nkforsterguitars

Meet Oscar

2011-10-18T10:11:00.003+01:00

So, if you've followed the little series "The journey of an idea" this should seem like a fairly logical next step - to apply the idea to a "traditional" archtop design - here is the result - I've called him Oscar, after my favourite Jazz guitar player, Oscar Moore (who played with Nat Cole in the late 30's and early 40's.)

The guitar has a top notch, aged bearclaw German spruce soundboard, figured rock maple body and a carbon fibre reinforced Monterey cypress neck. Fretboard and finger rest are Sri Lankan ebony. The guitar has my new "long neck" design which gives more sustain and superior access to the upper frets, as well as having a compensated zero fret to ensure spot on equal temperament all over the neck.

This really is a classy guitar...

View from the hammock, Thailand 2011

2011-03-12T14:28:00.004Z

Thailand is a great country: it's so laid back, the food is good and the people are friendly. The sun shines and I get to lay in a hammock for most of the day. Actually we've had intermittent heavy rain for a few days now so I've been almost totally hammock bound, which has been no bad thing. I've had time to read a book (last time was me last holiday) and I've been practicing with me little cheapo Canon camera (A490)

So this is the view from the hammock. Hope you like it.

The journey of an idea IV

2011-03-11T07:16:00.004Z

Here is one of my favourite players, Bryan Younger, owner of The Guitar Shop, Old george Yard, Newcastle upon Tyne. You can speak to Bryan on 0044 (0) 1912614056. Bryan is doing a fine job of being my only UK sales outlet (other than me!) He allows me to spend more time working and less time talking. Good man.

The guitar is my "journey of an idea" archtop, the amp is my Grandfathers old Polytone MiniBrute 12". Fitted with a linen mounted speaker. A fine combination.

The guitar is now fitted with a pair of pickups, wired out of phase, and in the middle position the sound is really rather special.

The journey of an idea V - CHARLIE

2011-03-11T06:41:00.014Z

It had seemed like a long time since discovering that Sitar in Mysore! Work started on the latest (and quite possibly final) version of my archtop guitar on New Years eve, 2010, and continued pretty much around the clock until the guitar was done - I had tickets to go travelling again in mid February so there was no time to waste.

I'd thought a great deal about the advice I was given and how to make these ideas happen. The new version is slimmer, a little heavier, the neck joint is a little different, and instead of traditional f holes I went for an oval hole, placed where the bass f hole would be. The neck, instead of super light Honduras cedar, is fine old reclaimed mahogany. The electrics are all mounted under the pickguard instead of the soundboard.

Wow! Despite being shallower and heavier the acoustic sound is much fuller and louder. More sustain, more balance.

This guitar has little in common with my original idea - to make a flat top guitar that does not collapse, but this is what happens when you allow your imagination to roam. One of the things I love about my trade is that an idea can go off on a journey of it's own. It can take months or years for ideas to percolate, but once they have, they results can seem very obvious! But I had no inkling walking back from a dusty old Indian museum that a few years later, this instrument would be the result.

It's been my wish for some time to somehow honour the memory of my late Grandfather, Charles Ferguson. He was a lovely old feller and a fine guitarist who played jazz and dance band music. He was very proud that I became a luthier, and I think he would have loved this guitar. So, I think it appropriate to name this new model after him...so, may I introduce to you all ...

CHARLIE.

Just for Lisa

2011-02-08T10:28:00.007Z

Here is a recent creation, another of my guitar bouzouki's. This one is a 10 string in Honduras rosewood and Italian spruce. The owner to be has been very patient, but I think she'll be very happy when she arrives at her new home soon.

The journey of an idea III

2011-01-28T12:09:00.016Z

An old friend of mine, and an amazing picker, Jose Guillen, had seen the experimental flat top guitar and said " This would make a great archtop!" I dismissed the idea as this was all about making a guitar with a perfectly flat top - Jose clearly missed the point.

Some months later another chap came round to talk about me building an archtop guitar for him - not what I normally do but I do love jazz guitar and this feller loved my set ups and just liked my work. We talked about what we could do but I knew I had little interest in building a conventional jazz archtop. It's all been done before and there are many good makers out there experimenting with with arching and thicknessing, with soundhole placement and that's what I've been doing for years with steel stingers...no, making another traditional jazzer didn't really do it for me, so the commission didn't happen.

But then for some reason I got the failed experimental flat top guitar out of the cupboard.

If you ask many jazz players about the sound they would like they often mention that they want more sustain and less feedback. I got thinking about how to achieve this by applying this "long neck" idea to an archtop guitar. The arched soundboard is self supporting so Nial Cain's suggestion about having a floating bridge could now work. The full length neck would give us the sustain and the lightly made acoustic body would add some broader tonal qualities. Seemed my old pal Jose had been right after all!

So...back to the workshop.

The experimental archtop guitar was built in 2009/2010, it looked amazing, payed effortlessly and sounded great. But then I'm a little biased. Would anyone else feel the same?

I took the guitar to amazing jazz musician Frank Vignola for an opinion, and he was very helpful. Wow! It was great to hear the guitar played by such an amazing player, and it was good to listen to it compared to his own fine guitar, I have to say I was not disappointed with how my instrument performed. Not too shabby at all... I took in what Frank had to say and got thinking about how to make a few changes. This led to my current version...

The journey of an idea II

2011-01-28T11:51:00.010Z

What I love about guitar making is that it's a practical subject, not a theoretical one. You can fantasise all day long about what an idea might sound like but the only way you can find out is to make it.

I made the first prototype in late 2007, from a fine looking set of Mexican Cocobolo and a fine old German spruce soundboard. The neck was a rather complicated affair made of mahogany and reinforced left right and centre with carbon fibre and graphite bars.

My old boss Stefan always drummed into me - "if you are doing an experimental guitar, make sure it's pretty!" and this certainly was. The shape I used was my new Model S shape and Dave Wilson rang up in the middle of the spray job just to tell me how amazing the guitar looked and everyone who had walked into his workshop had wanted to know more about it. The guitar looked utterly modern yet with a nod to the past. Well, things seemed to be going well, but there was just one small question to be answered...

The moment of truth came when she came back from Dave's and was ready to be strung up. How would she sound? Well the answer was......quiet and soft. There was so much bass! and not much else.

A friend of mine Niall Cain, a fine violin maker, suggested a change in the transmission. There was a fine bolt pulling the neck and soundboard together, and Niall suggested taking the bolt out and wedging a little bridge between the two. So I gave it a try. The guitar got louder but still no great shakes, and I knew as the soundboard was thin and flat (and therefore weak) it would slowly sink under the bridge pressure and get quieter still.

Back to the drawing board. But where to go next?

The journey of an idea I

2011-01-28T11:36:00.015Z

I'd always wanted to make a guitar with a totally flat top. We all know that a flat plate vibrates better than a curved one, but a flat plate has no strength and the steel string guitar is an instrument that suffers greatly if the soundboard cannot resist the pull of the strings. This is the basic problem we makers face: to make in instrument that can both sing and resist the pull of the strings.

It was in India in 2007 that I had a new idea to tackle this little puzzle. I was in the Jagan Mohan palace in Mysore where they have a collection of stringed instruments on the top floor. One of the sitar type instruments had a large gourd attached to the head to amplify the vibrations of the neck. I walked back to my lodgings, thinking about this instrument. What if you attached a gourd to either end? Just a neck with an amplifier? In most conventional fixed bridge instruments the amplifier is under considerable tension. As a luthier I spend my working life trying to balance the opposing demands - that an instrument should withstand the pull of the strings yet still "sing." Would it be possible to have all the strain taken by the neck, and little taken by the amplifier?

This planted the seed in my mind about a guitar where the body was not under tension but instead sympathetically amplified the vibrations of a neck.

I made a few doodles in my notebook, and here they are: the neck takes all the strain of the strings which are attached to the neck at the bridge end rather like a ukelele. The bridge is then attached (Bolted? Glued?) to the flat soundboard which sympathetically amplifies the vibrations of the neck. All the strain would be taken by the neck which would be easily strong enough to take it, so the soundboard could be made much much lighter, as it's only job would be to amplify, not resist.

Nice idea, but would it work? Only one thing to do, and I'd have to wait until my return to England to find out...

2006 Model C cutaway

2011-01-27T10:37:00.004Z

It's not often one of my guitars comes up in the used market, but this one just has. A fine 2006 Indian rosewood and Italian spruce Model C. The guitar is is good solid condition - it's clearly been well played but there are no issues with her. A transparent scratch plate has been fitted, but there is some pick marks under the strings. But nothing too serious.

When she arrived here at N K Forster HQ last week I noticed the frets had been rather harshly levelled, too much so for my liking so she has had a complete refret and set up by yours truly. I also lightened the bridge a little to be more in line with how I do them now.

The sound is great, if i compare the sound to my current guitars I would say it is a lot more "Sobell" than Forster - which is no bad thing and some may even prefer this. The guitar was made in late 2005 and was just a couple of years after I left the Sobell workshop. Many of the ideas I had to make a difference to the sound didn't make as much difference as I had anticipated, so what we have here is a very clear, loud, powerful sounding guitar that will make you heard in any noisy session and comes with a pickup so it's great for the stage too.I have to say I only hope the person selling her doesn't decide to come round and try her out again. He may well change his mind!

The guitar comes with a LR Baggs pickup and a fitted Calton case.
A new guitar with this spec would be £4900, and you'd be lucky to get one before mid 2012, this fine specimen is available now for £3500.

Jan 2011 price list

2010-12-27T20:30:00.002Z

NK Forster Guitars January 2011 price list.

Guitars
A £3800
B £3950
C £3975
D £3950
F £3950
J £4525
S £2875
CS £2900

All models (except Model S)Indian rosewood back and sides, European spruce soundboard, 1908 Cuban mahogany neck with rosewood head veneers front and back, ebony heel cap, fretboard and bridge, rosewood binding and fancy purfling. Bone nut and saddle, Gotoh 510 gold tuners. Soundboard struts laminated from rosewood and spruce.

Model S – Same spec apart from: black wood binding and simple purfling, no heel cap, single black veneer on face of head, Simple Gotoh tuners. Soundboard struts of quarter sawn spruce.

Guitar Bouzouki
Heavily curved soundboard design, 16 frets to the body, made in the Model S style.
8st/10st £2900/£2975

Cittern, Bouzouki, Mandolin, Mandolinetto
Carved top Cittern, made in Model S style, European Spruce top, Indian rosewood back and sides.
8st/10st £2925/£3000

Carved top and back Mandolin, “American A style” Bound with rosewood
European spruce/American maple.
8sting £2675

Carved top and back Mandolin “Celtic style” with simple decoration.
Europeans spruce/American maple
8st/10st £2675/£2750
Celtic mandolin with rosewood back and sides, Model S style
8st/10st £2525/£2600
Mandolinetto, heavily curved European spruce top/ rosewood back and sides, fully bound £2500

Upgrades and options:
Adjustable neck for guitar £250
Spare saddle compensated to specific tuning £100
Selmer style Cutaway £350
Unbound soundport £200

Soundboad upgrades:
Adirondack spruce £200
Sinker redwood £300
Howe Orme style heavy arch £ no extra charge
Heavy Bearclaw figured European spruce £150 - £300

Carved top upgrades:
Guitar, European spruce £650
Guitar figured redwood £800
Carved arch back guitar, figured maple £600
Cittern/bouzouki, figured redwood £350
Mandolin, Adirondack spruce £200
Mandolin, figured redwood £200

Back and sides upgrades, ALL models
Osage orange £500
Honduras rosewood £850
Panamanian rosewood £1050
Rio/Indian mix £1250
Rio £2000 - £3500

Model S upgrades
This applies to all instruments made in the Model S style, guitars, Cittern and Bouzouki.
rosewood head veneers front and back £250
Gotoh 510 or Hipshot tuners:
6 string £80
8 string £106
10 string £135
12 string £160
Ebony Heel cap £60
Cutaway (back unbound) £250
Soundport £200
Laminated strutting and standard pattern £250
Slant check purfling £200
Full rosewood binding and purfling £700

Pickups:
RMC Midi system incl. Preamp and fitting £500
Fishman Aura with soundfiles £500
Shertler internal mic (pre amp requied) £205

Cases
Hiscox Mandolin £95
Hiscox Guitar Pro £120
Hiscox Artist Case £216
Fitted Calton £325
Karura Carbon fibre £800 (Check at time for current price)

THE BOOK!

2010-12-05T22:40:00.003Z

How exciting! This first edition should be ready for Christmas! The chap designing the book, Ben Tibbs and I have been working flat out to get this ready in time for you all. Ben has done a smashing job of designing the layout of the excellent photos which have been taken over the last three years or so by Dave Best. The book has lots of pictures of the building process, a series of essays presenting my thoughts on topics such as sound, construction, longevity and aesthetics, and is rounded off by some very nice images of the finished goods. It looks so smart!

The plan is to print an initial short run of 100 numbered and signed copies of my book about guitar making "Between the ideal and the possible" It will initially only be available direct from this website. If you are interested in getting a copy please get in touch and I shall make a little list. Once a Paypal link is made I shall let you know so you can get your copy first!

New A model Mandolin

2010-11-03T10:33:00.003Z

Here is me latest offering - a maple and Czech spruce A model mandolin. I've been experimenting with bracing a little and I'm really pleased with the results. I felt my two mandolin models whilst looking different didn't sound so different, but now I think they do. This A model has a little more of the American woodiness without compromising that European sparkle. It's not my wish to go down the path of trying to make a Gibson copy, but of course the design is not without merit, and I'm happy to have a little of that thick bottom end.

So, this well will be for soon sale, as soon as I've finished experimenting with different bridges. As a "control" I always fit this traditional traditional two piece bridge, then move onto different combinations of spruce, maple and ebony bridges. It's a time consuming way to do things but it means each instrument is performing as well as possible.

In memoriam: Jennifer Forster 1947-2009

2010-10-23T07:23:00.003+01:00

It is a year tomorrow that my mother died. Our mam was strong, hard working, decent, energetic little woman. My brother and I never did without, thanks to the many sacrifices made by her and my father. She loved having fun and dancing and was very outgoing. We were fortunate to have such a good mother.

When younger my mam had something of a fiery temper - I often clashed with her, we were very similar so I guess this was inevitable, but when she was told in her early 40s that she had Multiple Sclerosis, the fire subsided. The disease took many years to claim her life, and it amazed all of us, her doctor included, that she could still keep going, still be so cheerful when the illness had took away her mobility, her speech, her independence, everything. The more the illness progressed the more her compassion for others grew. But she was also very fortunate to be blessed with such a sunny disposition.

Something my father said about her was true - "Son, your mother is no trouble, she's easy pleased" It seems the easiest way to be happy is to be happy with things as they are, and this is very much how she lived. It was easy to make her smile and laugh, right up to the end, but if we spent too much time reminiscing she would stop me, smile warmly and say "yes pet, but that was then, and this is now." In the 20 years it took for MS to end my mothers life, I never heard her complain once, about anything. When I would see her, her first questions would be about my welfare, that of the rest of the family and that of my friends. She was quite free from anger and ill will. How many of us can claim the same?

My mothers stoicism greatly affected those of us who spent time with her - my brother, myself and the many carers who allowed her to stay in her own home when my father passed away. We have all been truly fortunate to have known her. I miss her a great deal.

Jennifer Carol Forster died October 24 2009. She was 61

Work in progress

2010-10-01T15:59:00.002+01:00

Here are two of the three instruments I started this month. One is a Cocobolo and figured Redwood 10 string Cittern, the other is a Cocobolo and European Spruce Celtic Mandolin.

Along with the guitar I made eariler this year they will be the last Cocobolo instruments I make. It is a fine timber but it has not been managed and stocks are very much depleted. I shall not add to the problem by buying any more. Add to this the dust from Cocobolo is foul and I've inhaled enough sawdust. So, here we are, two of the last three Cocobolo Forster instruments.

On the bench - new Celtic Mandolin

2010-09-08T11:23:00.004+01:00

Oh I do like making Mandolins, I've made quite a few in the last year or so and this is the latest edition to the range. It seems some Celtic players just can't settle for a Mandolin if it isn't shaped like an onion. So this is for them.

The top is Sitka Spruce, the back and sides are fine Quilted American Sugar Maple, the neck is my 1908 vintage Cuban Mahogany and the fretboard and Bridge are Sri Lankan Ebony. I tried several bridges before I settled on this one - the hollowed design of Ebony brings out the best both treble and bass. The treble is bright without being thin, and the bass is full without being muddy. It should cope well in any session.

Despite the instrument being loud and full,I have to say it does not sound as different from my "A" Model (the one shaped like a Shallot) as I thought it might. But this may be down to the fact that whilst the materials and shape may be different, the arching, thicknessing and bracing are very similar.

This little feller will be for sale soon.

Luthiers BBQ 25th July

2010-07-16T07:58:00.003+01:00

In light of the Cheltenham guitar show being cancelled, a few of us have got together and organised our own. It's on Sunday 25th July, it's an informal affair and should be great - come along!

The makers present will be:

http://www.btinternet.com/~steve.sedgwick/
http://www.instrumentdatabase.com/goodacoustics/
http://www.petebeerguitars.com/
http://www.darluthier.com/
http://www.lucasguitars.co.uk/
http://www.nkforsterguitars.com

A few of us will entertain you with demos of various apects of lutherie, and it'll be a great chance to get your hands on some first class instruments. Come and play some tunes.

The address is 16 Everleigh st, Finsbury Park, London N4 3AE

There is free parking in the area on a Sunday and the nearest tube is Finsbury Park, Wells terrace exit (5 mins)

Entry is £4 or bring some grub for the BBQ. Doors open at 11, finishes around 6.

If it goes well we shall do them more often with a changing roster of makers.

The pictures are of a Mandolin I will be bringing along with the Cocobolo Model B and the Redwood Bouzouki from earlier posts.

Spread the word!

Nigel

www.nkforsterguitars.com

Influences V - Stefan Sobell

2010-07-12T10:00:00.005+01:00

It would be pretty odd for me to write a series about influences on my work and not mention Stefan Sobell. I worked for Stefan from leaving school,1988-1990 and 1992 -2003. I had no idea who Stefan was when I went to work for him and on reflection I'd be hard pushed to think of who I'd rather have been trained by. Stefan has a reputation for being the "Guitar makers guitar maker" and justly so. He is a non conformist and his work reflects this. Self taught, he learned by making and did so at a time when there were not online forums or piles of books available telling him how to do so. As a result his work is different from that of anyone else in construction and design and sound.

It tickles me greatly that folk still have no idea of how Stefan gets the sound he does form the materials he uses (he has no interest in telling folk - why would he?), mainly because people approach understanding his work from the point of view of their own accumulated or learned knowledge rather than trying to imagine how Stefan approaches it. I have on occasion found folk spouting rubbish on the web about his design and construction methods, and when I have offered to point them in the right direction, have been told I am wrong! An opportunity missed.

As I have said in the past, some makers have a good eye and others not. Stefan has a good eye. He has a decent pair of ears too!

It has been difficult for me to develop my own sound since leaving his workshop, some of the structural changes I wanted to introduce had less audible effect than I imagined, some more so, but I'm glad to say that 7 years on, neither of us have ceased to improve and develop our work. If anything was instilled in me from my many years in his employment it was to continue to experiment, otherwise, what is the point? Add to this his way of dealing with folk - to be straight and fair, to pay folk properly and promptly and to expect the same treatment in return. It's how he runs his business and it's how I run mine.

Work in progress - Cocobolo Model B

2010-07-10T17:33:00.003+01:00

This is one of the guitars I'll be showing off at the Luthiers BBQ, at 16 Everleigh St, Finsbury Park, London on Sunday 25th July. It is hard to say what Model it is to be honest - I made it in the Model S shape, but added a cutaway, than added all the fancy binding and gave it a Howe-Orme X braced hump top. But a Cocobolo Model S/B HO is rather a mouthful. I think I need to come up with something a little more poetic.

The top is a lovely bearclaw Italian Spruce number, the back and sides are the finest grade quarter sawn Cocobolo, the neck is vintage 1908 Cuban Mahogany. Indian Ebony Bridge and fretboard. The bridge is still in semi rough state, I doesn't get a final shaping for a couple of weeks - I have to decide how much "meat" to leave. But I have to say I am quite taken with how she sounds already.

I'm getting more into short scale guitars just now and this one is 24.9" scale and is a smooth as silk to play. The shorter scale softens the sound a little too. Its a lovely guitar and should make someone very happy.

Influences IV - Howe Orme Guitars

2010-07-08T09:33:00.002+01:00

I first came across one of these odd guitars in Andy's guitar shop in Denmark St, London around 1998. I thought it was both peculiar and superb all at the same time. I am very interested in the origins of the steel string guitar and especially in what else was being done around the time the CF Martin Co took off.

These guitars (along with the work of the Larson bros) were made with steel stings in mind. The top has a longitudinal arch to add considerable strength and the neck is adjustable to cope with the seasonal changes and the sinking or tipping of the top over time. Being ladder braced I would imagine the adjustable neck coming in rather handy.

I the last couple of years I've been experimenting and developing the design into something new.

Elias Howe seemed to start producing very fine guitars in the 1890's in Boston, and possibly in Ottowa and branded under the Orme label. Several patents were made covering aspects such as the arching of the plates and adjustment of the neck. Not much is known about the company, how many instruments were made or even how long it lasted, but one thing for sure is that this really is a very logical and sensible way to build for steel strings.

Influences III - Shaker furniture

2010-06-19T10:56:00.003+01:00

I first came across the Shakers and their work whilst doing my degree in Three Dimensional Design at the University of Northumbria in the 90's.

Shaker furniture is widely admired for its simplicity, superb joinery, quality, and functionality. Shaker designs were inspired by the ascetic religious beliefs of the Society. It is the physical embodiment of their faith. Shaker craftsfolk were rather a pragmatic bunch, form followed function, and beauty was seen as a function. A mixture of hand and machine work was employed to produce decorative arts, and objects of everyday life - stoves, woodworking tools and machinery, oval boxes, wooden carriers, buckets, poplar ware, seed boxes, textile equipment, baskets, brooms, clocks, transportation artifacts, and agricultural and medical equipment.

The form and proportion is similar to classical British and American furniture of the same period but is stripped down to just the essence of what is required. An approach I am rather keen on myself.

Influences II - Hermann Hauser I

2010-06-06T17:31:00.004+01:00

I've never played a Hauser but the sound of his work can be heard on many of Andrea Segovia's recordings. This was my introduction to the man and his work.

German luthier Hermann Hauser I (1882-1952) is best remembered for the remarkable instruments he built in the Spanish tradition after 1924. Segovia encouraged Hauser to copy his 1912 Manuel Ramirez guitar (an instrument generally believed to have been built by Santos Hernandez the foreman of the Ramirez shop). Hauser also had access to an 1859 Antonio de Torres which influenced him also.

Although Hauser began building in the Spanish tradition in 1925, he continued building Vienna models well into the 30's - work in what is often referred to as the Stauffer school. It is this work that interests me the most as it has more in common with steel string guitar design than the Torres/Ramirez tradition - Stauffer trained a certain C.F. Martin who decided to leave Austria for America and the rest is guitar history.

The influence of Hauser on my work is both aesthetic and structural. Hauser is another maker who I believe "had a good eye". It was one of his 1930's guitars in a museum in Rome that made me want to experiment with an even more limited visual palette than I was already. Many of my rosettes in the last few years have featured heavy black lines balanced with delicate purflings, and Hauser is the main inspiration behind this. Over the years I have tried a few of these ideas in my work - rosettes, bindings, the banjo headstocks and more recently the round ended bridge, sometimes used by Hauser, and later by Martin on their Classical guitars. As well as looking rather nice this way of building has the structural benefit of not creating a pressure point at the end of the bridge which can cause splitting and deformation.

Influences 1 - Selmer guitar

2010-05-28T13:08:00.005+01:00

This is the first of a few posts about the things (most of which are instruments) which have influenced my work.

This fine old guitar was the property of my late Grandfather, Charlie Ferguson. Charlie was a well respected player in the Tyne Valley and played in bands for sixty years. For gigs he played electric guitars - he was always buying and selling, but this was the guitar he loved the most and the one he used to take down to the Accordion Club which was held once a month at the Ex-Service Mens Club in Hexham, Northumberland. He played what he called "Dance band style" guitar, which is the lovely bass note and chord style of players like Eddie Lang. The closest player I have heard to Charlie was the late Perrie Willie Johnson, the wonderful folk/jazz player from Shetland.

The guitar seems to be a mixture of parts which is not uncommon. When Selmer decided to get out of the guitar business, many instruments were made up from parts which were around. The body is narrow suggesting it is from a tenor guitar- I believe Selmer made these quite early on, whilst the soundboard has a rare round hole, which may date from their "middle" period - after Selmer and Maccaferri parted company. The Label says 647 which is a little later but bears the name of Maccaferri on it.

Also it seems the cutaway has been put in afterwards, and very skillfully. You can see the staggered joins in the purfling if you look carefully and the "nose" of the cutaway is a vertical Ebony fillet. My guess is the side was actually cut and re bent to fit the cutaway shape. Skilled work indeed. According to the excellent book on these guitars by F. Charle, a chap in London (Rocca?) was known for doing this sort of work. I used to have a copy of the book but I loaned it out and never saw it again so my knowledge is a little sketchy. If any of you know better please let me know and I'll correct this post.

The way in which this guitar has been a reference point to me over the years are many. Aesthetics is a personal thing but I believe some makers just have a good eye, whilst others do not. Maccaferri had a good eye. Whilst I do like other cutaway shapes, to me this is the most dignified, and is undeniably European. I believe his teacher used a similar one. The decoration is so delicate and understated, with shallow binding and simple purflings - something I try to do also.

The neck/head joint is a cracking piece of wood machining, and something I used to emulate when I started as the timber stock I had was too short to joint the heads in the conventional manner.

But the most impressive thing about this little guitar is the sound. Instant Django! I have tried many modern copies but nothing comes close. The guitar is extremely loud, and lends itself to percussive playing. The tone is what one would expect - the tone is thick with not so much sustain but with considerable resonance. Perfect for the style of music it was used for.

It is a wonderful piece of craftsmanship, made by men who were skilled cabinetmakers, not trained luthiers, yet despite this it was decades before there were any steel string guitars being made in Europe that could come close.

Redwood Zouk with new design tailpiece

2010-05-22T18:47:00.003+01:00

This is the Redwood/Cocobolo bouzouki I made at the end of last year with the intention of showing her off at this years Montreal Guitar show. I'm not able to go (no other instruments ready!) But here she is in all her glory! I have to admit to being rather pleased with both the sound and the appearance. This is the first time I've ever worked with Redwood and it really is the bees knees as far as archtops go. The sound is fabulous - loud, full and thick without being coarse. I hope a few of you have the good sense to order one. Consider this to be the top of the range from now on.

Also, here is my new design of tailpiece which compliments the oval soundhole. Made from sturdy 3mm thick brass, and rather smart if I say so myself.

In the next week I'll try to get Ian to make a video with her and see if Dave best can take some good photos for the website.

This instrument will be on show at this years Cheltenham Guitar show.

Japanese Bamboo Art

2010-05-13T20:12:00.004+01:00

It was in Bangkok that I went to an exhibition of work by bamboo craftsmen from Beppu in the south of Japan. I go to quite a few exhibitions and sometimes I get a little jaded. So I went in with little expectation. It turned out to be the most beautiful and moving collection of work I have ever seen. I stayed all afternoon, read every word, watched every video and stared at every piece until my eyes hurt!

These makers have it all - incredible imagination coupled with astounding technique. They seem to be limited by neither. Until a few years ago these makers only made one or two sculptural pieces a year for local competitions and scraped a living by making simple wares to be sold locally. Luckily a couple of wealthy US collectors saw the work and began promoting it. Now there a couple of galleries in the US and in Italy selling the work which goes for as much as any high end guitar.

These pictures have been taken from the Tai gallery in Santa Fe. If you look up Japanese Bamboo, Beppu, you will find there are a few recently published books on the subject. They are stunning.

The exhibition inspired me to take the overnight ferry from Osaka down to Beppu to visit the Beppu Bamboo Crafts centre. It is a funny old town famous for its hot springs, but it is where I bought myself a rather nice little bamboo vase which now has pride of place on my sideboard. Not as spectacular as the pieces here but still a breathtaking display of taste and skill.

My hope is that somehow this wonderful work somehow infiltrates it's way into mine.

Time will tell.

intonation

2010-05-13T16:20:00.004+01:00

I've been working on temperaments quite a bit whilst I've been away, looking at Just intonation, Meantone and Equal temperaments. The long and short of it is I've changed how I intonate the guitars and am very pleased with the results. It is a lenghty process involving measuring the value of every note fretted and then calculating the correct position of both the saddle and the zero fret according to the string gauges used and tuning employed. Complicated. But going by smile on Ian Stephenson's face (my local intonation fusspot) the work seems to be worth the effort.

Ian now wanted the guitar to be as close to Equal temperament as possible as in the current crop of bands he is playing with he has to play in a lot of different and sometimes just plain odd keys.

So here are a few pics of the saddle, and of a happy Ian with his much battered Model B guitar and of the nut of a Jazz archtop I've just completed (more about this feller soon) to show you what the end results look like.

Japan 2010

2010-05-06T22:30:00.002+01:00

Japan 2010. Well, I'm back in the UK now and back to work. Japan was amazing, although the weather seemed rather British. My tan got washed off. Bah.

It is a truly oustanding place to visit if you enjoy woodwork and other crafts. I will do a post soon about the Bamboo crafts if Beppu, a place I visited just to see some of this amazing work. But in general the standard of workmanship in Japan puts me to shame.

It is a super clean, super safe country with amazing food and is actually far better value than most would have you believe. And the food is fantastic.

Anyway, enough chit chat, have a look at me holiday snaps. Not bad for a £60 camera!

Thailand 2010

2010-03-09T04:31:00.004Z

After spending time in India Ive moved onto Thailand. Im currently in the south, at Phang Gna Bay. Anyway, enough chit chat, have a look at me pictures.

Work in progress

2009-12-30T13:18:00.002Z

Here is a very nice guitar bouzouki which is due to go to her new home in the US. The spec is similar to the last one I made with a few notable changes - a soundport has been added to the side and the neck is adjustable to allow the new owner to set his own action or even remove the neck for travel. Camatillo Rosewood and Italian Spruce.

Not all guitars are equal!

2009-12-30T13:11:00.005Z

Just to prove you get what you pay for, here is a picture of one of my top of the range guitars, it has the best of everything, the best Spruce and the best Rio, the best Mahogany and the best Ebony. The customer asked for my old style bridge, and so that is what he got. One of these will set you back around £7500. Stunning. If I say so myself!

January 2010 price list

2009-12-23T15:10:00.005Z

Price list January 2010

STANDARD GUITAR MODELS

GUITAR

Model A £3350
Model B £3475
Model C £3500
Model D £3475
Model F £3475
Model J £3700

All Models: 1908 Cuban Mahogany neck, European Spruce Soundboard, Indian Rosewood or Figured Sycamore back and sides, ebony fingerboard, heel cap and Bridge. Herringbone or half herringbone trim. Rosewood or Maple binding. Gold Gotoh with black buttons 510 tuners as std, Bone nut, and saddle. Top struts are laminated Spruce and Rosewood.

Model S £2400

Model S style has only simple top binding, no other binding or purfling, no heel cap and a black head veneer. The tuners are standard Gotoh tuners. The top struts are plain Quarter sawn Spruce, and the pattern is specific to this model. All other spec the same.

GUITAR BOUZOUKI
Heavily curved top design, 16 frets to body, (Model S style) 8st/10st £2475/£2550

CITTERN, BOUZOUKI, MANDOLIN
Carved top Cittern, simple top binding and purfling. (Model S style) 8st/10st £2550/£2625
Carved Top and back Mandolin, bound with Rosewood. 8 string £2400
Heavily curved top Mandolinetto, Rosewood back and sides, bound £2100

UPGRADES and OPTIONS

Adjustable neck for guitar – £150
Spare saddle for your guitar, compensated to tuning of your choice £75
Cutaway, Selmer style £300
Reinforced unbound sound port £150
Undersaddle pickup £250
Fishman Aura Ellipse fitted with soundfiles £450

Soundboard upgrades:

Arch top

Carved Arch top Guitar, European Spruce £600
Carver Arch top Guitar Figured Redwood £800
Carved Arch back Guitar, Figured Maple £600
Figured Redwood Archtop for Cittern/Bouzouki £300
Figured Redwood Mandolin £200
Adirondack Spruce Mandolin £150

Flat top guitar:

Adirondack Spruce £150
Redwood £200
Western Red Cedar no extra charge
Heavy Bearclaw European Spruce £250
X braced Howe Orme style no extra charge.

Model S upgrades(applies to Model S style guitars, guitar bouzouki and Citterns):

Rio head veneer £80
Veneers front and back of head £250
Gotoh 510 tuners 6string £80
8string £106
10string £135
12string £160
Ebony Heel cap £50
Cutaway, back unbound £200
Soundport £150
Laminated strutting and standard pattern £250
Slant check purfling £150
Full Rosewood binding and purfling £600

Back and sides upgrades, all models:

Cocobolo Rosewood £750
Honduras Rosewood £750
Camamtillo Rosewood £750
Panamanian Rosewood £1100
Rio Sides, Indian/Rio mix back £1500
Rio £2000 - £3500

Cases:
Mandolin £150
Hiscox guitar £100
Fitted Calton Guitar £325

Work in progress

2009-12-18T10:53:00.002Z

Here is a bouzouki I've been on with lately, it's Cocobolo and flame figured Redwood. It should be off to the sprayers in the new year and ready for sale early summer.

Its one of a few instruments intended for this coming years Montreal Guitar show, I'm not sure if everything is going to be ready in time. I'll know at the start of January.

Stripped down Model C

2009-12-17T11:54:00.004Z

This is a new one - a stripped down Model C, made in the Model S style but with a few upgrades - Model C head with Rosewood veneers front and back, Gotoh 510 tuners and a thick Ebony heel cap. All sensible stuff. But the main difference is the top - some of you will be familiar with my experiments over the last few years with the old Howe Orme design, well this is the first time I've used it on a Model C and IT WORKS A TREAT!

This is not just a rehash of that old design - it is combined with my ideas about bracing and construction, so it still sounds like one of mine, just a little different. This new design also seems to make for a loud instrument. Any way here are the pictures, if you go to my website and follow the links you can see Ian Stephenson playing this beauty on YouTube. Enjoy!

Mandolinetto

2009-11-20T12:33:00.003Z

I made this little feller for the Healdsburg show in August. I was unable to go for family reasons and the instrument has been on my living room wall ever since.

The top is one piece Italian Spruce made with a pronounced arch and X braced. The back is one piece Indian Rosewood. The neck is my usual superb 1908 vintage Cuban Mahogany.

I've been experimenting a lot with bridges of late, and initially this Mandolinetto had a Ebony bridge with a bone saddle but it sounded a little harsh to me. I changed to solid Ebony and the sound leaped out as if released from a cage! The treble thickened and the volume increased. I've been experimenting with Bouzouki bridges too and am beginning to reach some conclusions about what works best. I'll write it all up some time.

I'll record or video the little chap soon so you can hear for yourself the result of the experiment. In the meantime enjoy the pictures.

Website down

2009-10-15T15:09:00.002+01:00

I'm changing web hosts from the very rubbish streamline.net to a company called justhosts.com and somehow now nothing works - no website and I can't get any email.

Hopefully this will be put right soon. In the meantime you can get me on 01912220447 or email me nigelkforster@btinternet.com

Work in progress - a C and a S

2009-10-10T16:39:00.009+01:00

Here are a pair I am on with at the moment - the one getting it's fretboard glued on is a 660mm long scale Model S which is being built especially for C tunings. The other is a Model C, made in the simplified Model S style and with a Howe Orme arched top - a style that I've been working on for a couple of years now. Both guitars are in Indian Rosewood and have Italian Spruce tops. Should be off to the sprayers in a week or so.

And yes, that is a pair of Ukes hanging up on the wall, and yes, they will be for sale when I get round to stringing them up, and no, I don't want to make any more!

New style Bouzouki

2009-08-30T19:15:00.003+01:00

I've restyled the range of Bouzouki family instruments in a similar manner to my Model S guitars. The back and sides are un bound, and the top is bound with black wood and has simple red black and white purfling. The head veneer is plain black. This all makes for a very smart and slightly cheaper instrument. It also means that you can upgrade to suit your taste and budget.

This is one of a pair of recent instruments I've made in this style. This feller is for Dream guitars in North Carolina. It has a few simple upgrades - Rosewood head veneers front and back and delicate slant check purfling.

FAQ

2009-06-28T20:44:00.003+01:00

I can’t find your price list, where is it?

I usually publish my prices once a year, in January on my blog. The prices can go up in the meantime, so if you wish to know current prices, email me via the website and I’ll send you it.

What happens if I don’t like the instrument?

Well, it hasn’t happened yet. I make sure I am happy before I sent it out and that has been good enough for everyone so far. But if you really find you cannot get along with your new instrument I will offer to build you another.

Where can I play one?

My work is sold in the US by Dream Guitars near Asheville NC, and by Dolphin Music in Osaka, Japan. Other than that you are welcome to come and see me, or if you let me know where you are I may be able to put you in touch with a customer nearby. My work can be found all over the world!

I can't find your address on the site either. What's going on?

I don't have my address on 'cos I've got work to do and I don't want to be disturbed! I am based in Newcastle upon Tyne in the north east of England. The workshop is pretty easy to get to, not far from the A1 motorway, or the train station, and we have an airport too.

Can I call in then?

Yes, but I do ask that you email or call first. I am always happy to talk if you are seriously considering buying my work, but please understand that when you call by, work stops, so if you could come early afternoon it would be great – then I can eat my lunch whilst you play.

How long is your waiting list, I’ve heard it is a couple of years?

No, it seems to vary between 6-12 months.

Do you do repairs?

Not if I can help it. I don’t enjoy doing them.

How many instruments do you make in a year?

I make around fifteen instruments a year. Sometimes less, sometimes more. The new Model S style instruments are a little quicker to make so depending on orders the number may go up a little.

Do you have stock instruments?

I always try to build an instrument for stock in between every few orders so those who wish to buy and cannot wait can get something, though I never build what someone is already waiting for. The stock work is either sent to Dream Guitars, Dolphin Music or appears on my Available now page. Though it is always worth calling as sometimes instruments get sold before they get to my website or my dealers, it's just a question of calling at the right time.

Would you like an apprentice?

No, sorry, though I do hope to bring out a DVD in the future showing my way of working which apparently is a little unconventional. Anyway, I’m far too grumpy.

Just for Duncan

2009-06-03T14:14:00.003+01:00

I've been promising Duncan some pictures so here they are. This is the top and back of a Rio Model C. This is pretty much as good as Rio gets - a superb old DiGeorgio set of 1960's Rio to compliment the super fine grained European Spruce top I've picked out for him.

Duncan's top and back have been sitting round for a good few weeks now and it is their turn next to be put together. I'll take a few more pics as the project moves along.

Maple Mandolin!

2009-05-27T17:43:00.003+01:00

Well I've been promising to make another mandolin for ages and here it is. American Rock Maple and Czech Spruce with a 1908 Cuban Mahogany neck.

The idea was to create an instrument with the woodiness in the bass of an American Mandolin but with the sparkling treble of an English one, and I must say it has all worked out rather well. This little feller is also rather pleasing to the eye as well as to the ear. The edge of this mandolin is like that of a violin which looks very smart, as does the oval soundhole.

Better pictures and a sound sample coming soonish....

Guitar Bouzouki

2009-03-30T23:36:00.004+01:00

Here is a brand spanking new Camatillo Rosewood and Italian Spruce 8 string Bouzar.

The instrument has a 16 fret to the body join and is made in the simple Model S style - to keep the price down. The fancy Camatillo really adds some depth to the bottom end. Also the X braced top is formed with a pronounced arch down the centre, inspired by last years Howe-Orme model.

Ian Stephenson says he'll do a sound sample soon, so I shall let you all know when I have posted it on the MySpace site.

Cocobolo and Redwood

2009-03-16T11:18:00.002Z

Here is a set of fine Cocobolo and a block of highly figured Redwood that are asking to be made into a guitar!

I used Cocobolo quite a bit when I worked for Sobell, and found it a little heavy as well as horrible to work with, but I'm building a Model S with some just now and I've taken it a little thinner than normal and it seems to be the way to go with the timber.

I've had a pile of these Redwood blocks for some time now, and this is one of the wider ones - big enough for a Model J. The grain is quite coarse, but the block is very light and rings like a bell. I have some narrower finer stuff that is also very figured - I think I'll join it up to make an arch top Bouzouki for Dream Guitars - it's been ages since I've been able to make anything for them.

Model S pictures

2009-02-10T11:09:00.003Z

Dave Best - the chap who is taking the pictures for my book has just sent me this image of the new Model S prototype I featured at the back and of last year. I'll be adding the guitar to the range soon and will be happy to take orders. I've decided also to build my Citterns and Bouzouki in a "Model S" style from now on. Then if you want to upgrade the spec you can.

The Model S is a stripped down version of the Anniversary Model. The new Model S is perhaps one of the highest spec’ed “no frills” guitars around. The brief I set myself was to “Create a more affordable instrument that does not compromise sound or playability. “ The Model S boasts Indian Rosewood back and ribs, an Italian Spruce top, vintage 1908 Cuban Mahogany neck and Ebony fretboard and bridge.

Stripping away the decoration allows me to lighten the interior linings which makes for a much lighter and responsive instrument, the bracing has been modified a little but basically this is the racing version of my standard work…my only fear is that some may no longer order my more expensive models!

Price of the standard Model S is £2200.

India trip 2009

2009-02-02T06:42:00.003Z

One of the benefits of being self employed is I get on very well with the boss. And this year I let my self start off with a holiday. I did go and see some timber dealers but I was not very impressed with the quality of the Rosewood being offered so bought nothing. In India, the forests are not being managed well and they are competing to cut down younger and younger trees. Then to get the width they are cutting off the quarter, so the quality drops even further. A poor state of affairs. Luckily for you lot I have good stocks of old Indian, which should last for quite a few years to come.

Anyway, I spent most of the time practicing Yoga in Mysore, south India, I met some great people and had a very nice time indeed. India is a truly fascinating place and one you get over the shock of the sheer level of chaos of the place you can begin to enjoy it. I love it. And if you like old British cars and motorbikes, you will too. Many people still drive modern Indian versions of the old Morris Oxford (it's called an Ambassador over there) and Royal Enfield Bullets are still made there also, as well as the Hillman Minx. Great. I'll see if I can get one of my pals over there to email me a picture of them.

January 2009 price list

2008-12-24T12:26:00.002Z

NK FORSTER GUITARS January 2009 Price list

GUITAR
Model A £3150
Model B £3275
Model C £3300
Model D £3275
Model F £3275
Model J £3500
Model S £2200

All Models: 1908 Cuban Mahogany neck, European Spruce Soundboard, Indian Rosewood or Figured Sycamore back and sides, ebony fingerboard, heel cap and Bridge. Herringbone or half herringbone trim. Rosewood or Maple binding. Gold Gotoh with black buttons 510 tuners as std, Bone nut, and saddle. Top struts are laminated Spruce and Rosewood.
Model S has only simple top binding, no other binding or purfling, no heel cap and a black head veneer. The tuners are standard Gotoh tuners. The top struts are plain Quarter sawn Spruce, and the pattern is specific to this model. All other spec the same.

CITTERN, BOUZOUKI, MANDOLIN
Carved top Cittern, simple top binding and purfling. 8st/10st £2425/£2500

CASES.
Hiscox £100
Fitted Calton £325

UPGRADES and OPTIONS
Spare saddle for your guitar, compensated to tuning of your choice £75
Cutaway, Selmer style £300
Model S cutaway - selmer style and unbound £200
Reinforced unbound sound port £150
Fishman Aura Ellipse fitted with soundfiles £450

Back and sides upgrades:
Cocobolo Rosewood £750
Honduras Rosewood £750
Camamtillo Rosewood £750
Panamanian Rosewood £1100
Rio Sides, Indian/Rio mix back £1500
Rio £2000 - £3500

Deposit £500, balance due prior to delivery or collection.

work in progress - guitar bouzouki

2008-12-17T12:47:00.003Z

This is a 16 fret Camatillo Rosewood 8 string guitar bouzouki. The body is based on the Model S and has the shoulders brought in to make a 16 fret neck/body join. The guitar is ready for the sprayers - you see how I mask the top off where the bridge goes?

The top has been made in a similar style to a Howe-Orme guitar except it is X braced - notice the barrel shaped curve down the middle of the top? This design lends itself to making very loud instruments - perfect for a noisy session.

The zouk should be ready in the new year.

Work in progress - Model S

2008-12-16T11:48:00.003Z

This is the prototype for my new "no frills" model - the Model S. My answer to the credit crunch. Basically it is a stripped down Anniversary model, to keep the price down without compromising the quality of materials, the construction, the sound or the playability. The final version should be available in the new year. Quite handsome eh?

Panamanian Rosewood Model J

2008-12-08T17:03:00.003Z

This fine looking specimen will be for sale very soon. Panamanian Rosewood, Italian Spruce, !908 Cuban Mahogany and Sri Lankan Ebony. The scale is 660mm and the guitar is intonated especially for DADGAD. Comes with a rather smart white Calton case. Wonderful, if I say so myself.

Model C in Panamanian Rosewood

2008-12-08T16:53:00.003Z

I am glad folk are ordering this stuff, I love it. Here is a recently finished Model C in European Spruce and Panamanian Rosewood. The guitar is a 12 fret cutaway with a soundport - what a sensible chap the new owner is. I'd be hard pressed to spec a better guitar myself...

Work in progress - new mandolin

2008-10-16T22:35:00.002+01:00

I've been working on this design for some time - a mandolin designed with Celtic music in mind. This model should have the woodiness of a good American mandolin with the sparkle and clarity of a British one.

Anyway, here is the first one before it goes off to the sprayers. The top is Czech Spruce and the back and sides are American Rock Maple. As usual the neck is 1908 Cuban Mahogany. Pretty eh?

Ullapool guitar festival

2008-10-14T11:51:00.003+01:00

Well, what a lovely part of the world! I'd never been that far north in Scotland before - what a stunning place. The festival was really great - the music in the after hours club especially. I've recorded a bit of stuff for the YouTube site but my camera seems to not want to transfer things to my computer just now, so it may be a while before I get to share them with you.
Anyway, here are a few pics to give you an idea of what you missed!

Latest images for the book

2008-10-06T12:34:00.003+01:00

Here are a few shots of a recent Model C for you all, taken by Dave Best of the Hexham Photographic Society. We have amassed about a hundred shots so far for the book so it shouldn't be too long now!

New interview !

2008-10-04T13:23:00.004+01:00

Terence Tan from http://www.guitarbench.com interviewed me recently, here is a copy of it.

Nigel Forster | 2008 | Luthier Interview |

Nigel Forster is best known for being Stefan Sobell's apprentice from 1987-1990 and from 1992-2003 but he's recently gone solo and was been steadily building with his own distinct style and sensibilities. I've always known Nigel to focus on quality and sound and his candor is refreshing in today's market!
I was very lucky to catch up with Nigel recently to see how things were coming along.

TT - Nigel, thanks for catching up.... apprenticing with Stefan must have been a wonderful experience, could you share with us what it was like?

NF - Yes it was, I cannot think of any other maker I would have rather learnt from.

When I started for Stefan in January 88, Stefan had a good reputation but his work did not command anything like the amount his work does today (a Model 1 guitar was £800!) and from the start the atmosphere was one of hard work. I started at 7.30 and finished at 5.30, five days a week. Stefan was often there before me and always there for a few hours after. And he was there on weekends too. He worked 14 hour days, seven days a week for years.

My first duties were cleaning up, making tea and then I went on to sharpening tools and making backs. Next was bending sides and making necks. For the first couple of years most of my duties were based around making the bodies and doing the rough work for the necks and tops. And making the tea of course.

As far as machines - we had an Inca bandsaw, an inaccurate planer thicknesser and a router we used for about 2 or three jobs and that was it. No table saw, no pillar drill, no extraction, nothing. It was a very primitive workshop by modern standards. Most of the work was done by hand.

This is before guitar making was the big amateur business it is now so we were pretty isolated as far as building methods went. Stefan was self taught and so developed many interesting and sometimes odd ways of making, and it was many years before I knew any different which was good.

It was Stefan who developed the method of joining tops and backs on a sheet of chipboard using bent nails for pressure - I have a video of me doing this on my YouTube site and people seem to find it hilarious - but this is how I have done it for 20 years, and it works for me.

As I said, the instruments were not expensive, and the work was done by hand, so the idea was "Get it ready, and get it out" Doing things right the first time was very important, as having to redo things could mean the difference between making money on an instrument or not, so it is a good way to learn. The current crop of luthiers and their apprentices do not work this way - so much of guitar making has been reduced to wood machining now, and my belief is that something of the human touch has been lost. A balance between working efficiently and quietly should be sought. But at the same time I understand that most customers neither know nor care about this.

As the years went by the instruments got better, the waiting list grew, prices rose and we got all modern - Stefan bought dust extraction, a belt linisher and eventually I bought my own table saw - my favourite machine for making. We made a Go-bar deck! By the time I left it was a pretty swish workshop.

We had our own rooms with the machine shop in the middle, and in the last few years I had a pretty free hand to get on with things, to work on the design and develop my own ways of the building process. As long as the standard improved, Stefan was happy to let me experiment.

T- Innovations like your 3 piece, mixed rosewood backs?

NF - No, I can't claim that, In 2003, Stefan and I built a guitar for a chap called Maurice Condie which was a mix of Cocobolo and Rio, and it came out sounding much more like Rio (another term for Brazilian Rosewood) than Cocobolo. A couple of years later I had a customer who didn't have the money for Rio and was also concerned about its stability but still wanted a Rio sound, so I thought I would try mixing Rio with Indian, the results were great, and I have made many since - it is my commonest timber upgrade and rightly so.

No, most of the experimentation I did was technical stuff, to make the instruments more consistent, to eliminate building mistakes that often occurred early in the build that had to be compensated for later.

I also spent a lot of time thinking and working on the neck/body joint and the neck/head joint, both of which I have covered in my blog. And then there was the most important part - the soundboard. Early Sobells were just too stiff, they were heavily arched, heavily braced and every intersection of braces was linked.

Some came out sounding good, but they often lacked bass and felt too stiff. So we spent a lot of time experimenting and discussing the top, changing it to allow it to resist the pull of the strings and still sing.

But it got to the point where it was time for me to leave, I had too many ideas I wanted to try, and Stefan and I had spent too much time together. We attempted to set up a partnership where I would gradually take over the business but it didn't work out. Time to go! Which actually was the best possible thing for both of us - Being in business for myself is great - I'm doing the best work of my life just now, the sound of my guitars and Bouzouki still has that clarity and separation, but with a much fuller and rounder bass, the work is going well and whilst the aesthetic is still very simple, my guitars have a certain look about them which sets them apart from much of what is being made.

Some of the changes, like the binding and purfling are give the artist in me a chance to breathe, but others like the body shapes and the new bridge are plain old examples of form following function.

Part of my nature is I get bored easily - making the same guitar over and over would drive me mad, experimentation is the thing which has held my interest in guitar making for all these years and continues to do so. You can think about design all you like but the only way to find out is to build.

TT- When you say, great results with the rio and indian, do you mean mostly sounds like rio? With these do you have indian rosewood sides too?

NF - Yes, sounds much more like Rio than Indian. The sides are Rio, the back is a narrow central strip of Rio (around 2-3") and outer wings of Indian. I have no explanation why the sides should have such a profound effect, but they clearly do.

TT- You mentioned that you've made a lot of discoveries since the first interview...

NF - The short answer is - I'm not telling! It is common for makers, amateurs in particular to share what they know or at least what they think they know, but this can lead to lots of people making similar guitars. The reason why people want my work and are prepared to pay the price I ask is that my work is not like that of most other makers.

By ignoring what you may read or be told and thinking for yourself it is possible to come up with new ideas and a different sound. - a better sound. Sound is a by product of design - one maker I know with an excellent scientific background describes sound as an energy loss to the guitar.

If you consider the architecture of the guitar and the nature and direction of the forces that act on it, and design accordingly you make a guitar that is unconventional to many but that sounds clearer and fuller than much of what is on offer. This may sound all wrong - surely sound should come first - it still does, but I approach creating a wonderful sound from a different angle - one of creating a logical construction which will liberate the sound from the materials.

So the discoveries I have made in recent years about the soundboard - what it is I want and how I go about getting it shall remain secret. But basically it is about soundboard shape and thickness.

TT - Most folks would like to know a little about the thought and the process behind your guitars...

NF - Ok, I'll tell you about a minor discovery and how it came about.

When I worked for Sobell, we built very dry - the fire was always on and the dehumidifier was always running. One of the results of this was the backs used to deform when they left the workshop in an odd manner - the back would swell except at the waist where the short back strut was. You would get a sort of rollercoaster effect. Didn't look nice.

So to counter this I suggested slanting the waist bar to lengthen it and made it shallower, the idea being to make it more flexible, that way the back would swell uniformly. A little bit more work but it worked. I asked "What reason shall I tell customers", and Stefan laughing said " The sound, always the sound!" But we never really bothered to think any reason up - if anyone asked, I'd change the subject.

I still do this on my guitar as I too have the fire on and the dehumidifier running all the time, Then a year or two ago I decided to lighten the third back strut too, to make the whole thing more flexible. The result was one of the things I have been working towards for some time - more bass. So now if anyone asks about the slanted back strut I can honestly say " The sound, always the sound!! "

This is a good example of how I work - I follow my intuition, which is informed by the work I have done before, I try to honestly observe what I have done and I don't waste too much time thinking about clever theories. Guitar making is a practical subject not just a theoretical one.

To some extent the sound my guitars make is a by-product of the thought I give to the structure. So I work on the architecture and see what comes out.

TT - Apart from the usual construction discoveries, what new models are you working on Nigel?

NF - Well, I've just finished the trial run for my Anniversary model (pictures on the blog) And I am very pleased with it. The guitar is roughly OM sized- a 14 fret cutaway version of the Model B. It is a new shape with rather fuller hips and a higher waist than my Model B and has my new larger, lighter bridge.

The top is Italian Spruce and back and sides are Indian/Rio mix. The sides are best dark Rio and the back has a central panel of Rio and outer wings of Indian. The colour of the sound is much closer to Rio than Indian so it just shows you what a contribution the sides make.

Many of the current theoretical models of how guitars work rely on the sides not being part of the equation - the theories go into great detail about how the top and back work, but introducing the sides into the equation complicates things beyond most folks understanding.

So if you follow this line of thinking it makes sense to laminate sides or stiffen them with large linings like the walls of a snare drum. -it physically takes the sides out of the reckoning. However just because an idea makes sense, it does not mean it is right.

You can produce a decent guitar this way but it is not the only way. I cannot give you any reason why the sides should contribute so much but I have made many of these Indian/Rio mix guitars now and it happens every time - the guitar sounds much more like Rio than Indian.

The next step is to build the Anniversary Model, and other than upgrade the timbers to Rio back and sides and my 1930's German Spruce, I'll pretty much do everything the same. Only problem is it looks unlikely I'll be able to get the guitar done this year as I'm pretty booked up, so it will have to be my 21st Anniversary Model rather than my 20th.

TT - I heard you were building from Panamanian Rosewood - it's pretty new on the scene- how does that compare to Braz or indian?

NF - Apparently Panamanian Rosewood is the same as Cocobolo, but believe me this wood is not like Cocobolo. Visually it is nice but fairly broad grained and the colour varies from yellow to pink. When sprayed it goes a deeper, richer shade of whatever it started off as.

The main difference from all the other Rio substitutes is it is light - very light and compares with the best Rio. It rings like Rio when tapped but works a little like Cocobolo but not as crumbly. When you chisel Cocobolo, it behaves in a rather odd manner and lumps can fall of even with the sharpest tools. Panamanian does not do this but it is more awkward than Indian.

Basically in a blind test, if you handed me a good set of Rio and a good set of Panamanian, the only way I would be able to tell them apart is the smell - it smells more like Camatillo - the weight, tap ring and stiffness are very similar. When you build with it the sound is very rich and full, and adds a fullness to the bass, more so than the other Rio substitutes but still, not a s much a s Rio.

As far as I am concerned there is a pecking order for back and sides tonewoods, with Rio at the top, Rio/Indian mix next, then Panamanian, Camatillo, and then Honduras and Cocobolo together. But it is always worth remembering that there is nothing wrong with a good set of Indian, and it is more stable than all the others - a significant advantage if ever there was one.

TT- How about your pick of the topwoods? I know Stefan usually only uses Euro, maybe adirondack...?

NF - I have become rather obsessed with getting good Spruce in the last few years and I have LOTS! For most of my guitars I use Italian Spruce, For Mandolins and Citterns I have a huge stock of very nice light Czech Spruce. though I have recently bought a lot of Swiss and German stuff for Citterns too.

For my more expensive guitars there is some very fine grained German and Swiss, no better sounding than the Italian but it really looks the part, and I recently bought a lot of good Bearclaw Spruce too from a German dealer, but my "special" stuff is German Spruce which was felled in the 1930's. Rather good as you can imagine.

I do have some Adirondack Spruce for guitars and Mandolin but have never had time to use it yet. Though I have made a couple of guitars with very fine grained Caucasian Spruce (Picea Orientalis) which is very interesting stuff. It cuts like cheese yet is really rather stiff, and very light.

TT – Could you give us a run down of your current line up and wait times??

NF - Waiting time is around 8 months. Sometimes less, sometimes more. Apart from the orders which are all guitars I'm working on a new model of arch top mandolin, and a new design for my Citterns and Bouzouki. I hope to have them ready by Christmas.

So just now I am building 4 bodies - I make four at a time up to the binding stage then separate them and do one at a time until they are finished. On my bench just now is a Panamanian Rosewood Model J, a cutaway Panamanian Rosewood Model C and two Indian Rosewood Model C's. The Model C is by far my most popular Model.

Rio Model D

2008-09-26T16:53:00.005+01:00

I first started this guitar some time in 2005, not long after I started up in business for myself - I didn't have many orders and I thought a Brazilian Rosewood Model D would be interesting. As it was, orders quickly came in and I just didn't get round to putting it together. Anyway I found the parts a few months ago and decided to get it finished - I'd just completed a superb Indian Model D and was itching to try out a Rio one.

Many of my ideas about soundboard construction had moved on since making the top so my first job was to remove the old struts, re-thickness it and start afresh. The rosette and purfling are herringbone and the body binding is solid Ebony. The back and ribs are very nice Rio which varies from dark to soft brown with almost black lines. As usual the slim neck is the best 1908 Cuban Mahogany. The soundboard is old German Spruce.

The guitar is strung up and the sound is magnificent - my Model D is NOT a Martin copy - you can flatpick on it, but basically this is a Dreadnought shaped fingerstyle guitar - the dimensions are the same as my old Model B, just the waist is brought out and the result is a softer, fuller bass without compromising the treble.

I just love this guitar and I think anyone who tries her will feel the same.
The guitar will be on display and up for sale at the Ullapool guitar Festival in mid October.

Adjustable neck IndianModel C

2008-09-19T14:28:00.010+01:00

This is a rather smart Indian Rosewood/Italian Spruce Model C complete with side sound port and an adjustable neck. I wish more folk would order adjustable necks - I like the sparkle it adds to the sound as well as allowing the player to set their own action with the turn of an Allen key. Sound samples of both these guitars coming soon.

Panamanian Rosewood Model C

2008-09-19T14:28:00.006+01:00

Here is a long scale (660mm) Panamanian Rosewood Model C designed with a low C tuning in mind. The guitar will be tuned CGCGCD low to high. Pretty eh? And sounds great too. The guitar will be off to it's new home in a few weeks.

Panamanian Model C goes home

2008-08-19T08:48:00.003+01:00

I made this guitar with the intention of sticking it on the "Available now" page of the website, but it never got that far. John was the first person to play her and the sensible chap bought her!

This is superb timber and combined with the Model C shape, the bass is superb, and the trebles are full - the guitar sounds like it is strung with heavy strings when it ain't.

Anyway, here is new owner, John with a look of concentration on his face as he plays Norwegian wood!

So it is always worth getting in touch to see what instruments I have around. You might be lucky!

Work in progress - trial run for the Anniversary Model

2008-08-18T12:47:00.002+01:00

This guitar is an Indian/Rio mix version of my Anniversary Model. The top is some very striking Italian Spruce with strong reed gathered in the centre. The guitar is based around my Model B, but shortened to make 14 frets to the body and the "hips" are rounder like the new version of the Model C I am working on.

Anyway this guitar will be off to her new home soon. I'm sure the new owner will be very happy with the guitar. I am.

Bearclaw anyone?

2008-08-13T15:38:00.003+01:00

One of the boxes from my wood buying trip has just arrived and this was the first top in the pile. Not bad eh? Most of the tops have some figure, and quite a few are like this one. I have to say in 20 years of making guitars I've never come across stuff like it.

Buying Spruce in Germany

2008-08-10T23:17:00.004+01:00

Have just got back from spending all my money on yet more timber. This time I visited Germany, Austria and Slovakia in search of the perfect soundboard - and I found them! I ended up spending more than double the amount I set out to as the stuff I came across was too good to pass over. I ended up buying around 180 soundboards - enough to last me a good few years.

Anyway, here I am at Gleissner's yard at Erlangen, a couple of hours north of Munich where I bought many fantastic Bearclaw European Spruce tops. The picture of Stefan Gleissner tickles me - I think he was a little worried that he was being too generous!

He runs the family business now that his father is in semi retirement. Mr Gleissner senior is in good health but at nearly 72 has decided finally to take things a little easier. This is a superb yard for Spruce and Maple - I also picked up some excellent sets of old Indian Rosewood there too, as well as wedges for arch top guitar and Cittern. Stefan tells me around 50% of the wood here is German, the rest is French, Austrian and Swiss - all of it Alpine.

It's good fun selecting tops - but you have to be quick about it - after a couple of hours it becomes like counting sheep and your judgment starts to go - according to Stefan, if there was an Olympic event of timber selection, I'd be in with a good chance of a medal!

Panamanian Rosewood

2008-07-24T09:47:00.002+01:00

Many timbers are touted as Brazilian Rosewood substitutes that simply are not. This stuff comes closer in sound than any other timber I have come across. It is a true Dalbergias sp, is very light, and rings like a bell. The one advantage it has over Brazilian is it seems more stable. It is a very even and crisp wood to work with and I am a big fan. It can look rather unusual as much of the stocks are reclaimed and can feature all manner of odd marks as a quick glance will reveal, but there is nothing wrong with a bit of character is there?

If you goto the news page of my website you will see how the colour is enhanced when sprayed.

http://www.nkforsterguitars.com

Work in progress

2008-07-14T19:46:00.002+01:00

Here are a couple of guitars that should be due back from the sprayers any day now. The cutaway is a trial run for my anniversary Model, an Indian and rio mix guitar, 14 frets to the body with an Italian Spruce top. The lower bout has rather large hips which I like, so I made a wider version, similar dimensions to my Model C. That one is in Indian and Italian. The first of the two is an order, the second will be for sale.

How to order an instrument

2008-05-26T14:56:00.003+01:00

Here is how it all works, I send you a price list and you decide what you would like. We discuss options and you place an order...

You send a non returnable deposit of £500, when it clears, you go in the order book and your price is fixed.

When the instrument is ready I contact you, you send the balance and when it clears, I send you the instrument or you can come and pick it up if you like.

Simple as that.

You get a limited lifetime warranty from me, which covers my workmanship until I'm too old or frail to be able to cover it. And I'm 37, and in good nick! As I often say "The guarantee is for a lifetime - mine or yours, whoever goes first!" If you sell the guitar or give it away the warrant expires.

If asked to carry out any repairs, under warranty or not, any transport costs to and from me are your responsibility. On occasion when the job is a minor one and the distances large, I will pay for your local repair man to do the work as long as we are both convinced of the standard of his work. That worker has to guarantee their own work.

There you all are, terms and conditions, all quite standard really, my intention is to be fair to customers and I expect them to be fair with me.

Images for the new book

2008-05-19T16:48:00.004+01:00

Here are a few images taken by Dave Best of the Hexham Photographic society. Dave is taking the photographs for the book I've been putting together about guitar making.

Now there are lots of "How to make a guitar" books out there already so this one is more in depth about the design, direction and motivation behind my work. There should be plenty in there for other makers to argue about (oh how they love to fall out!) And thanks to Mr Best, there will be some stunning images, and not just the usual shots we see time and time again.

The book will be ready when it is ready - I was hoping for this year some time but who knows - we have a decent selection of images already but Dave and I want this book to be stunning - a bit like me guitars!

Dave is also taking new photographs of the guitars for my website - the work has a different look from a couple of years ago so it's time they were all updated. Coming soon....

Work in progress

2008-05-15T17:12:00.003+01:00

Two instruments have just come back from Dave Wilson's: a handsome looking Indian/Italian Model D and the Howe-Orme inspired, re-topped Mahogany adjustable neck guitar. Wow, what a mouthful.

The Howe-Orme one is not a direct copy, but it was certainly my inspiration (Think I'll call it Howe-Ormish) The barrel domed top looks wonderful, I'll get it strung up soon and record a sound sample or two. The pictures show me gluing the bridge - this took a long time to fit I can tell you. Once on the body I took a chisel to it and a little plane to get the weight down. If I had tried to fit a bridge this thin it would have never stayed still and the temptation to pull it down would have been there. No, my bridges fit perfectly, without stress and without pulling.

I've just glued the bridge on the Model D too, the soundboard is a real stunner - there is a bit of light Bearclaw figure in the top, and the Indian is a wonderful dark set, and looks nice against the lighter Rosewood binding.

This is the first Model D for some time and that's a pity as my Dreadnaughts are so different from the traditional type, much more balanced and clear. Anyway, I'll ask Ian Stephenson to record it for me in a few weeks so you can all hear it.

Can't wait to hear them both.

Damian picks up his Camatillo Model B

2008-05-12T09:11:00.003+01:00

Damian had waited patiently for his Model B in Camatillo Rosewood and European Spruce, and seemed quite taken aback when he finally got his hands on'er. He's been playing a Martin for so long I think he got quite a shock at how responsive his new guitar is. He has a very good technique - he plays in a rather classical style but now he is faced with a much broader palette of colour with which to paint. The pair of them are back in Glasgow now, and I would imagine Mrs Lynch wont have seen much of either of them!

Anyway, here are some pictures so you can see the guitar for yourself. It has my new bridge which has a much larger footprint than my old one, yet the bridge is much shallower and lighter, apart from the area that supports the saddle which is normal height.

Another experiment

2008-04-25T09:50:00.004+01:00

About 10 years ago I tried a very unsuual and excellent guitar whilst in London, the guitar was an Howe-Orme, built in the 1890's and was one of the first guitars made with steel strings in mind. So when I was recently reminded of the guitar in a conversation, I decided to build one to see what it was like.

Now most of you will be familiar with the adjustable neck guitar I have developed, well, it was sitting around the house, not doing much so this week I cut the top off, and attached a new one, in European Spruce, based on this Howe-Orme idea. The top photo is a Howe-Orme, the rest are the Forster, see just how arched the top is?

The guitar goes to Dave Wilson's to be sprayed next week and should be back in around a month.

if theis experiment goes well I'll build a full size Rosewood version, perhaps a Model C - I've been considering building a ladder braced guitar for some time - the idea is to make a guitar perfect for noisy sessions - something that will be loud and strong. Ladder braced guitars are often this - Selmer guitars for example.

The plan is to exhibit at this years acoustic guitar show at the Barbican in London this September, and the guitar will hopefully be ready for then.

Stay tuned.

Fitting a bridge

2008-04-15T16:06:00.003+01:00

This is how I do it - the bridge with the saddle slot routed but no holes is clamped in place on to the soundboard and on top of some plastic tape which is then cut lightly around the bridge with a sharp knife. The bridge at this point has been fitted to the curve of the soundboard. The reason for the tape is to mask the spruce so lacquer does not get in between the spruce/ebony join.

When the guitar returns from the sprayers the bridge is clamped in place (two 1.5mm drills are used to locate the bridge, the holes being drilled at the ends of the saddle slot.) Then the lacquer is cut around the bridge using a new sharp blade. The bridge is taken away and the finish and tape is removed using chisels and thinners. The area is left to dry and then the fit of the bridge is checked once more. When it is ready the bridge is glued on with Titebond, clamped and left over night.

Next I'll show yo how I drill the holes for the strings.

Another Model J

2008-03-28T10:50:00.002Z

You wait for ages and two come along at the same time - this is another top of the range Rio Model J, a cutaway this time, destined for a chap who already owns a rather lovely Rio Model C. The guitar is about to have the bridge fitted and in a day or so will be strung up and left under tension for about 7 weeks. At that stage I will set the guitar up so it plays as good as it looks. The top is Caucasian Spruce from Eastern Europe - very stiff, and it needs to be for this wide guitar - the Model J is 17 1/2" across. She's a big lass!

Just for Damien

2008-03-20T16:02:00.002Z

Especially for a chap in Glasgow who has been waiting patiently for his Camatillo Model B. The guitar went off to Dave Wilson's yesterday to be sprayed. This is a really fine looking guitar - Camatillo Rosewood with European Spruce, a bound soundport and some pretty fancy binding if I say so meself. The guitar also features my new bridge, which is larger but lighter than the old one, the idea being to spread the load without adding weight. Hope he likes it!

Goodbye Model J

2008-03-14T11:02:00.004Z

The new non cutaway Model J who has featured in my recent YouTube clips was picked up today by her new owner. Jonathan drove up from the south of England this morning. The two of them seem to be getting on just fine. He's a really nice chap and plays very nice fingerstyle in a low C tuning, which the guitar was set up especially for.

The Model J is by far the hardest guitar in the range to make - the 17 1/2" lower bout is really wider than a flat top guitar should be so getting the balance of thicknessing and bracing right is more difficult. The guitar must sing, allow a soft feel and live a long life. The wider body makes these factors more difficult to control. But if I say so myself, the results were great.

I just wish I'd had the guitar for a little longer to take some images for me website.

Must paint over that hole in me wall too.

Indian Model C for Japan

2008-03-05T15:30:00.003Z

This is the first of (hopefully) many guitars to be sold for me in Japan by Dolphin Music of Osaka. The good people there have ordered an Indian Model C and left the rest to me - what perfect customers! So here you all are - Italian Spruce, Indian Rosewood, Sri Lankan Ebony and reclaimed 1908 vintage Cuban Mahogany. The guitar is a 12 fret Model C cutaway to give the best of both worlds - the bridge in the sweet spot of the soundboard and access to the upper frets. Should be perfect for someone.

Some of you may have noticed - I have a new cover for my sofa!

Yellow Cows

2008-03-02T00:04:00.002Z

Here are a couple of me holiday snaps - I promise there won't be any more. Woke up one morning to find every cow in the city of Mysore, in India was yellow. And in the evening they were all made to walk on hot coals. Apparently the dye is turmeric and is good for them and the hot coals sorts their hooves out. Bloody strange country...

Different Dalbergias

2008-02-22T14:18:00.005Z

Here are a couple of "other" Rosewoods to show you. the paler of the two is Panamanian Rosewood, which looks similar to coarse Indian but has a superb tap and ring. This stuff is also quite light, much more so than Cocobolo or Blackwood. More like Honduras Rosewood. Interesting stuff, and well worth considering if you cannot pay for Rio.

The other one was sold to me in amongst a batch of old stock Brazilian Rosewood some years ago. I don't know what it is - it is just too heavy to be Rio, and too dark for Cocobolo, but it is most certainly a Dalbergia of some sort. (Dalbergia is the Latin name for the Rosewood family) It rings like a bell and resembles good dark old Rio, but it aint. Any suggestions?

Russ picks up his Model F

2007-12-17T13:26:00.000Z

Russ and and his partner Lynn who live in Scotland came by to pick up Russ's new Indian Rio Model F. Seems quite chuffed with it eh? Russ plays in dropped tuning CGCGCE low to high so I had to get my thinking cap on to come up with the right combination of specifications to fit in with this and his wish for a smaller bodied instrument. So we came up with this 650mm scale guitar, specially intonated for his tuning, and I braced the top to respond to the low tension from a standard set of 13's. The guitar sings and we were both delighted with how she turned out.
What a nice feller too.

Richard selects some timber

2007-12-05T11:26:00.000Z

Model A owner Richard drove down from Fort William to select the timber for his next guitar - an Indian and Spruce Model D. It's been ages since anyone ordered a Model D which is a pity as the last one was superb. Anyway, Richard and I discussed the sound and feel he was after and then we picked out some backs and soundboards and went through them to find the ones we were happiest with.
The soundboard is quite unusual - it is Italian Spruce, very stiff and light but with a strong pronounced reed and quite a bit of bearclaw figure. The top really rang when tapped and will make a great guitar.
Normally I make these choices my self after discussion with the customer but it was nice that Richard could come down and be involved in the process.
The guitar won't be ready until around the middle of Spring, when it is I'll post some pictures.

Experimental Model C

2007-11-02T16:31:00.000Z

Guitar construction is a fascinating puzzle which has continued to hold my interest for many years now. Instruments are required to sound wonderful, play beautifully, look stunning and survive many years under considerable strain under all manner of climatic conditions.

Unlike the violin, the guitar is not designed to last. The design and method of construction of the violin allows it to be taken apart many times in its long life, repaired and reassembled. This is much more difficult with a guitar, with its bound edges and relatively thin and fragile top and back.

The guitar strings are anchored in the middle of the top and so the trouble begins. The strings are constantly trying to pull the bridge from the top. The only resistance is formed by a few wooden struts. At the other end of the top, the neck and fingerboard act as a lever attempting to cave the soundboard in at the upper bout. So what do we do to prevent this? We cut a large hole between the fretboard and the bridge, directly in line with the pull of the strings!

There are many ways to tackle this design flaw, one of them is to experiment with the placement of the soundhole, moving it away from under the end of the fretboard. Structurally this is the last place it should be, once moved, thought should then be given to the placement of the bridge in relation to the end of the fingerboard and tailblock. My view is the closer to half way between these two points the better. This has a beneficial effect on the sound and stability. The balance sought is between tone, aesthetics, access to the upper frets, and the stability brought about by distancing the bridge from the soundhole.

An unexpected and pleasant side effect of putting the soundhole to one side is the emphasised bass the player experiences. Rather like a soundport.

This experiment has proved to be a big success, this option is available to any of my customers at no extra charge.

This guitar is for sale at http://www.dreamguitars.com

Work in progress 2

2007-10-19T15:37:00.001+01:00

Here is the Rio/Italian Spruce adjustable neck guitar I told you about. What a guitar! This design really does work. The sound is as impressive as any of my conventional instruments. This feller is also fitted with a Fishman Aura Ellipse - the best pickup on the market. What you get is a blend of the undersaddle pickup and the digitally recorded sound of the guitar. The results are great. Still waiting for the case to arrive. The guitar comes apart so you can carry the instrument onto a plane as hand luggage. This is a serious instrument for the travelling musician.

Work in progress 1

2007-10-19T15:12:00.000+01:00

Here is a lovely Indian Rosewood Model B which is nearly ready to go to her new home in New Jersey. I'm so pleased with the way my work is developing both visually and acoustically. If anyone asked me what is the best combination of features on a guitar this is the one I would probably come up with - a 12 fret cutaway. The bridge is in the right spot - as far away from the soundhole as I can get it, the neck is shorter and stiffer, and the cutaway gives access to the upper frets. What do you recon? Fancy one yourself?

12 string goes home

2007-09-18T09:15:00.000+01:00

John came around yesterday to pickup his 12 string Model F. What a guitar! The guitars has an Italian Sporuce top and Indian/Rio mix back and sides. The sides and the central strip of the back are Rio, the outer wings are Indian - a great balance of warmth and depth.
I really think this is the ideal size for a 12 string - the smaller body and larger bridge mean the guitar will not self destruct like most larger ones do.
Another happy customer!

Fun in Cheltenham!

2007-09-10T14:01:00.000+01:00

Here is me and the lads - On the left is Gareth Pearson, from Wales who came down to entertain the crowds at the first Cheltenham Acoustic Guitar Show. He was brilliant - infact he was so good even Ian Stephenson who came down with me from Newcastle was awe struck! Ian's the feller sitting down with his Rio Model B. Ian did a great job demonstrating for me on both days and he actually talks guitar even more fluently than me! Most people thought he was me and I was his friend!
The organisers are talking about booking Ian to run a Celtic guitar masterclass at next years festival, and so they should- - he's superb.
The other picture is me playing(?) a nice lap steel made by A.J.Lucas - he's a great feller who makes all kinds of wonderful instruments. Seem quite happy don't I ?

Another new Model - no name yet though

2007-09-05T11:48:00.000+01:00

It has taken ages to get round to putting this little feller together. This is an experimental guitar, the neck joint is based on the old Stauffer guitars of the late 1800's - the neck is attached to the body with a bolt and rests on two pivots. The result is you can set your own action. Another useful feature is the access to the upper frets over the body is greatly improved. But the real bonus is the guitar is easy to take apart and put back together. I'm having a case made so the body goes in one half, the neck in the other. Small enough to carry onto most aircraft as hand luggage - this could prove to be a real help to many professional musicians. This is not a toy - it is a serious, hand made, well designed guitar.
Working with such a limited amount of space brings up some interesting problems - because the guitar is normal 25.4" scale, the length of the head had to be reduced to fit in the box, this took me towards a Banjo shaped head, and Banjo tuners which also help get the guitar back in pitch quickly. Funny how things work out.
A Rosewood and Spruce version is due back from Dave Wilson soon, it'll be sent off to the States to be recorded by Fishman for there Aura system. This guitar kitted out with a Fishman Aura could be what many of you regular air travelers are looking for!
This guitar could do with a catchy name, so far it's been Model G, but if any of you have any suggestions, drop me an email.

Rosettes

2007-08-03T12:43:00.000+01:00

Whilst admiring the work and skill of all the great inlay artists out there, when it comes to decoration,my motto is “less is more”. To me there is nothing more pleasing than good Spruce, Rosewood, Ebony and fine vintage Mahogany. These materials are sufficient luxury. Decoration only detracts from them.
Whilst some would find this approach a little stifling, I enjoy working with such a limited palette. Rosettes of concentric black and white lines, a row or two of herringbone, crowsfoot or slant check purfling, with a splash of vibrant colour. The fun is introducing small variations from the instrument before. The customer receives a Rosette unique to their instrument and for a while, my artistic urges are satisfied.

Here are a few recent rosettes. First up we have a small neat double rope and red rosette for a Model F. The white in the rope is Maple and really catches the light when the finish is applied. Stunning. I like to mix in dark colours as it reminds me of smart, dignified old Spanish rosettes of the 1920's and 30's.

Next we have some crowsfoot. It has become hard to get reliable supplies of this stuff, and is now too brittle to be used on my cutaways. Very pretty though. And it looks nice here with the mix of blue, black and white.

The last two are of a really nice delicate German purfling, it consists of the white lines and a gap. It goes really well with heavy black lines. On these two guitars I have bound the soundholes too.

Rosettes are there to serve a purpose - to seal the end grain around the soundhole. The decoration should be simple, yet beautiful.

A guitar that is not pleasant on the eye fails in one of its duties. It is my role as a luthier to reward every sense of those who care to take a closer look.

Bending and joining sides

2007-07-26T16:57:00.000+01:00

Many luthiers choose to bend sides in a machine nowadays, but I still prefer the traditional method - a bending iron. This is one of the most enjoyable jobs in guitar making and is one of the few skills particular to my trade. I love the smell of the wood and it is pleasant to watch the guitar take shape.My results are equal to bending by machine, and I get a feel for what the timber is capable of whilst I'm working it - it lets me know what sort of guitar it wants to be.

The iron I use is one made by an English violin maker called David Stoddard. This is the best of all the irons available - better shaped and more robust than the Ibex ones and less dangerous than the old Sydney Evans ones. You can see it is well coated with resin from working with good Rosewood. It's always a good sign when on the first bend that dozens of bubbles of thick resin pop out of the timber and crystallize. This happens with only the best wood. One tip though - always sand the resin off the iron when working with paler woods like Sycamore or Mahogany.

Next we see a Model B side which has been bent and placed in the mold. I'm planning a short video to post on YouTube to show how I bend sides.

The sides are trimmed to length using a picture framers guillotine and then joined to the blocks. In this case the neck block is American Black Walnut and the tailblock is Spruce. After years of experimenting with different woods for these roles my conclusion is it don't matter much! As long as the neckblock is rigid, stable and firm. Mahogany and Walnut are my favourites. For the tailblock - it should be light and stable - Basswood, Spruce and Mahogany are all suitable.

The sides are glued to the blocks either in or out the mold. Some makes glue them all together whilst in the mold - this is usually to ensure that the neckblock is glued in at 90' to the center line. As long as your joints are cut accurately and the glue up correct, your blocks will point where they should.

The next stage is cleaning up the sides, fitting the linings then the back.

More Rio sets

2007-07-11T17:31:00.000+01:00

The top set is a Rio scantling - this is some of the best timber I have, this stuff is remarkable in every way. Below is a set of excellent reclaimed Rio. It has a very clear strong tap tone. At the bottom is a set of Camatillo Rosewood - a Mexican Dalbergia, better than Cocobolo. Lovely wood, and is my favourite of all the Rio alternatives.

In Memoriam Keith Forster 1943 - 2006

2007-07-09T10:13:00.000+01:00

It is a year tomorrow since my father passed away. He was a truly decent man and I miss him. Me dad looked after us and when me mam got ill he looked after her. We have much to thank him for. We were brought up in a house free from prejudice and me father never passed judgment on the things I did - he allowed me to make my own decisions, my own mistakes and my own way in life. He preferred to teach by example rather than give advice.

Me dad drove a bus when I was little, but had to give up work to look after our mam when her multiple sclerosis became advanced. He was interested in all sorts of things - British Motorbikes, cars, and buses, and when we were at school he used to paint in his spare time. But his real love was music. He seemed to know pretty much everything about British and American music of the 50s and 60s. There were always records playing in our house. Always.

Keith Forster died on 10th July 2006 from lung cancer. He was 62.

Rio sets

2007-07-09T08:39:00.000+01:00

Here are are few Rio backs. First we have a couple of sets stamped Di Georgio - this company is one of the oldest guitar makers in Brazil and were major importers of the timber in the 1960's. The quality of there timber varies, but these sets are some of the best I've ever seen. The one marked out for a dreadnought is fantastic in every way - looks, grain, and rings like a bell. It has wings to make up the width or a central dart could be used.

Below these are a couple of slate Rio sets. The camera has bleached them out a little, but both sets are classic slate Rio - flat, straight, perfectly quarter sawn and sound like a sheet of metal when tapped.

Last is one of my many orange Rio sets. This stuff comes from the north of the country and is spectacular stuff. The mass of this stuff is slightly less than that of the dark slate and will make an excellent guitar.

I shall post some more pictures of some Rio sets later in the week.

Making a back part 2

2007-06-30T22:08:00.000+01:00

The next stage is to notch the cross grained Spruce reinforcement to take the Spruce struts. The struts are glued in place using a Go -Bar deck and a former. The former is shaped to match the curve of the struts. I mask off the back to prevent glue from squeezing out onto the Rosewood. The glue is left for about 15 mins to go a little rubbery before removing the squeeze out with an old chisel. By allowing it to go off a little it is easier to clean up without having to introduce more moisture by cleaning up with a damp rag.

It is my belief that the lower the relative humidity (RH) the better when gluing struts to a top or back. Wood can stand expansion far better than contraction so I usually glue up around the 25%-35% mark. This is far lower than most makers. 45% is considered the industry norm, but not in my shop. The heating is on all the time as is the dehumidifier. Luckily my workshop is bone dry and this part of the world rarely has spells of high humidity. But, when the RH reaches 40% or more, work grinds to a halt. To glue up after this point is asking for trouble in the future.

Once the glue has had time to dry the struts are shaped with a sharp chisel and sanded smooth. The back is then put to one side for several weeks to allow it to take on whatever shape it wishes. When it is glued to the ribs, the ribs are cut and shaped to conform to the shape of the back. The back is NOT pulled to meet the shape of the ribs. This is the exact opposite to how most steel string guitars are made, and one of the contributing factors to my sound. This all adds time and complication to the building process, but then I feel the results are worth the extra effort and care.

Making a back. Part 1.

2007-06-29T15:57:00.001+01:00

When I began my apprenticeship this was the first job I was allowed to try (after being taught how to make a cup of tea the way the boss liked it.) I've changed the method from how I was taught - this way takes a little longer but there is less mess to clean up later on in the build and less moisture is introduced during the glue up.

First the joined and thicknessed back is marked out for the struts. A European Spruce cross grained strip is glued to reinforce the purfling joins. The strips are cut from over sized soundboards.

The back struts are cut from blocks of seasoned quarter sawn Italian Spruce. They are shaped using a router and a jig. They are then thicknessed and sanded according to how stiff the wood is and which poistion on the back they take. Over the years I have learned how to find the correct balance between stiffness and flexibility. The back has to be stiff where I want it to be, and flexible where it needs to be.

When dry the cross grained strips are sanded to a gentle curve using a shaped sanding block.

Next: Gluing and shaping the struts. Taking humidity into account.

Model A goes to her new home

2007-06-28T17:30:00.000+01:00

The Model A featured in the last few posts on the blog was picked up today by her new owners. Ken and Caite came up from Liverpool and very pleased they seemed too. The little Model A sounds really great and I hope Ken spends many a happy hour picking away.

Hopefully there will be plenty of sound samples of the guitar in the years to come as Ken is one of our best record producers, having engineered and produced recordings by Coldplay, Gomez, Feeder, Badly Drawn Boy, and loads of others. He's a nice feller too and puts up with me prattling on about whatever comes into me head. What a gent. Both of them!

Indian/Rio mix 12 string Model F

2007-05-30T11:22:00.000+01:00

Well this should be great! The feller who owns the Sycamore Model B pictures in my website came to me to build him a new 12 string to replace his Koa Taylor. Now John was under the impression like many people that 12 strings should be big, but this is the last thing they should be. How many 12 stings have you played that were difficult to play or distorted or just plain bad guitars? Plenty I bet.

Flat top steel string guitars struggle to cope with the pull of 6 strings without serious deformation, 12 strings even more so. The answer is in design - all the best 12 strings were smallish guitars -think of those pre war Stella's. The position of the bridge relative to the soundhole and tail block is very important as is the clinching of the waist, the arching and thicknessing of thew soundboard.

So John is a trusting feller, he told me what he wanted, we settled on the Model F mold (about the size of a Martin 0-18) and I've done my best to build him a guitar to last a lifetime and sound and play just how he likes. Like one of mine!

The guitar comes back from Dave Wilson spray shop in about 3 weeks and I'll post some more images then.

Model A all done

2007-05-20T08:15:00.000+01:00

Well, that took a while! The Indian/Rio mix Model A is all done, and what a beauty. The sound is rich and smooth as I have come to expect from this combination of timbers. For a small guitar like this, I think this is probably better choice than going for full Rio. The Indian Rosewood adds a softness that might otherwise be missing.

If there is time, I'll get Ian Stephenson to record a sound sample for me.

So, next step is for Ken to come up from Liverpool to collect her, or for me to pop her in the post. Pity to see such a nice guitar go.

Sunburst Model C

2007-05-03T16:34:00.000+01:00

Here is a rather nice Sycamore Model C Sunburst. I was so pleased with the fantastic finishing job Dave Wilson did on this guitar, instead of taking the pics myself, I got someone in who knows what they are doing.

English Sycamore is similar to Maple, the timber is both stable and environmentally sound.

As for the most important issue: the sound is really woody and warm, more so than any Rosewood guitar. Tonally it falls between the American Rock and Sugar Maples.

There are some great clips of this guitar being played by a nice chap called Nick Pride on YouTube, and I've some footage of Tony McManus and Cklive Carrol both playing it too, which I'm still to upload.

I have plenty of sets of this stuff for those who are interested. It really suits my work.

Model G - adjustable neck

2007-04-22T20:26:00.000+01:00

Another experimental model - this is the prototype of my latest addition tho the range. The neck of this guitar is attached to the body on two pivot points and one bolt. The idea comes from Stauffer, the Austrian luthier who trained C.F. Matin, in the late 1800's. It will bring several new possibilities: The owner will be able to set his/her own action, great if you play slide and standard style. And if I can get an appropriate case made you will be able to take the instrument apart and carry it as hand luggage on flights. Great eh?

The body and neck are made from plantation grown timbers - Mahogany and Rosewood. The struts are European Spruce.

Rather than go through the who building process again, here are some of the highlights!

The guitar is at the sprayers, and we'll see how successful the experiment is in a few weeks.

Model A - Nearly there

2007-04-19T22:44:00.000+01:00

Here you can see the neck after it has been carved. The job is done by hand with rasps, files chisels, scrapers and sandpaper. One of the Jobs I like best is carving the heel - I try to do them all a little different from one another, a different profile or swell. My Grandfather Charlie Ferguson (who taught me how to play) told me you could always tell the quality of a guitar by how well the heel was carved, that it should be slender and elegant, and those words stuck with me.

After this the body is scraped and sanded. The ebony bridge is made, the underneath shaped by hand to conform to the top of the guitar. The upper side is routed for the wide saddle, the pin holes drilled and the rest of the shaping is done by hand.

The bridge's position is marked on the soundboard and masked off with tape to be removed after the spayed finish has cured. This way the Ebony is glued directly to the Spruce.

So the guitar is now off to Dave Wilson's at Haltwistle. We shall see her again in about a month.

Model A continued

2007-04-19T22:30:00.000+01:00

The bindings are sealed and scraped, and the neck is attached. Check out the previous posts on the "English Heel" to see how I do this. The last part of this job is securing the neck with tapered birch dowels, altogether four are glued and hammered into place. Rock solid.

After this the truss rod is fitted and the fretboard is glued in place. This is a very important stage, not only does the ebony have to be glued on in the correct place and manner with the correct amount of pressure, the humidity and temperature also have to be right to avoid problems later on. When dry, the neck is carved, the fingerboard is compound radiused, fretted and polished.

More Model A

2007-04-16T17:27:00.000+01:00

First image - the bindings are shaped on the bending iron and are ready to be glued into the routed channel.

Second and third - cutting the purfling miters in the body. The purfling reflects in the highly polished chisel back to show the correct angle to cut. Tricky this, if you get it wrong, it's wrong for good. This is what Professor David Pye called the workmanship of risk.

Lastly, here is the body after the masking tape has been removed. The bindings are scraped and sealed with glue to prevent the finish sinking into the purfling. After the glue dries, the surfaces are scraped again.

More Indian/Rio mix Model A

2007-04-02T11:04:00.000+01:00

The components have been sitting around in the warmth for a few weeks so it's time for the next part of the build - the back is glued to the ribs, and the sides reinforced. The back and sides are sprayed to inhibit moisture. The soundboard is fitted and glued. The body is then routed to receive the bindings which I make from Rosewood and black and white veneer.

Indian/Rio mix Model A

2007-03-13T11:10:00.000Z

Here are a few shots of a little Indian/Rio mix Model A I'm building for a nice feller from Liverpool called Ken. He and his partner drove up to Newcastle on a dark rainy day a few weeks back, and we had a nice time sorting out which model and which timbers to go for.

The pictures show the Indian/Rio back in rough sawn form, the Rio sides already bent and joined and the channels in the soundboard ready for the rosette. Next is the rosette in place and the soundhole cut.

The way I work is to prepare as many components as early as possible to allow them to take whatever shape they naturally wish to. When they have sat around for a few weeks the parts are glued together. This way stress in not built into the instrument where it is not required. It takes more time, but the results are worth it.

We will follow this little guitar through the whole process, including the conclusion of my special neck joint - the English heel.

New Aaron Jones Model 3 Bouzouki

2007-02-26T11:26:00.001Z

Old Blind Dogs' Aaron Jones got his new Bouzouki in time for a gig at Hexham Community Church on Saturday. He was playing with Tom McConville and Claire Mann. What a great evening! I recorded a few tunes at the gig and back at Claire's fathers house (Davy Mann - of the Hexham violin shop) with me video camera. I'll post them on YouTube later in the week.

There was a bit of a rush getting the Bouzouki ready for Aaron, so as usual I wasn't organised well enough to get the thing to the photographers in time. So for now here are a couple I took at the gig. The Zouk is European Spruce and Camatillo Rosewood (Mexican Kingwood) The timber is a close relative to Cocobolo, but superior. The tone is not as glassy and hard, and its nicer to work with. Closer in tone to Rio than Cocobolo.

Aaron helped design the instrument with me. We were going for a fuller warmer sound than his old instrument, but with the same power and seperation. As well as the fancy Camatillo the Bouzouki has 1908 Cuban Mahogany neck, laminated bracing, Gotoh 510 tuners, a LR Baggs dual source pickup and a fitted Calton case, all as standard. This really is the top of the range - I'm just not sure how to improve on this one.

One of the things we came up with is a large sound port in the bass side. This really helps a player hear themselves in a noisy session. And because you can hear yourself, producing good tone that is often lost in a session becomes far easier. The bonus is that the projection does not suffer. Win win!

Aaron plans to record his Model 3 soon, and when he does a sample will be posted on the NK Forster Guitars MySpace. Stay tuned.

Model ES - another new one!

2007-01-03T10:15:00.000Z

Happy New Year! Hope you are all in good health. Starting the year with a plantation Mahogany and European Spruce model ES, build in the same mold as the E and F. You can read more about her on the wbsite if you click on the link. Sound samples on Myspace coming soon!