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I finally completed Flamenco #1 (also Guitar #1) "Alexandria" it is a Manuel Reyes built from Tom Blackshears plans. The top is German Spruce, the back, sides fingerboard and head plate are all cocobolo, the bindings are curly koa, with a spanish cedar neck. The finish is French Polished.

I definitely learned a lot from #1. I went through 3 neck blanks, and 4 bridge blanks before I got it right. I also finished it and sanded it back down twice, before I got a finish that I could live with.

The next one is going to be German Spruce and Cobo as well, but of a Miguel Rodriguez Jr. Design.

Thanks for looking.

Nice work Darin Very good for a first effort and definitely something that I'm sure you are very proud of. There is nothing like stringing it up and sitting to play and thinking... "gosh, I MADE this and it sounds GOOD."

I like the Cocobolo, nice figure and the backplate on the headstock is a nice touch also. Keep up the good work.

Have you started #2 yet? Why not??   

Regards,
Peter

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Peter

That is beautiful.  Great job.  I hope mine (1st that is) turns out half as well.  Stunning instrument.  How does she sound?

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Darin, that is just great!! Fine job, and I love coco. Does it sound as good as you'd hoped?

Very nice label, too.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

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

beautiful guitar Darin! I'm curious about the tone of the german spruce also. Did it turn out sounding like you expected it to?

good job! 

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Reguards,

Ken H

Great guitar, fine work, german spruce top is very nice.

Hi Darin,

Excellent work on number 1! I too am a flamenco enthusiast. My number 4 was also built using the Reyes plans. Mine has Spanish cypress back and sides and an engleman spruce top. After a month of playing it in it is my best sounding guitar yet. I will be very interested to hear how yours sounds as I am planning to build another using cocobolo.

Congratulations,
Max
Brighton, Michigan

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Max Bishop
Brighton, Michigan

Oh, it's lovely! All the cocobolo parts make the instrument homogeneous and elegant, and by keeping the details restrained and the color palette simple you really let the woods speak, just the way I like a classical.

Good job on the lawn, too!

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

<edit>
...just the way I like a flamenco.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

Wow, Very nice first guitar! You done good!
I hope you like the tone. Great wood choices too.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Darin, Looks like you did a fine job! How does she sound?

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Instagram: @jfrenchluthier
Web: https://www.jfrenchguitars.com/

Kudos for your persistence to get it the way you wanted it. And it is lovely work indeed.

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

Bravo Darin! I can't wait to see your next creations.

Looks beautiful.
How about a close up of your tie bar? It looks very nice. What did you make
it out of?

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

Very nice! I'm working on two flamenco's right now, also following Reyes. I hope they look half as good as yours.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

It did not sound very good at first I got a lot of buzz on the first and second fret. I leveled the frets, re-crowned them and still had a little buzz so I raised the saddle 2mm and now she really sings. This is my first Flamenco, the sound is very bright.

[QUOTE=ToddStock] Congrats - looks great! How much fun was gluing coco? I'm enjoying all the extra prep immensely![/QUOTE]

I have heard a lot of horror stories on gluing coco. I almost decided against using it, but I love the look. Early on I made a couple of test joints using Titebond, and the wood would fail before the joint. Aside from gumming up sandpaper, I did not have any problems at all. I would not hesitate to use it again.

[QUOTE=azimmer1] Looks beautiful.
How about a close up of your tie bar? It looks very nice. What did you make it out of?[/QUOTE]

I bought it from LMI, It is supposed to match the rosette. Although the rosette is a little darker.

Amazing!

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Steve Walden
Aspiring Builder,
Bartlesville, OK