Ivan recently acquired a new guitar - a Thomas Humphrey Millenium!
It is a beautifully crafted instrument (what you'd expect from a master luthier, who unfortunately had passed away quite recently) - its top is European spruce, and sides and back jacaranda (Brazilian Rosewood).
Very interesting, the luthier used a separate pieces of rosewood and maple in constructing the sides/back, hence you can see a somewhat "2 layered" coloring at the sides, as well as a 'church-door' configuration at the back.
From the looks of it, it hasn't really been played much (it's a 2007 model) as it looks in pristine condition.
Ivan is still trying to find the "proper" strings to use on this guitar - its current set of LaBella strings does not seem to suit the guitar very well.
I will try to upload pictures when I have them =)
P.s. Kevin joked that the quartet now boast of an "Excalibar" type weapon in its line-up of guitars. It really is a world-class instrument, I must say. But I still love my Ruck!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Guitaresque performs for International Museum Day (23 May 2010)
Guitaresque will be performing at the Singapore Art Museum as part of the International Museum day Open house event.
The performance will be in 2 sets (20 minutes each):
Set 1 (3pm - 320pm)
1.Peer Gynt Suite (Morning mood, Death of Ase, Anitra's Dance, In the Hall of the Mountain King)
2. Choro
3. O Solo Mio
4. Blue Ocean Echo/Country Gentleman
Set2 (330pm - 350pm)
1. Canon in D
2. Clair de Lune
3. Harumi Suite (Dredlock, Along the Edge)
4. Theme from Godfather
5. Cavatina
The performance is free. Venue is at the Auditorium (2nd floor) of SAM.
The performance will be in 2 sets (20 minutes each):
Set 1 (3pm - 320pm)
1.Peer Gynt Suite (Morning mood, Death of Ase, Anitra's Dance, In the Hall of the Mountain King)
2. Choro
3. O Solo Mio
4. Blue Ocean Echo/Country Gentleman
Set2 (330pm - 350pm)
1. Canon in D
2. Clair de Lune
3. Harumi Suite (Dredlock, Along the Edge)
4. Theme from Godfather
5. Cavatina
The performance is free. Venue is at the Auditorium (2nd floor) of SAM.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Robert Ruck Classical Guitar #967
It's been close to 2 months since I've received my Ruck guitar, and the reason why I've not yet written much about my experience with it is because I wanted to give myself some time to 'get to know' the instrument.
So far, in the few quartet rehearsal sessions in which I've used my new guitar, the experience has been wonderful.
It is often pretty difficult to gauge just "how good" an instrument is. I mean, how to you say whether an instrument is worth that 5-figure sum of money paid for it, as compared to another instrument valued at less than half its price tag, but also with a good sound? Sure, many a times the distinction is more in the mind (or heart) - you THINK you are playing a better instrument simply because the price tag on that instrument is heavier than the other one. It could also come down to personal preference - who is to say a spruce top is necessarily better than a cedar top (or vice versa), or for that matter, a Spanish-made classical is superior to a Japan-made model?
Personally, I feel it is hard to put a dollar value down on an instrument like classical guitar - simply put, it is PERSONAL. You simply try to find that one guitar which you find yourself loving the sound that you can produce (from it); enjoying the relative ease of playing a big chord that requires a full stretch; or playing a tough scale at say the 15th position - and there you have it, the G (not girl.... guitar!) of your dreams.
My Kohno 30 is very dear to me. Even though I'd gotten it as a 2nd/3rd hand instrument, she has accompanied me in so many performances and it has "grown" (old) with me. In other words, she's like my trusted buddy and ally in battles past. Perhaps even more like an old friend.....
When I received the Ruck, of course I'm delighted and very keen to begin using the new instrument. I want to know how good it can be, if it would be the "last" guitar which I'd need to look for to sustain my passion in playing the guitar. From all of what I feel and hear so far from the instrument, it certainly may be!
The Ruck feels significantly lighter than the Kohno, and like all new instruments, she has the smell of new varnish on wood. I'd requested Bob to put on Rodgers tuners onto the instrument, hence completing the looks of what is already a really beautiful guitar. Of course, the tuners costs a lot, but besides looking nice it also gives precision tuning and to quote OG,"makes you want to tune everyday!". My Ruck guitar (#967) has a cedar double (composite) top, which is french polished. The guitar has relatively low action and is extremely responsive to play, giving a clear timbre and well-defined tones in the trebles. The basses are definitely considered loud but I feel it is not overly boomy in nature.
