Above are the photos of Jimmy D'Aquisto and John D'Angelico. The Apprentice and the Master. The Apprentice becoming the consummate Luthier of his time.
They both died at the young age of 59. God knows what other great guitars they would have built if they lived longer.
I guess we could just be thankful that they gave such great guitars in their very short lifetimes. I am very thankful because without them, I would not have found the guitar of my dreams.
Above are the two guitars that inspired my guitar "Tagbilaran" The first one on the left is the "D Angelico Teardrop" which inspired by the one on the right the "D Aquisto Teardrop".
Both guitars are Archtop guitars while mine is a flattop. The D'Angelico is based on the Gibson L5 dimensions while mine is based on the Gibson SJ200 dimensions proportionately scaled to accomodate a doubleneck.
Above are the Gibson L5 and the Gibson SJ-200. A favorite of many guitar players and performers over the years. Most notably Mother Maybelle Carter on the L5 and Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash on the SJ-200.
As you can see on the poster of the movie "Walk the Line". He has an SJ-200 jumbo slung on his back. This same poster inspired the design of the pickguard on my guitar.
You can read about how I designed my guitar on my blog. And if you would like to have your dream guitar made, let me know and I will help you achieve your dream too.
Above is my guitar "Tagbilaran". I named it after the City it was made. In the Islandprovince of Bohol, Philippines.
Above are the two people that are instrumental in making my guitar dreams come true. The one on the right is Tommy Schultz of www.tommyschultz.com. On the left is the now famous Filipino Luthier "Jun Reputana" of Acoustic Guitar "Letter from Dumaguete" April 2005 issue.
Jun is holding my guitar "Tagbilaran" while Tommy is holding another guitar he commissioned from Jun. It was made from the same 200 year old wood my guitar was made from.
The first guitar he commissioned is the subject of the internet article "How to Download a Guitar. You can read it at www.tommyschultz.com.
Last March I went to perform in Newark, NJ. On the way back my guitar was slightly damaged.
So I decided to do a major upgrade. I reduced the thickness of the headstocks so that I can replace the tuners with Gotoh style chrome mini-tuners.
Since I had to remove the nuts when I thinned the headstocks. I decided to replace the nuts too. That also meant I had to replace the saddles.
When I was a kid a friend of my mother's came from Africa. She gave my mother an ivory African statue. During the design phase of the guitar I intented to cut a piece of that ivory statue to use as the nuts and saddles. Which in turn memorialized an item that belonged to my mother on my guitar.
Since this could not be done in the beginning. I thought this was the opportune time to do it. So on my trip back to Seattle I brought the statue back. So this last week, I went to work in bringing back my guitar to life.
Now the nuts and saddles had been cut, polished and installed. All it needs is a little adjustment and Tagbilaran is alive and well. That means I can go back on the road.
All the adjustments have been done. Tagbilaran is back. Just a couple of weeks ago I installed a blender pickup system. Which entailed cutting a hole on the side of the guitar on the upper bout.
That has been installed. Now I do not need a outboard preamp anymore. Just plug in and play.
I have spent a few days during February 2008 in what they call Guitar Heaven in Rugby, Va. Specifically, the famous Guitarshop on Tucker Road. The shop where the famed luthier and my idol Wayne C. Henderson weaves his magic in the wee hours of the night.
While there I installed Koa peghead veneer to my guitar "Tagbilaran. While doing so changed the peghead profile from the original circle and heart design. I also carved both necks to a modified v-neck profile and made the Gibson style heel smaller.
The v-neck profile is one which I really loved ever since playing a Golden Era Martin Reissue at Guitar Center. Specially so now seeing that almost all Henderson Guitars are in that neck profile. Which he actually hand carves mostly with a rasps, belt sander and his trusty knife.
Also I lowered the action and changed the intonation on both necks by reducing the saddles height and thickness. Removed the Artec Blender system and installed a piece Koa in the hole that it left. Replacing the pick up system with a K&K Big Western pick up system. After all that, I had Tagbilaran as close to what I wanted it to be except the finish. Because, I originally wanted a dark top or sunburst finish.
After a few days, I went back to DC fulfilled and very confident about my ability to make a guitar. That I gained by watching the master himself at work for a few days and working on my own guitar. All the while picking Wayne's brain for Lutherie knowledge. Which he readily dishes out without any hint of selfishness. A few days after getting back I got ready for my cross country trip home to Silverdale, WA.
On March 5, 2008, while driving on I-29 in Sloan, IA, a few miles from Vermillion, SD. Where I was planning to visit the D'Angelico exhibit at the National Music Museum there. I was merging on the highway and was rear ended by a Semi truck. It also ended my second attempt at a cross county drive, the last one ended up in Nashville, TN in 1989. My car and several of my guitars was totaled. Including my beloved Tagbilaran.
I escaped with just minor scratches, back, neck and headaches for the last few weeks. Now, I am without my beloved guitar "Tagbilaran" but very thankful that I am alive.
Now, I am in the process of designing a new Teardrop Doubleneck Guitar. Which I am christening "Silverdale" Because, it was where I designed "Tagbilaran" and where I am going to make the next one. Yes, I am going to make this one myself. It will take just as long as ordering it from Jun eputana in the Philippines. But I feel its time for me to make my first guitar. And what a challenge it will be. Because, its not just a regular guitar but a teardrop doubleneck guitar.
