Luthier Stories - Turnstone Guitars (Rosie Heydenrych)

[Michael Watts]

Hello everyone!

I spent an afternoon at the Turnstone Guitars workshop this week and filmed some videos which I hope you'll enjoy.

Turnstone Guitars may be a new name for many of you in the USA but Rosie Heydenrych has several successful Holy Grail Guitar Shows under her belt now and will be exhibiting at this year's Woodstock show (in fact it's her first US show!)

Rosie is a pioneer when it comes to using native English woods in guitar making and in this video she goes into detail about this approach as well as showing us behind the scenes in her build process.



During my visit I filmed two guitars that had been strung for the first time that day, the first is this charming TG model in English Walnut with a Yew top



Just look at this! This dragon themed custom build is made from woods that were thousands of years old before they even entered the Turnstone Guitars drying room - The soundboard is made from ancient Sitka Spruce and the back, sides and neck of the instrument are Royal Fenland Oak with an extraordinary figure!



I hope you enjoy the videos, if you're planning to attend the Woodstock show then do check out Rosie's stand. I'm sure she'll be delighted to tell you more about her guitars.

All the best

MDW

[zackl]

I appreciate these luthier field studies very much. Very informative on their work and guitars. And very nice playing as usual, wich is also very informative so to speak.

And all of a sudden, I just know, I will loose control, and cave in for a new need, wich I did not know I had before.....

[SJ VanSandt]

Thank you for another great little film, Michael - it's a special gift to us all, and I really appreciate it. I'm very keen on seeing native woods used for guitars so I'm very happy this talented young woman is becoming a champion for the cause. Those guitars sounded wonderful in your hands!

[TomB'sox]

Another wonderfully enjoyable group of videos...that bog oak is very intriguing. I think these videos have the potential to cause difficulties with my bank accounts LOL!

[Diamondave]

Michael Thx for the introduction, great interview and playing... Rosie you're awesome!!!

[Marcus Wong]

Great to see you back in the scene Michael!

[Deft Tungsman]

I can only echo the appreciation expressed by all those who've replied so far, Michael. I'm becoming addicted to your Luthier Stories videos!

Rosie, I don't know how much you hang out here on the AGF, but if you're watching, here's a huge "WOW!!!", in capitals and with triple exclamation points! I stopped by your stand very briefly at the HGGS in May, and I found your stories about using woods native to Britain truly fascinating. I hadn't realized that you've been doing this for a long time and not just to be a part of the "local timbers" theme at the show. I wish you all the best at Woodstock, NAMM and beyond!

[Michael Watts]

Originally Posted by zackl

I appreciate these luthier field studies very much. Very informative on their work and guitars. And very nice playing as usual, wich is also very informative so to speak.

And all of a sudden, I just know, I will lose control, and cave in for a new need, wich I did not know I had before.....

Thank you for watching and for your kind words! I'm glad people are enjoying the videos, I'm certainly having a wonderful time making them as you can probably tell!

Originally Posted by SJ VanSandt

Thank you for another great little film, Michael - it's a special gift to us all, and I really appreciate it. I'm very keen on seeing native woods used for guitars so I'm very happy this talented young woman is becoming a champion for the cause. Those guitars sounded wonderful in your hands!

You're very welcome, thank you for watching! Rosie is one of a new generation of luthiers pushing the boundaries in terms of ethical stewardship of resources and indigenous alternatives to rare and endangered woods. It's been a long time coming but the time is now.

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

Another wonderfully enjoyable group of videos...that bog oak is very intriguing. I think these videos have the potential to cause difficulties with my bank accounts LOL!

Thank you Tom! I'm sure Rosie would be delighted to ave a chat with you about guitars wen the time comes. The Bog Oak is very special stuff

Originally Posted by Diamondave

Michael Thx for the introduction, great interview and playing... Rosie you're awesome!!!

Thank you! Yeah, she is... I'll let her know!

Originally Posted by Marcus Wong

Great to see you back in the scene Michael!

It's a real joy to be able to contribute purely from my love of the instrument and its makers. I look forward to sharing more with you.

[Michael Watts]

Originally Posted by Deft Tungsman

I can only echo the appreciation expressed by all those who've replied so far, Michael. I'm becoming addicted to your Luthier Stories videos!

Rosie, I don't know how much you hang out here on the AGF, but if you're watching, here's a huge "WOW!!!", in capitals and with triple exclamation points! I stopped by your stand very briefly at the HGGS in May, and I found your stories about using woods native to Britain truly fascinating. I hadn't realized that you've been doing this for a long time and not just to be a part of the "local timbers" theme at the show. I wish you all the best at Woodstock, NAMM and beyond!

Hello DT!

Yeah I wondered if you'd managed to take a closer look at Rosie's work in Berlin. I think she's planning to be back in 2020 (as am I if all goes according to what I laughingly call "The Plan") so there'll be other opportunities

Thanks for your kind words about the videos, it means a lot to me that they're reaching an audience

All the best

MDW

[mikealpine]

That Dragon guitar is quite special, and I am looking forward to seeing her work in Woodstock. Thanks for sharing this!

[Deft Tungsman]

Hear, hear on the Dragon! That thing's as wicked as they come.

Can anyone refresh my memory? When was I supposed to learn the dragon scale?

[Step]

Ah! great stuff Michael... What a gig you've got going here... Beats a day job

[Michael Watts]

Originally Posted by mikealpine

That Dragon guitar is quite special, and I am looking forward to seeing her work in Woodstock. Thanks for sharing this!

Thanks for watching, I wish I was joining you all at Woodstock this year, maybe next time

Originally Posted by Deft Tungsman

Hear, hear on the Dragon! That thing's as wicked as they come.

Can anyone refresh my memory? When was I supposed to learn the dragon scale?

Oh very good

scale length is an important part of the guitar experience. I thought we'd been through this!

Originally Posted by Step

Ah! great stuff Michael... What a gig you've got going here... Beats a day job

Ha, thanks for watching!

[RosieTGC]

Hi everyone!

Thank you so much for all the lovely comments! I'm glad you enjoyed the videos. I can't wait to show my guitars for the first time in America at Woodstock.

I'm really looking forward to meeting those of you that plan to go to the show and hopefully meeting many more of you in the future.

As a side note, I'm also extremely excited to be in America over Halloween - us Brits just don't do it the justice it deserves! Any tips on costume choices much appreciated

[Deft Tungsman]

Originally Posted by RosieTGC

I'm also extremely excited to be in America over Halloween - us Brits just don't do it the justice it deserves! Any tips on costume choices much appreciated

Well, to state the obvious... dragon costume.