richard Mott 04-27-2021 06:31 AM

One thing further on this guitar, is the compound curve of Mark’s cutaway. It is simply the most elegant I’ve seen—totally solves the issue of blending the curved heel to the side. Aesthetically, I never was able to get used to the little side “shelf” adjoining the heel in many cutaway acoustics. Mark’s approach is lovely and I would have expected it to become a lutherie standard. It must be quite a trick to achieve or it would be more widely used. But just beautiful!

eKat 04-27-2021 06:42 AM

Compound Contoured Venetian Cutaway . . . .
 
HA. . .

I SO wanted Blanchard to call his compound contoured Venetian cutaway his "Signature Cutaway."

Ya know what he said?

"Ewwwww. . . my name's not on it!"

Ya gotta love that level of humility!

Steve Kinnaird 04-27-2021 08:01 AM

Happy for you, Bob. What a beautiful guitar!

Steve

rule18 04-27-2021 08:13 AM

Great looking guitar, congratulations! I too enjoyed the build thread.


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