In order to know if she is comparable or better than my Kohno, I judged the Ruck based on my experiences during our quartet rehearsals. On certain tough passages and execution, the Ruck guitar made it much easier to navigate and still manages to produce a sustain which I found extremely impressive. For example, we were recently rehashing LAGQ's Blue Ocean Echo/Country Gentleman, and the difference was felt instantly when I did the chord slides. It was a pleasure to hear the sustained sounds of the slide chords and also made it much easier to switch from the pizzicato bass notes to the slide-chords, as you would not have to pluck so hard to give emphasis the the chord (I'm the first of the "echo-es", so it has to sound louder and sustain longer!).
Being the first owner of this instrument also gives me a different sense of ownership and pride. It'll be a learning and growing experience throughout the years of playing this guitar - learning how to make the best of the instrument and how to take good care of her; and growing in terms of improving my own technique and maturing the instrument further to make the sound "open up" over the years.
For anyone who's seriously passionate about playing any instrument, (and of course, subject to affordability) investing in a concert-worthy instrument is certainly one big step you MUST take at some point in your life. I feel I've just made that step, after playing the classical guitar for the past 23 years.
Yet, at the same time I will continue to play on my Kohno. She remains my trusted partner whom I can depend on for many more concerts to come. AND - she is a spruce top guitar! So now I truly have the best of both worlds.
So far, in the few quartet rehearsal sessions in which I've used my new guitar, the experience has been wonderful.
It is often pretty difficult to gauge just "how good" an instrument is. I mean, how to you say whether an instrument is worth that 5-figure sum of money paid for it, as compared to another instrument valued at less than half its price tag, but also with a good sound? Sure, many a times the distinction is more in the mind (or heart) - you THINK you are playing a better instrument simply because the price tag on that instrument is heavier than the other one. It could also come down to personal preference - who is to say a spruce top is necessarily better than a cedar top (or vice versa), or for that matter, a Spanish-made classical is superior to a Japan-made model?
Personally, I feel it is hard to put a dollar value down on an instrument like classical guitar - simply put, it is PERSONAL. You simply try to find that one guitar which you find yourself loving the sound that you can produce (from it); enjoying the relative ease of playing a big chord that requires a full stretch; or playing a tough scale at say the 15th position - and there you have it, the G (not girl.... guitar!) of your dreams.
My Kohno 30 is very dear to me. Even though I'd gotten it as a 2nd/3rd hand instrument, she has accompanied me in so many performances and it has "grown" (old) with me. In other words, she's like my trusted buddy and ally in battles past. Perhaps even more like an old friend.....
When I received the Ruck, of course I'm delighted and very keen to begin using the new instrument. I want to know how good it can be, if it would be the "last" guitar which I'd need to look for to sustain my passion in playing the guitar. From all of what I feel and hear so far from the instrument, it certainly may be!
The Ruck feels significantly lighter than the Kohno, and like all new instruments, she has the smell of new varnish on wood. I'd requested Bob to put on Rodgers tuners onto the instrument, hence completing the looks of what is already a really beautiful guitar. Of course, the tuners costs a lot, but besides looking nice it also gives precision tuning and to quote OG,"makes you want to tune everyday!". My Ruck guitar (#967) has a cedar double (composite) top, which is french polished. The guitar has relatively low action and is extremely responsive to play, giving a clear timbre and well-defined tones in the trebles. The basses are definitely considered loud but I feel it is not overly boomy in nature.
In order to know if she is comparable or better than my Kohno, I judged the Ruck based on my experiences during our quartet rehearsals. On certain tough passages and execution, the Ruck guitar made it much easier to navigate and still manages to produce a sustain which I found extremely impressive. For example, we were recently rehashing LAGQ's Blue Ocean Echo/Country Gentleman, and the difference was felt instantly when I did the chord slides. It was a pleasure to hear the sustained sounds of the slide chords and also made it much easier to switch from the pizzicato bass notes to the slide-chords, as you would not have to pluck so hard to give emphasis the the chord (I'm the first of the "echo-es", so it has to sound louder and sustain longer!).
