In the W o r k s h o p
“Inspiration exists,
but it has to find you
working.”Pablo Picasso
The recent (2023) Raga 2 with its bowl-back configuration:
The Raga 2 sound box is made up of of 22 laminated ribs, assembled on a multifaceted detachable mold.
Raga 2 with opalescent silver dust laquer finish.
Overview
The Maya Bass features laminated -neck wings- connecting its neck block its to sides in a triangular fashion :
A reinforcement of the neck-body junction originally developed by Steve Klein, these neck wings provide stability to the guitar's neck angle, preventing the neck from lifting-up, and essentially folding the guitar soundbox. This structural quality also has acoustic benefits - i.e. the neck being also stabilized laterally, the pulsating energy of the string is maintained more effectively (less loss in the neck itself) and is thus directed furthermore to the bridge of the guitar.
Above all, this device frees the soundboard from fibre compression caused by its usually structural role in the upper-bout. With the neck-wings in place, it is observed that the soundboard exercises its sound exciter function more freely along its entire length.
Inside the flat-back Clara Archtop. Note the even footprint of contact on top's perimeter.
Inside the Multi 2 Harp-guitar - View of its monocoque, ergonomic soundbox & reinforced neck pocket area.
Informal sound-bytes of this type of hollow-body harp-guitar. Disclaimer alert: -Note the left-handed luthier playing these orientation-defined instruments laying-flat on workbench.
Harp Guitars with sympathetic strings: Multi, Echoes of Time, Multi 2.
A focus on the Archtop
What a beautiful instrument to explore, to contemplate, to play! OMG!
As a guitar maker it is the - standard initiatory challenge - to make an Archtop... And indeed, and in connection with all the culture and research surrounding the instruments of the classical quartet (violin, viola, cello, double bass) - the historic backdrop linked with these instruments, coupled with the unexplored potential surrounding the archtop guitar itself, is truly infinite, a real rabbit hole of the most pleasant to explore, while contemplating with admiration the advances of my contemporaries and predecessors.
Above: The Clara Archtop - acoustic / electric archtop guitar with floating (through the top) humbucker.
Main materials: : Red Cedar, ziricote, black limba, ebony, rosewood, aluminium, dyed sycomore, recon stone.
In short, we can easily feel small at the sight of making our own contribution to the development of this instrument...But the challenge is exciting, timely, and will be relevant for a very long time to come. As a player you have part of the answers to this great development within you ; We are indeed living in a beautiful period, literally sharing (among luthiers/players) today, the golden era of the guitar.
Below:
Latest offset 17' Archtop design in the making. Titled: -BLUEPRINT- ; This soon to be offered production Model will be first presented as part of The Blue Guitars Collection in 2025.
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