Mel Wong French baroque guitar

[Emile640]

I’m excited that my commission of a Voboam style guitar from Mel Wong is now completed and ready to ship. I chose to go with some beautiful Claro walnut with a European spruce soundboard. Ornamentation work is exquisite and I can’t wait to play it within the next week. Here are a couple of images below:

https://flic.kr/p/2pyQkSm

https://flic.kr/p/2pyQkW4

[colins]

Emile, that is an amazing looking instrument. Beautiful! I hope you enjoy it!

[Dogma]

It sure is! Just beautiful. What is that sound-hole stuff? I've never seen anything like it before.

[jt1]

Fantastic!

I hope that you'll favor us with a recording.

[Emile640]

Originally Posted by Dogma

It sure is! Just beautiful. What is that sound-hole stuff? I've never seen anything like it before.

That was common in the 17th and 18th centuries to have a parchment rose made and then glued to the sound hole area. Baroque guitars were often ornately decorated.

[Dogma]

Originally Posted by Emile640

That was common in the 17th and 18th centuries to have a parchment rose made and then glued to the sound hole area. Baroque guitars were often ornately decorated.

Interesting! Thank you for the explainer!

[cigarfan]

Very interesting and beautiful! Strings look to be octave courses. What is the tuning?

[Emile640]

Originally Posted by cigarfan

Very interesting and beautiful! Strings look to be octave courses. What is the tuning?

Tuning can vary on baroque guitar. The most commonly used these days is French tuning which is aa dD gg bb e. This guitar has a lower octave on the 5th course making it aA dD gg bb e.

[Steve Kinnaird]

Now that’s a thing of beauty! Fantastic workmanship—congrats!

Steve

[TomB'sox]

Just when you think you had seen about everything, wow, congrats!

[Joe Whitman]

Beautiful, a recording please, would love to hear it. Also the frets on the neck are they adjustable? What material are the frets maid of?

[Emile640]

Originally Posted by Joe Whitman

Beautiful, a recording please, would love to hear it. Also the frets on the neck are they adjustable? What material are the frets maid of?

I’ll most definitely make a video when I get and have worked up some material to performance ready. Frets on early guitar and lute are tied on gut and yes adjustable. Making temperament adjustments can really make certain keys shine.