Completed guitar no. 025

The long awaited shipping day finally came today for my 25th guitar. Generally, I think it turned out pretty well, so I thought that I would share a few pictures of the completed guitar. I learned a lot from this build, and hope to have the opportunity to build another one like it in the future. Next time I will be more realistic in recognizing how much time the fancy inlay work takes!

The soundboard showing detail of the rosette and purfling. Engelmann Spruce soundboard, Ebony fingerboard.
Another view of the top showing a decent reflection of the strings in the French-Polished soundboard. Flamed maple sides.
Another view of the sides including the back and the purfling and binding details. Flamed maple sides and back.
Purfling details at the end graft. I will keep working on my mitre joints for future inlay work, but these turned out alright.
back view of the guitar
carved headstock detail. Gotoh premium tuning machines also visible

If you are interested in comparing my guitar with the original, you can see a few pictures here.

Next, I’ll be tidying up my workshop and pulling out materials for 3 more classical guitars that need to be built in short order. One of those guitars will be for me, so I have to say that I am pretty excited!

6 Comments

  1. Hi Emily,

    I just came across your website and found that you recently built a copy of 1936 Fleta. it looks fantastic!
    I love the sound of this small Fleta. I even started off two threads at https://www.classicalguitardelcamp.com/viewforum.php?f=11 to discuss it.
    You are the third person I know has been building or built the copy of ’36 Fleta.
    I am wondering other than the look, does it have the same bracing system as the original one? I know GSI states that the 1936 Fleta is the structural copy of Torres FE17, but actually it is not.

    Thanks,
    Leo

    1. Hi Leo, thanks for your comment! I can’t really say if it is a structural copy, because I never saw the original. It is based off of pictures of the Fleta (so aesthetically it is pretty close), and reading about various Torres bracing patterns. I used 5 fans, and did not include the tornavoz that Torres had in the FE17. So it is my take on a picture of a Fleta which was based loosely on Torres… In the end it sounded pretty good, and that was the main goal 🙂

  2. Just to follow up with Leo’s comments above, as the provided link is the general Delcamp’s “Luthier” forum, not specific posts:

    1. Small size Fleta
    https://www.classicalguitardelcamp.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=132688
    2. How can such a small guitar produce an enormous volume
    https://www.classicalguitardelcamp.com/viewtopic.php?t=131905&start=90
    3. The wonderful musician RobMacKillob’s Jose Antonio Fleta Copy (already sold) and his sweet video clip on this instrument which he claims “sound like a Fleta”
    https://www.classicalguitardelcamp.com/viewtopic.php?f=76&t=119385

    I really enjoy your work and blogs, keep it up!
    David

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