Thursday, May 29, 2014

3.14159 Pi Tailpiece

Here's a new item- the Pi tail piece. Its walnut and maple. Fixed with no hinge, hole for end button or input jack.  Pi will work on thin 335 bodies or fat 3inch bodies. This one is a prototype but contact me if you need one for your guitar & I'll personally make it.
Falk Guitars & Mandolins 816-678-FALK (3255)

Friday, May 23, 2014

Top and Back with Rim attached to back

The top has the"F" holes cut and the braces trimmed. The top is partially voiced, additional adjustments to be made after top is secured to there back. It is compelling to glue them together now but it would mean more work later when setting up the electronics for the pickups. The plan is to have a K & K installed and a floating humbucker on the neck. Good things will come by waiting. 

Out of the Clamps and "F" holes inserted


Top with "f" holes & back with rim
Back with Rim attached

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Drama II - Gluing Back to Rims

Attaching the back to rims. The rim is underneath. A lot of pressure and weight is in the first image. 

Bessy clamps are overkill for the amount of pressure required. Deep throated clamps were required.

The glue oozed out just right indicating good coverage on both rim and back surfaces

Parting shot of the stage where the drama takes place.  This is a good bench just my size. It has a clamping edge the lighting hides there saw dust on the floor. There's lots. Looking forward to releasing the clamps and tuning the back. More to come.

One Piece Archtop Guitar Bridge

The Amati Cello style guitar bridge is a nice example of the one piece bridge. There are some theories regarding acoustic advantages of traditional  2 piece bridge however  many guitars are designed with one piece bridges and sound good. 
Because the bridge indicates cello style bridge it will is not expected to behave like a cello bridge dude to bracing and lack of tone peg and use of a plectrum vs. a bow. Still it is good looking to my eye.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Best Beginner Acoustic Guitars

Someone wrote an article listing Alvarez, Art and  Lutherie, Bristol, Cordoba, Epiphone, Fender, Seagull, Taylor, Washburn, And Yamaha as there best acoustic guitars for beginners. Do you agree?
All range $200 - $450.


Sunday, May 18, 2014

Andy's Guitar Progress


The  drama pict and the lighted pict. Here is the clamped image of the back glued to there rim. It will remain this way over night before the clamps are removed.  Additional trimming and voicing of the back takes place next.

Friday, May 16, 2014

Kerf few


Here is an image of the kerf being glued to the Rims. Check out Falkguitrs for various steps inter construction of her guitar.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Interested in a cool guitar?

Falk Guitars & Mandolins
Builder of quality guitars and mandolins in the tradition of the masters. Choose from custom or production models. 
The best value in America is Falk Guitars. 

The Advantage of Independent Luthier

Independent luthiers provide advantages to today’s contemporary guitar buyer. Buyers can get instruments made to specific needs required for example their hand size, arm length, sound requirements. Lager manufactures are optimized for production and even with the development of newer technologies such as the CNC router standardized models are the goal. Soundboards by builders have attention to voicing. 

Independent luthiers have the flexibility to provide specific, scale lengths, fret size, nut width, bridge design, tailpiece design, finish for their clients. It’s a matter of customized as a feature. None of the custom features can come about without the direct line of communication with the  luthier. Dialog with the builder is an definite advantage missing from manufacturers. 


It is easy to order you instrument. a discussion takes place indicating the instrument desired. Hand building allows the client to visit the studio to while work progressing. Many times images are posted so others can see progress.

You are urged to support the independent luthier.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Andy Chase — Roadtrip!


CD and Painting for Roadtrip! Available on iTunes and CDBaby.

Falk Guitars and Mandolins contact information

Let Falk Guitars build you a custom, handcrafted instrument to fit your needs, your style, your way

Falk Guitars
PO Box 7732 Amarillo, Texas 79114
816-678-FALK(3255)

 falkguitars@gmail.com

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Customer Order 2

Completed the back though it is still waiting to be liberated from the integrated cradle.
Outside of back

Inside of back

FaceBook Falk Guitars and Mandolins

Customer Order

A fine artist and musicians Andy Chase ordered an archtop. Presented are photos of its development.
Attaching the "ears" to headstock

Headstock design

Carving the back

Carving the top

Devleopments

Recently a number of tops and backs for archtop guitars were created. These are 18" designs. Love the form. Look for the guitars, coming soon from Falk Guitars and Mandolins.

Interesting and Benign

What do you think about Jeff Kosmoski's guitar? Since the Greeks could speak people have anthropomorphized the human figure with musical instruments. Earlier posts on David Falk Falk Guitars FaceBook site of "Figures and Arches" where examples of such endeavors were presented. Personally I think it is interesting.

Friday, May 2, 2014

For Sale


  • Blueridge BG-140 
  • Perfect shape, New old stock
  • Case and guitar

    FG price: $625.00 
Sounds like Gibson slope shoulder guitars from an earlier time. This has been floating around the inventory room for a while. Not been played. Has original D'Addario strings. There case has a built in hygrometer. Retails $850 and case for $90.

Brother Dennis holding there FG f-5 cremona finish in Jones Cowan Pipe and Tobacco shop.
Danny Jones is the owner of there mandolin.

Live Acoustic Music Lovers



We have already had some magical evenings at the beautiful enclosed outdoor patio of Napoli's Italian Restaurant in Amarillo, Texas! TONIGHT looks like it will be another one! Some people are still not aware of this "little taste of Austin"
right in Center City of Amarillo,
but if you come out and enjoy some of it tonight, you'll be back!
I'll start the live music at 7 pm!
right in Center City of Amarillo, but if you come out and enjoy some of it tonight, you'll be back! I'll start the live music at 7 pm!


Disclaimer- This was the posting for Andy Chase  4/25/14 Friday. I presume he is playing there this Friday night 5/2/14 

He is an exceptional troubadour. Listen to his arrangements of well know songs and you will not be disappointed. But it doesn't stop there Andy crafts his own songs. He is a talented songwriter with wonderful sensibilities.  Amarillo knows him, LA knows him but the rest of the world is missing the treat. Andy Chase UTR ( Under the Radar )




Dulcimer

I enjoy hearing the soundboard before final assembly. Then tuning fork set to 440hz  sings a A though the top.


Finsihing

Applying french polish to an instrument. French polish is very verastile. It is easy to work with but does take some time to apply. There coatings are thin so soundboards are not impeded by there finish thickness
.

Dulcimers

Dulcimers 2014
There are sell some dulcimers available. These are nice responsive interments made of walnut backs and sides with some nice figure in them and western cedar tops.


Dulcimer 3" Depth
Top Western Cedar
Back & Sides Walnut 
Bracing 
Bridge  floating
Scale 20.5"
Tuners Waverly
Nut Bone
Accepts Loop or ball end strings
Finish French





New Activity

After a long time away I have decided that drop my ISP and use this much more cost affective service to discuss Falk Guitar activities. So look for ore images, posts and friends activities here starting now. Marketing is important and this is one of many paths through which it passes.
In an effort to maintain intrest here is some humor.

I tried to catch some fog but I mist.

More to come.

Dave