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Well – made it with a day to spare. This is my second Weissenborn-style guitar and is my daughter Martha’s 21st birthday present.

“Martha’s Red Kite” is a "Salsa Fruit & Nut" and has a Cuban Mahogany top, English cherry back and sides, English walnut binding and peg-box, ebony fretboard and Old Rio rosewood bridge and headstock overlay, slotted bridge with koa pins. The tuners are Gotoh 510 mini’s – the first time I’ve used these. Scale length is 630mm.The body depth is around 90mm. Finish is hand rubbed pre-catalysed lacquer over Z-poxy.

The strings have been on for about 2 hours and as I’ve never recorded one this “young” before so I thought it would be fun. So here’s some stuff in D minor tuning (DADFAD) done first take into an AKG2000S microphone with flat EQ:
Martha’s Stuff

It sounds pretty good to me – the guitar that is as opposed to my playing. It’s a little smoother than my first one but it will develop a nice growl soon enough. Martha willl be home on Saturday to get the Weiss and she has a video camera so we’ll try and record some playing of her and my Weiss.

Here are some pictures – just to prove we have snow here in England too. Appropriate really as 21 years ago tomorrow at 2am I was driving my wife to the hospital in freezing fog with the temperature at -180C!! That was the year the cold water supply into the house froze solid. Interesting that the back X brace positions are showing through the finish on the back - maybe this is a hide glue thing.











Here’s two Red Kites in a snowy English garden – Dad’s and daughters:




Thanks for looking and listening.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

EDIT IN PROGRESS . . . EDIT IN PROGRESS . . .

That shoud be -18 degrees C not -180 Degrees C. The superscript didn't translate from Word

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Hey Dave. It not only looks great but sounds great too.
Your one amazing guy.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Wow, Dave, those are beautiful. Great work. I haven't heard the clip, yet, but I'm on my way now.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Wow, again. Beautiful playing, Dave. I really love the sound of that thing. It's interesting how all the string pins are different distances from the saddle. Do you need a different break angle for each string?

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Dave, up to your usual very high standard, both building and playing. There is something about that sound that just brings images of tumbleweed to mind!

When you've finished number three just box it up and send it over.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Wow, you've done it again Dave! That is one sweet looking axe! I really like the wood combinations and your playing sounds pretty good too!   

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Dave, I really love your work, and look forward to each new build you do.

Both Weissenborns are absolutely beautiful, organic looking but the features look immaculately crafted.

How's the harp guitar doing?

Inspiring and humbling. Might we hear a duet in the future?

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"It's a Tone Faerie thing"
"Da goal is to sharpen ur wit as well as ye Sgian Dubh"
"Sippin Loch Dhu @Black lake" ,Kirby O...

Dave, Thanks for sharing so much about these cool instruments! They look so warm even though they are standing out in the cold.
What strings do you have on them?
Do you use semi-flat wound?

Wade

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Wade
Nashua, NH
http://www.wadefx.com

The cherry with walnut really looks good. Two very nice guitars that are tastefully done. I enjoyed listening to your clip, you need to record more often! Clinton

WOW!!! Amazing sound!!

and great craftsmanship...as always!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Bob, Dave, Crich and Peter,

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.

Ron,

Part of the reason I moved from pinless to pinned bridges was the freedom to create more flowing shapes. I like curves better than straight lines so this is the pin arrangement that I liked. Also I read it's better not to have them in a straight line. The break angles are pretty severe on all of the strings as the bridge/saddle needs to keep the strings 3/8" off the fretboard:



Colin,

The boxing is tricky - it's hard to find Weiss cases over here

Sam,

Thanks. The harp guitar is next. I'm still working out the plans but will start cutting the English walnut back and sides next week. I'm waiting to see how Shane gets on cutting some 48" long Lutz sets . I've set up a page on my website where I will photo-document the build.

Wade,

I love my D'Addario pb's. My Weisses have a set of EJ12's on with the top 2 replaced by 0.015" and 0.018" to give better support to the slide and better tone. I may take the second one up to 0.019", and probably will experiment with 0.056" or 0.059" on the bottom string.

K.O

Thanks. A duet may take a little while. This is her first guitar and so she needs teaching. She wanted a Weiss as she loves Ben Harper and John Butler, but also I suspect because she doesn't have to cut her left hand fingernails or go through the pain of hardening fingertips Watch this space!!

_________________
Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Dave, great looking instruments, lovely sound and great pics! Thanks my friend, always an event when you announce your latest effort!

Dave you finished it just in time...amazing given where you were at when you posted progress pictures. (I was wondering how you would finish it on time, how many all nighters did you pull?)

It looks and sounds fabulous! Congratulations

A very Happy 21st to your daughter Martha She's gonna love her pressie.

Excellent sounding instrument!

Hi Dave,

Love the looks and the sound! Saved to my play list. If you don't mind telling, what is the tune you're playing?

I'm looking forward to your next instalment.

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Michael Lloyd

“I was born to ignorance, yes, and lesser poverties ...
I was born to privilege that I did not see ... I didn’t know it, but my way was paved” – John Gorka

Wow! What a great sound and beautiful guitar!

Really great Dave, enjoying the playing too.
Very nice.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Dave, looks and sounds really great! Awesome job.

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

Dave if I send you a box big enough for a Weiss and Samhain to fit it would save on the shipping wouldn't it?

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Very nice! Both the guit and the tune.

Wade,

Sorry that should have read D'Addario EJ16's not EJ12's

Serge, Hesh, Robert, Ed, Jim, Mike and Mike,

Thanks

Anthony,

No all-nighters. It all went pretty much OK. With the hand rubbed finishes I do, I find I can rub-out this pre-catalysed lacquer I am using only 2 days after the final coat goes on. And the setting up of a Weiss just takes so lomg About an hour

Michael,

The first part is noodling more or less around "Wayfaring Stranger". The second is something that was in my head and came out through my fingers. Could be an existing tune I've heard and picked up by "osmosis" or could be one of mine.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Snider Mike,

Just got to see "The Big Lebowski" for the first time on DVD - one cool dude

_________________
Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010