Being the first owner of this instrument also gives me a different sense of ownership and pride. It'll be a learning and growing experience throughout the years of playing this guitar - learning how to make the best of the instrument and how to take good care of her; and growing in terms of improving my own technique and maturing the instrument further to make the sound "open up" over the years.
For anyone who's seriously passionate about playing any instrument, (and of course, subject to affordability) investing in a concert-worthy instrument is certainly one big step you MUST take at some point in your life. I feel I've just made that step, after playing the classical guitar for the past 23 years.
Yet, at the same time I will continue to play on my Kohno. She remains my trusted partner whom I can depend on for many more concerts to come. AND - she is a spruce top guitar! So now I truly have the best of both worlds.
Monday, January 18, 2010
The wait will soon be over!
My 10+ year wait for my new guitar is finally about to end!
Some 10 years ago (I cant remember the exact date nor year, as it seems so long ago now...), I had placed an order with American luthier Robert Ruck, to be put in his famed waiting list, which at that time was claimed to be 7 years long.
For those uninitiated to the world of handmade concert classical guitars, these are instruments which are hand-crafted by individual luthiers (instead of mass produced in factories), and the prices of these instruments depend largely on the most basic economic principle - supply and demand. Simply put, when a luthier achieves a certain level of fame - which usually happens when a famous performing/recording artiste plays using one of this luthier's crafted instrument - the demand of this luthier's guitar will rise in tandem with his fame.
To some, it may seem a little foolish to pay tens of thousands of dollars for an instrument, especially one which you have not even tried on before making that purchase. After all, they argue, the sound which a classical guitar can produce is a very "personal" thing. A large part depends on the player's abilities - his technique, his ability to produce pleasant-sounding tones using his fingers, and last but not least - his personal preference for the sound that is produced. I agree with this. There is no substitute for good playing skills and the worst guitar can sound good under the hands of a master. This I have experienced first-hand, when a Japanese guitar professor (Manji-san) from the Niibori guitar Academy visited us many years back. It was really an eye (and ear) opening experience for the many students/alumni who have attended his masterclasses then.
Yet, a good concert guitar can enhance a player's sound production (and tonal quality) to a large extent too. The idea is to use less effort to produce the same sound volume/quality, or to use the same effort to produce a much larger sound/better tone. Another aspect of playing on a well-crafted instrument is the intangible - yet significant - effect that it has on a player's motivation level. We are more likely to want to practise on the instrument (be it guitar or any other instruments) if we like what we hear when we strum or pluck the notes. In that sense, a good concert instrument can also have the effect of raising a player's passion and motivation to practise, and hence lead to his becoming a better player overall (technically and musically).
As to the risk involved in paying so much for an instrument which you haven't even seen nor touch beforehand, well.. it's down to faith and a bit of luck, I suppose. No 2 handcrafted instrument - even by the same luthier, built around the same time in his career - can sound the same. A top luthier can occasionally produce a dud of a guitar, while a gem may be uncovered amongst the hordes of guitars churned out from the factories. That is why people (myself included) decided to put their faith in those guitar maestros who have played and performed on these hand-crafted instruments, reason being - if a world class professional wants to use that luthier's guitar, it must mean that luthier is capable of producing good instruments. As for how CONSISTENT the luthier is, we (ie. laymen) would throng through the forums and websites where netizens would give their own 2-cents worth. From the cumulative feedback provided, a trend eventually emerges - those luthiers who are recognised as the consistent good builders and those who may have been "1 hit wonders".
I've made my decision years ago, and now it's time to reap the rewards of my patience and for putting my faith in a luthier whose reputation seems to be growing by the day (or years) since then.
It could be a very merry and happy Chinese New Year for me, in 2010. Hopefully my faith is well placed.... We shall know if a couple of weeks' time. I will keep you posted on this blog!
Some 10 years ago (I cant remember the exact date nor year, as it seems so long ago now...), I had placed an order with American luthier Robert Ruck, to be put in his famed waiting list, which at that time was claimed to be 7 years long.
