whiskywill
Established Member
A very pretty guitar.
http://www.theacousticmusicco.co.uk/ind ... itars.html
http://www.theacousticmusicco.co.uk/ind ... itars.html
yep, +1phil.p":1746t66s said:Criminal waste of wonderful wood - it's another case of "I'll do it because I can - I have a decent income, the knowledge, the facilities and the machinery to do it, so therefore it must be good." They are ugly. Having said that, they sell...........so who's wrong?
So making a musical instrument is a waste of wood?phil.p":2xtghv18 said:Criminal waste of wonderful wood -
I think as with all things the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I've been making guitars for 40+ years now but I would hate to turn out something like that. It does reek of do it 'cos I can. I also suspect that the sound suffers hugely from the method of construction. The way the woods are put together has a huge effect on the quality of the instrument.whiskywill":3pby7fom said:So making a musical instrument is a waste of wood?phil.p":3pby7fom said:Criminal waste of wonderful wood -
What's the difference in showing some craftmanship and artistic skills and making it out of various coloured woods and making it out of just two or three different woods?
I think you may be talking to me but as you don't address it, I can only assume!!mrpercysnodgrass":34sz8pg4 said:You sir are wrong. In fact you could not be more wrong if you tried, and yes I am going to tell you why you are so wrong.
Making anything out of wood is a real privilege, to make beautiful things out of wood is something we should all aspire to. The guitars made by Howard Klepper are not just beautiful but they show an immense skill and eye for detail, in the design, selection of timber and execution. Where would we be if Thomas Chippendale selected inferior satinwood for his Diana and minerva cabinet or left out the marquetry because it was wasteful. How much kindling did Ernest and Sidney Barnsley create by selecting only the best oak to make their cabinets from. If we are to make just functional objects with no regard to the aesthetics then we will all be living like the amish. I for one aspire to more than that. To see an object, be it utilitarian or otherwise made up to be the most skillful and pleasing to the eye and still retain its function is an inspiration. Howard Klepper has "a decent income, the knowledge, the facilities and the machinery" because he produces guitars that people want to buy, they are willing to pay large sums to own one because they are better than other guitars.
I for one, am not condemning him as far as his craftsmanship is concerned. It is clearly of a high order. I just hate the way the dovetail guitars look. This is an aesthetic judgement to which I am perfectly entitled as you are yours.Setch":30zwcvt4 said:Howard Klepper is an extremely able guitar maker, and also a very smart and witty designer. The dovetail guitar was a shot at the traditionalists who claim anything except a dovetailed neck joints is a cheap shortcut, but is far more than a visual gag.
I'm lost as to why people would condemn without having taken the time to investigate the builder a little more. Inverse snobbery maybe?
You are still at it. Nobody wrote off his entire body of work. All anybody said was that they don't like the dovetail guitars.Setch":31dmyotm said:I think it is necessary to research the builder before dismissing his entire body of work on the basis of one, deliberately provocative, design. Crass statements as 'a criminal waste of wonderful wood' have no place in an adult conversation, certainly not in reference to such immaculately crafted pieces of work.
Any perceived 'defensiveness' came after a number of openly 'offensive' posts like the one i mentioned above.
YupSetch":1zq8o0zn said:Guitar builders have known for years that many customers hear with their eyes, I guess it works both ways!