In fact, I decided to make two instruments. The other is a 3/4 size version of "Tagbilaran" which I am calling "Estelita". A homage and in memory of my late mother. It is inspired by the Tacoma Papoose P1 and P112. An instrument unbeknowns to me until recently, was designed by my other guitar idol "George Gruhn". Also the proprietor of Gruhn's guitars in Nashville, where Wayne cut his teeth in vintage guitar restoration in the 70's.
The plan came about recently after a visit to a local music store in this parts called "Ted Brown Music". Which early on, was the biggest dealer of Tacoma guitars in the US. Even predating "Ed Roman's guitars". It was where I use to hang out in the early years of my guitar search. Where I went and played each new Tacoma that came out. I salivated after each and everyone. But the Papoose stood out. It reminded me of the Philippine Bandurria that my Auntie Alice use to play. In the Teacher's Rondalla that my Grandpa Francisco started when I was growing up in Northern Philippines.
They recently moved to a more convenient location in front of the Kitsap Mall here in Silverdale. So this week I decided to drop by and maybe play a few Tacoma's. To my dismay, gone are the rows and rows of Tacoma's. In its place, were Taylor's. Its not that I do not like Taylor's. I just prefer a neck joint guitar as opposed to a bolt on.
When I inquired what happened to all their Tacoma's. The salesperson told me that the lease on the factory location was up and Fender which bought Tacoma decided not to renew and close the facility. Since they also just bought Kaman Music which owns Ovation. Which means that they own that big Ovation factory in CT. He added that Fender has big plans for Tacoma. Then he pointed me to the only Tacoma left a Papoose 12 string.
I went over and gave it a try. Since I have never played a Papoose 12 string before. On the way home, I got to thinking that I wanted a smaller guitar to play around and I liked the idea of that A tuning. After that I decided to make a smaller version of Tagbilaran.
It will be Cedar top and no bindings just like the Papoose but with the Claro Walnut back, side and neck instead of Mahogany . With the symbolism of the Claro from Northern California and the Cedar from Western Washington. Both places where I have lived the longest in the United States. Coincidentally, both places where my late mother and grandfather had visited and loved when they were alive.
Estelita Update(8/25/08): The guitarmaking is progressing quite well except for a period of about two weeks where I was not able to do anything because of back and neck pain. This was due to another car accident. Yes, it was another rear end collision this time my wife's BMW was hit by a Honda Civic near the Seatac Airport in July.
Also there was a slight change in the wood for the back and sides. I am using mahogany instead of the walnut. The original set that I was working with had worm holes when I was done joining and thinning the back to thickness. So I decided to use Mahogany instead.
This one was reclaimed from an old wooden ship that sailed the Pacific from Seattle until the 1970's. The old man I got it from said that they came from big beams in the cargo hold. Who knows they might have even sailed in and around the Philippines.
As I am writing this, I just got done joining the backs and waiting for it to be ready. Finally, I have decided to inlay my name with MOP in the two necks just like Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Elvis, et al did. Instead of the 16 Celtic Cross I originally planned.
Sept. 11, 2008: Estelita and Nate Ramirez Update:
Last Sunday, I sufferred a minor heart attack. Which necessitated a couple of stents and a few days stay at the hospital. Prior to that I was just breezing thru the making of Estelita. There were a few changes that I had decided on. It will be a regular singleneck guitar but with the heart and j-holes soundholes. The reason for the change was for convenience. I would like to finish one guitar pretty soon. If I continue to make it a doubleneck it won't be done till next year. But I will still make a couple of Doubleneck's after Estelita.
The two doubleneck guitars would be Silverdale and Seattle. The latter would be as previously planned with a oval soundhole ala a Django. While Seattle would be a smaller version of Tagbilaran with a broken heart soundhole. The finish would be in purple/gold sunburst. Purple and Gold being the colors of UW. Its the school where my two daughters go and where my surgery team belonged too. Besides, Jimmy Hendrix was from Seattle and he wrote a few hit songs with purple on them.
December 19, 2008: Guitar and Life update: Today, I am writing from Nussloch, Germany. Its a quaint little town just outside of Heidelberg. I arrived here from Seattle on the 4th of December. Since then I have visited Strasburg in France and the Bismarcplatz in Heildelberg. It is the main drag of Heidelberg and where the famous University that bears its name is at.
To my Filipino friends, it is also where Dr. Jose Rizal went to study and where he wrote his novel "El Filibusterismo". In fact there is a statue of Dr. Rizal in a park in the area. I have not visited it yet but I will definitely visit it one of these days. As soon as the weather permits and I get acclimatized. I have been sick for the most part since I got here.
As for my guitarmaking venture. I left the top of Estelita and the body of Silverdale unfinished in Washington. Did not have time to finish them before I left. I did not bring anything other than my clothes and laptop. Thinking that I would have to pay for check in luggage. But because it was an international flight it was free. If I had known that, I would have brought Estelita's top to finish here.
Since, I left all my tools in Silverdale. My plans are to start from scratch here depending on how long I will stay in the area. The only problem is it seems like everything here is a lot more expensive than in the States even German made tools. Which I was thinking of getting while I am here. Only the chocolates are pretty reasonable and definitely scrumptious.
These last few days, I have been feeling better. Since the weather is always lousy. I have mostly been indoors. So I have been doing some songwriting and making some demo recordings. I will be posting new material in the near future.
Now,that Barack has been elected and seems to be making all the right moves. So 30 days from now George W. Bush will be gone. Because of that my songs have been more introspective and personal. Although, I still write topical songs in Filipino but even that has been changing. Maybe, after my 44th birthday which is the day before the inaugauration of our 44th US President. I will finally upload new material in my Myspace site. Who knows I might start performing again. So Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Long Live President Elect Obama.