For those uninitiated to the world of handmade concert classical guitars, these are instruments which are hand-crafted by individual luthiers (instead of mass produced in factories), and the prices of these instruments depend largely on the most basic economic principle - supply and demand. Simply put, when a luthier achieves a certain level of fame - which usually happens when a famous performing/recording artiste plays using one of this luthier's crafted instrument - the demand of this luthier's guitar will rise in tandem with his fame.
To some, it may seem a little foolish to pay tens of thousands of dollars for an instrument, especially one which you have not even tried on before making that purchase. After all, they argue, the sound which a classical guitar can produce is a very "personal" thing. A large part depends on the player's abilities - his technique, his ability to produce pleasant-sounding tones using his fingers, and last but not least - his personal preference for the sound that is produced. I agree with this. There is no substitute for good playing skills and the worst guitar can sound good under the hands of a master. This I have experienced first-hand, when a Japanese guitar professor (Manji-san) from the Niibori guitar Academy visited us many years back. It was really an eye (and ear) opening experience for the many students/alumni who have attended his masterclasses then.
Yet, a good concert guitar can enhance a player's sound production (and tonal quality) to a large extent too. The idea is to use less effort to produce the same sound volume/quality, or to use the same effort to produce a much larger sound/better tone. Another aspect of playing on a well-crafted instrument is the intangible - yet significant - effect that it has on a player's motivation level. We are more likely to want to practise on the instrument (be it guitar or any other instruments) if we like what we hear when we strum or pluck the notes. In that sense, a good concert instrument can also have the effect of raising a player's passion and motivation to practise, and hence lead to his becoming a better player overall (technically and musically).
As to the risk involved in paying so much for an instrument which you haven't even seen nor touch beforehand, well.. it's down to faith and a bit of luck, I suppose. No 2 handcrafted instrument - even by the same luthier, built around the same time in his career - can sound the same. A top luthier can occasionally produce a dud of a guitar, while a gem may be uncovered amongst the hordes of guitars churned out from the factories. That is why people (myself included) decided to put their faith in those guitar maestros who have played and performed on these hand-crafted instruments, reason being - if a world class professional wants to use that luthier's guitar, it must mean that luthier is capable of producing good instruments. As for how CONSISTENT the luthier is, we (ie. laymen) would throng through the forums and websites where netizens would give their own 2-cents worth. From the cumulative feedback provided, a trend eventually emerges - those luthiers who are recognised as the consistent good builders and those who may have been "1 hit wonders".
I've made my decision years ago, and now it's time to reap the rewards of my patience and for putting my faith in a luthier whose reputation seems to be growing by the day (or years) since then.
It could be a very merry and happy Chinese New Year for me, in 2010. Hopefully my faith is well placed.... We shall know if a couple of weeks' time. I will keep you posted on this blog!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Guitalele GL-1
Strictly speaking, this post should belong to my other blog - as it pertains to my little one, for whom I have bought this instrument. But since it IS about a guitar, I thought it'd fit well here too.
I paid a visit to the Yamaha shop at Plaza Singapura yesterday and brought home a new addition to my guitar collection: a Yamaha GL-1, also known as the Guitalele.
It is basically a 1/4 size classical guitar, similarly sized like a Ukelele, but unlike the latter which has only 4 strings, it has the full set of 6. Its tuning however is A-E-C-G-D-A, which is a fourth higher than the standard (Prime) guitar. Thus, it essentially is a requinto guitar pitching, though I suspect it is actually much smaller than a requinto (I have not seen/played a requinto guitar before, so I'm just hazarding a guess...)
I paid a visit to the Yamaha shop at Plaza Singapura yesterday and brought home a new addition to my guitar collection: a Yamaha GL-1, also known as the Guitalele.
It is basically a 1/4 size classical guitar, similarly sized like a Ukelele, but unlike the latter which has only 4 strings, it has the full set of 6. Its tuning however is A-E-C-G-D-A, which is a fourth higher than the standard (Prime) guitar. Thus, it essentially is a requinto guitar pitching, though I suspect it is actually much smaller than a requinto (I have not seen/played a requinto guitar before, so I'm just hazarding a guess...)Anyway, I thought it'd be cool for JK to have his own guitar - and something that fits his little frame (oh, he's just 2 years old! =P ) - so that he can start strumming and whacking those strings.
* and also so he'd not harass me whenever I take out my Kohno to practise! hahaha*
Thursday, November 5, 2009
How I wish I could play with these beauties...
If I had loads of money to spend (in my dreams.... e.g. if I strike TOTO top prize of more than 1 million bucks) ... here are some of the builders whose guitars I'd love to buy and try out:
* I took these beautiful photos from various guitar dealers websites. Not sure if this is considered infringing on any copyright issues (since I am not using it for any sales-related purposes, but merely from a guitar afficionado's point of view... and yearning...). But in case I am, please drop me a private note, and I'll remove them. Thanks!
1) Matthias Damann
- it is said that his double top (or composite top) guitar is one of THE loudest and best sustain guitar in the lot. As someone who loves loud guitars, I'd really love to have the chance to play one of these! German-made stuff are well-known throughout the world for their precision and high quality standards. This should be one of the examples, I guess.
- it is said that his double top (or composite top) guitar is one of THE loudest and best sustain guitar in the lot. As someone who loves loud guitars, I'd really love to have the chance to play one of these! German-made stuff are well-known throughout the world for their precision and high quality standards. This should be one of the examples, I guess.
2) Daniel Friederich
- like the other big names French luthiers (think Robert Bouchet), his guitars are amongst the hardest to acquire. That is because these luthiers seem to make so few every year! It could be a good strategy these guys employ, so as to control the supply-demand in the market, but from what I've read about the sounds these guitars create, it definitely would be treat for anyone to play on these rare instruments.
- like the other big names French luthiers (think Robert Bouchet), his guitars are amongst the hardest to acquire. That is because these luthiers seem to make so few every year! It could be a good strategy these guys employ, so as to control the supply-demand in the market, but from what I've read about the sounds these guitars create, it definitely would be treat for anyone to play on these rare instruments.
3) Greg Smallman
- well-known for their loud (some say "boomy") voices, these guitars were of course made famous by the one particular maestro (or some say "Prince") of the guitar, John Williams. Many who watched the John Williams documentary (DVD) will be familiar with this shaggy-looking luthier who seemingly live in the forest, somewhere in Australia... Anyway, if greats like Williams and other up and coming guitar masters like Yang Xuefei play on Smallman guitars, they must be quite something, don't you think?
- well-known for their loud (some say "boomy") voices, these guitars were of course made famous by the one particular maestro (or some say "Prince") of the guitar, John Williams. Many who watched the John Williams documentary (DVD) will be familiar with this shaggy-looking luthier who seemingly live in the forest, somewhere in Australia... Anyway, if greats like Williams and other up and coming guitar masters like Yang Xuefei play on Smallman guitars, they must be quite something, don't you think?
4) Miguel Rodriquez
- the Churchdoor guitars from this legendary maker are said to represent the epitomy of the spanish guitar, and while I have not have the opportunity to hear one such instrument, I can say that from the pictures posted on the internet - they really look stunning! These guitars are said to embody the true "spanish" sound, and even though I am not audacious enough to claim that I can actually distinguish what a "spanish sound" is like, say compared to a "non spanish" one, I would certainly love to get my hands on one of these beauties...
- the Churchdoor guitars from this legendary maker are said to represent the epitomy of the spanish guitar, and while I have not have the opportunity to hear one such instrument, I can say that from the pictures posted on the internet - they really look stunning! These guitars are said to embody the true "spanish" sound, and even though I am not audacious enough to claim that I can actually distinguish what a "spanish sound" is like, say compared to a "non spanish" one, I would certainly love to get my hands on one of these beauties...
5) Hermann Hauser
- If I am not mistaken, this is the 3rd generation of the Hauser family building the instrument, following up on the success and fame earned by the original Hauser whose guitars were played by none other than the legendary guitar maestro (of all time) Andres Segovia. In many cases, when such traditions are passed from one generation to another, there is undoubtedly a possibility that the later generation would not be able to to live up to the high standards that their father(s) had achieved. Simply put, they may just be riding on the name of their predecessors. But somehow, for this German maker, I do not think this would be the case. They're usually too good to let the standards drop - by even the slightest.
- If I am not mistaken, this is the 3rd generation of the Hauser family building the instrument, following up on the success and fame earned by the original Hauser whose guitars were played by none other than the legendary guitar maestro (of all time) Andres Segovia. In many cases, when such traditions are passed from one generation to another, there is undoubtedly a possibility that the later generation would not be able to to live up to the high standards that their father(s) had achieved. Simply put, they may just be riding on the name of their predecessors. But somehow, for this German maker, I do not think this would be the case. They're usually too good to let the standards drop - by even the slightest.
6) Thomas Humphrey
- Even prior to his unfortunate demise last year, I've always dream of playing on his wonderous Millenium model again. This is especially after the one time when I was lucky enough to play on such a guitar, owned by Sharon Isbin (I helped her with the sound checks when she visited Singapore to perform with the SSO several years ago). Even though it was a mere couple of minutes, I could still remember how "silky" the guitar sounded, and certainly how comfortable it felt when I tried to hit some high notes. A real pity that this great luthier has passed on...
- Even prior to his unfortunate demise last year, I've always dream of playing on his wonderous Millenium model again. This is especially after the one time when I was lucky enough to play on such a guitar, owned by Sharon Isbin (I helped her with the sound checks when she visited Singapore to perform with the SSO several years ago). Even though it was a mere couple of minutes, I could still remember how "silky" the guitar sounded, and certainly how comfortable it felt when I tried to hit some high notes. A real pity that this great luthier has passed on...
7) Robert Ruck
- What more need I say? Why else would I place an order for one of his guitar 10 years ago... Cant wait for it to arrive....
- What more need I say? Why else would I place an order for one of his guitar 10 years ago... Cant wait for it to arrive....
* I took these beautiful photos from various guitar dealers websites. Not sure if this is considered infringing on any copyright issues (since I am not using it for any sales-related purposes, but merely from a guitar afficionado's point of view... and yearning...). But in case I am, please drop me a private note, and I'll remove them. Thanks!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Footstool or guitar support?
I think it is a consideration all classical guitarists have to make a decision on at one point or another - whether to use a (traditional) footstool or to use the relatively newer invention a guitar support.
Years ago when I started playing the classical guitar, there was no such issue. We were all taught to use a footstool (see below):
It was something that we all (students learning the instrument) had to get used to. I remembered it was a little bit uncomfortable at first, having to "prop" up our left leg and remain in what was seemingly an awkward position while playing the guitar. But that discomfort was soon overcome, and when the music begins, one can't help but forget about the little device sitting beneath our left feet.
Still, having your leg raised above the ground for anything more than a hour or two, and you could still feel a little strain/stiffness on your back.
It was only in the recent 6-8 years or so that the guitar support made its way into the local guitar community (at least in Singapore.... it could have been a bit earlier for the European/American community, which tend to be the early adopters of such changes). I remembered that I bought a Gitano guitar support just to "test it out", and see if it really was more comfortable than a footstool.
It turned out to be a good experience (overall), and since then I have performed using the guitar support more often than not. This is not to say that I cannot revert back to using the footstool, sure I can. It's just that given a choice of having to raise a leg/foot up artificially, compared to raising the guitar up artificially (both using a prop, hence "artificially"), I tend to prefer the latter.
Still, with my new guitar on its way (hopefully in November, as promised... *fingers crossed*), I am a little concerned if the constant usage of the 2 suction cups of the guitar support might just affect the layer of polish/lacquer on the guitar surface. Looking at my old-reliable Kohno, it seems to be "eating" away a layer of the french polish which was not-too-long ago replied onto the aging instrument. Using a footstool would solve this problem.
Anyway, as luck would have it, my Gitano support is also showing signs of wear and tear - rusting at its sides, plus the suction cups are dropping off all too frequently these days, and I have to readjust their positions, sometimes mid-way of play. Perhaps it is time to reconsider going back to the footstool?
Hmm... the vain guitarist that is me has now turned to surfing the websites for a nice footstool, not just some metal-looking piece of scrap that you mindlessly tug under your feet. But rather, a elegant, designed piece of guitar "furniture" (as classified by a certain guitar website).
Here's what I have found:
Sexy~~~ But also costly. Imagine paying upwards of US$200 for a footstool!? Oh ok.. for a guitar furniture. =)
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