Tout Va Tres Bien Madame La Marquise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdLUV0hhYZY
dimanche, février 10, 2008
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Lutherie (Instrument-making)
Hugo Denaux, Farfeluthier Èpisodique (since1973)
Farfeluthier : does not translate into english.
From Farfelu : wacky, crazy, irresponsible, nonsensical
and Luthier : string instrument-maker
Each year, the UkelÈlÈ Club of Paris crowns the masterpiece of an instrument-maker.The "Uke FÈtiche" has already been awarded to the Reso-Uke of Fine Resophonics (Award 1998), Robert Armstrong's Pooch-a-lele (Award 1999), and Hugo Denaux's Canuke (Award 2000), presented here by its sire.
I have two equal loves in my life, fine guitars and BSA single cylinder motorcycles, both endowed with wonderful vibrations, but in order to preserve the former from the depradations of the latter I was compelled to fabricate my first travelling tin can (Castrolite) uke, ancestor to a family line of "phoneyphones".
To make a fine Canuke, - no secret !
Obviously, for years on end you have been hoarding your most attractive empty tin cans of motor oil, cooking oil, cleaning fluids ; smart boxes of champaigne, wine and spirits ; fun tins of Turkish delight, fruits confits and other goodies. Of course, caviar should not be excluded, but you may be content with a cantine-size sardine or pilchard tin. Don't forget supplies of sweets and chocolates. Cigar boxes welcome. When you awake from your afternoon nap, take a look at your tea, and biscuit boxes. And to bring in the emotion factor, we have the world of Cinema, with its magnificent 14 in film cans !
The neck will be cut out from pieces of wood of all origins : table legs, cupboard frames, and the exploration of a real instrument-maker's bins will turn up treasures.
Glue, nails, screws will be provided by the ironmonger next door. Tools required are owned by any decently equipped handyman, to which you can add those of professionnals.
A serious dose of patience and observation will allow you to spy on the craftman's essential gestures. If you get on the right side of them, these blokes will usually let you into a trade secret or two.
At this point in the receipe, most of the necessary ingredients are already yours. Don't forget humility. Think visually of the instruments of the past, of today's best, made by guys full of passion. Then run to your kitchen and root out your campers' tin-opener. This is your basic indispensable tool…
You are ready….
Bidonnez !
Later… Canuke is nearly done.
You set up the strings… suspense !
—†Alas ! - no sound? Pity, it will end up in your hairdresser girl-friend's shop-window, in exchange for a scalp massage.
— Not so bad ? That's at least enough to give you the urge to learn to play it.
— My God ! It really has a nice sound ! Victory ! Give it, lend it, exchange it, sell it to a musician who will make the modest thing talk !
That's all.
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