Several more at Art Robb's site:
http://www.art-robb.co.uk/EG.html >>> I just looked again at Ron's Preston. >>> http://fernandezmusic.com/Images/Andrade%26Preston.gif >>> >>> That really is a substantial chuck of metal! I do see how it would impact >>> the sound. >>> >>> Wonder why the Portuguese neglected to copy that most important bit from the >>> English models (if that's indeed where they got their inspiration from). >>> >>> Do you have a picture of yours I could see? (Ron's is in pretty bad shape). >>> >>> >>> >>> >> Mine is in fairly good shape, unrestored as far as I can tell except for >> some peculiar woodwork adding an odd shaped headstock in place of the >> Venetian gondola-end normally used. >> >> http://www.maxwellplace.demon.co.uk/pandemonium/guittar.html >> >> I have updated the text, but not the photos. My instrument now has some >> good bone string pins, kindly made by a London-based enthusiast for me, >> along with a replacement pearwood bridge which I have not been able to >> use mainly because before doing so, I would need to get the neck >> carefully straightened, to allow a lower action. It has a slight twist >> which effectively means the bridge has to have an angle, and the action >> must be rather higher than could be possible. >> >> Because I have changed computers and web accounts etc since this - free >> - work of craftsmanship done for me, I have lost the name and details of >> the restorer-luthier who did this, as I would wish to credit him for the >> help. The dilemma with this instrument is that the overall condition is >> actually so good (unlike Rob MacKillop's amazingly war-scarred Smith & >> Broderip!) and the build quality looks 'drawing room' rather than >> functional; it could be expertly restored and French polished to a >> condition almost as new, and it would not be impossible to replate the >> mechanism and clean the rose, and make a correct headstock. It would not >> take much work or expense to see what a brand new English guittar at the >> end of the 18th century looked like hanging in the shop, and the woods >> are lovely, as you can see. >> >> Yet this is entirely the wrong thing to do and it's best just to leave >> it as it is! >> >> David >> >> > > > Thanks David. Nice to see some examples of variation among makers, e.g. > yours and Preston's. Now I'll have to hunt down a picture of Rob's -- if any > of his stuff is still online? > > Ron was nice enough to send me some close-ups of his Preston too. Both yours > and his have a strip of hard bone or ivory at the binding, 3 or 4 inches > long (replacing the binding) where the strings wrap over the edge. That's > the kind of workmanship I would expect (absent from Ron's other instrument). > The end-pins on both of your instruments have a symmetrical and evenly > spaced center-staggered layout, whereas the hole pattern on Ron's Guitarra > is trying to compensate for and match the ultimate final string spacing at > the bridge (and nut). > > The details of both of your brass roses are interesting too, both have music > instrument iconography included in their design. > > What are the two grommet-like things embedded into the top at the tail > remnants of? Are they part of some original hardware? > > Cool. Thank you both. I've seen Doc's instrument on the web as well, his is > very pretty too. > > Thanks much > Roger > > > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > >
