|
Posted on 06/20/2011 6:13:21 PM PDT by laurenmarlowe
|
Well....
It all started last week, when a friend of mine gave me an old Spanish guitar with no strings, and a broken nut(the small ivory piece at the top of the neck which holds the strings in place), and lots of scratches in the wood. After carefully removing the shattered nut, and managing to untangle the old oxidized strings and remove them from the old-fashioned tuning pegs, I spent hours lovingly sanding the wood to get rid of the scratches. When I finally achieved a soft patina, I ventured forth to purchase new nylon strings and either a bone or plastic nut to finish the project. I have three Electrics and a steel-string acoustic guitar, but this would be my first nylon string “classical” guitar.
The first Music store I shopped had strings, but the nuts were all for electric guitars and were thus the wrong size and shape for the classical guitar. Not only THAT, they came in bags or a DOZEN! As If!
So I bought the strings, and went to a Guitar store for a classical nylon string nut. This store didn’t have them either, but the proprietor offered to CARVE one out of bone for me for $50.00. Since I had paid nothing for the guitar, paying $50.00 for something less than an inch and a half long and a quarter inch wide did not appeal to me.
So I drove a few miles more to a music shop that did repairs in the premises. As I swept into the front door I asked the manager, “Do You Have Any NUTS?”.
He was a horn player, was not familiar with my use of the term, and became quite insulted. When I finally was able to explain to him what I meant, he referred me to the Luthier. (Guitar fixing guy).
The Luthier had buckets of nuts and we found one that would fit. I sped home with my prize, glued it into its proper place, and without even waiting for the glue to dry, strung it up, using all the proper guitar-knots and winding all the pegs in the right direction. It looked BEAUTIFUL.
I tuned it up, and played the first chord. It SUCKED!!!! The frets are too far apart and so there is NO intonation on the ‘instrument”! I checked the calibrations with a digital tuner. The frets were installed in what looks like the ratios on a BASS GUITAR, and this is a little short scale Spanish Guitar! The frets should be at least a mm closer together. Of course, once the first measurement is wrong, the mistake rises exponentially up the 21 frets.
There is no way to correct this, as the fret wires are inserted into grooves that have been cut into the fretboard.
It will make a nice wall decoration, or perhaps a weapon. (El Kabong Strikes again!)
Grrrrrrr.
Well, I don’t know...but if you’re in Texas and haven’t told us, you be in trouble, gal! LOL!
Second guess would be a new computer?
I am at the cottage with Sue!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
No telling, but I am lucky to even get a post off at all
@#*% internet!
Good evening Professor....did you watch any of the Game of Thrones series?
*HUG*
I am at the cottage!
Aloha Bigs & hope you had a special Fathers Day! *hugs*
 |
Hello from Idaho!!!!!!!!!!
GOD BLESS THE TROOPS...
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE...
Not much new in Idaho,,,, it was 70F today. Sunny and bright.
A chipmunk is chirping right now outside and Fredd has fallen asleep not trying to chase it! He has brought home deer antlers and a paddle from a Moose, I see a he will have to be taught that is not good.
****hugs***
braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!!!!!!
LOL!
I AM SOOOOO jealous!!
Color me jealous!
Hi Sue!
You two aren’t slamming Ukrainian Bombers are you? ;)
Hi Sue!
You two aren’t slamming Ukrainian Bombers are you? ;)
Hi - this is Sue. I wish you all (or should that be “y’all?)were here. I’ve heard so much about you, and I want to meet everyone!!
Howdy from Texas, Sue! We would love to meet you, too! We have fallen in love with your wonderful cottage and your beautiful state!
....and it’s GOT to be cooler there...it was 105 here today. Ugh!
I’d love to meet you as well.
Thank you so much, for helping us with visiting Ms B over the years.
Your cottage reminds me of my great grandparents place but with a VIEW LoL!
I am sorry my responses are so slow.
I have internet ISP trouble here.
Ukrainian Bombers, no - coffee brandy sombreros and gin & fresca (yes, fresca - just hush!)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
