Sam
How do you sleep at night?!
I have been looking at the photos again of your guitar.
This is like when we were 20 and we knew we had a date on Saturday night with the prettiest girl in town... we could not think about anything else!

Tomas, Not to well on the sleep, but in 8 1/2 hours, La Pedro will be in its happy new home.

We will all be looking forward to your reaction and to hearing what it sounds like.

-Bob

Amigos,

I thought I'd post a link to a short video of this guitar played by a local musician Jefferey Trapp:

First let me say no video can do Peters guitars justice. I will make some sound clips next week. First let me say my goal in having Peter make this guitar was to get a sound and response that pleased me. I wanted growl, I mean real growl on the basses, but sweet trebles. I wanted response. My idea was to use maple B & S and brace the top Reyes style all in a Santos body 650 scale.

First thing I did was hit the E6 string. The response was phenomenal. Then the E1. Nice. Then run a scale from an open E6 to 12 fret E1. Perfect balance. Then a little vibrato on a treble falseta. Sweet, amazing sweet for a newly finished guitar. Then some falsetas using the thumb on the basses. Clean, crisp, amazing response with the perfect growl for my ears. The guitar vibrates and can be felt through my body even with lightest touch. It is just phenomenal! How Peter was able to achieve just the tone and response I wanted is unbelievable.

The guitar is light, lightest I have ever played, but feels solid and not fragile. The balance is perfect. The mechanical pegs are great. Like everything about them and on any future guitars will use them exclusively. The French polish is perfect and gives the guitar a great old world look. It looks durable, unlike FP guitars I have had before. The craftsmanship is amazing giving a hand made look and old world charm.

See Peters gallery for finished photos. I will take more next week. http://picasaweb.google.com/guitarsbype ... eat=email#

Best guitar in every way that I have ever played on or owned. Bear in mind this guitar was made to my personal taste. It might not please everyone, however Peter could probably figure out how to make a guitar to please anyone. I now see what others having been raving about. To appreciate a Tsiorba one must hold it and play it. The way it communicates with your body is amazing. Almost magical.

I asked for an extended golpador/rasqueadoador. Peter original design for this surprised me. Another of his special touches. Playability is superb. Never played on better. Peters guitars are one of a kind. I hope Peter continues in this tradition of building custom for the player and never goes with standard models.

That's a really nice looking and nice sounding guitar. I may need to start saving my Blue Chip stamps again.....

Manos Lentas wrote:First let me say no video can do Peters guitars justice.

That is true. Recordings are not like playing and hearing the real thing. Peter makes fine guitars that you have to hold in your hands and play to fully appreciate.

Manos Lentas wrote:Best guitar in every way that I have ever played on or owned.

I am not surprised by your reaction. I have certainly enjoyed my Tsiorba.

-Bob

Over the last hour played through siguiriyas, soleares, alegrias, bulerias por solea, bulerias, sevillanas, and tangos and the guitar is starting to open up more. It is a smaller body guitar much like my homemade negra and I figured volume would be lower, but no so. With about half the force I was using before I get very loud volume and amazing response. I find it much easier to play without a cejilla and also with one than my other guitars. The 650 scale over the 655 did make a big difference to me. Distance of strings to top is perfect really helping my arpeggios. Still working on getting my hands to get the feel of it automatically, but we are forming a great relationship. I also want to add Peter designed my golpador by looking at photos of the wear on my Dominguez golpeador. The mechanical pegs are taking some practice, but getting the hang of them.

The guitar seems to love old time gypsy style flamenco. I am sold on maple for back and sides for the good old time sound.

Some photos from Peters gallery.

Recorded on Zoom H2. No retakes, editing, or enhancement. Warmed up and turned on recorder and recorded first take. What you hear here is the same as if you would have been here in person. All played without cejilla which is unusual for me because of little finger reaches. Lots of mistakes and rushing phrases, dead notes, etc., but at least I got it down so you can get some idea of how this guitar sounds with my style of playing.

I also made a clip of 2 minute Solea and 3 minute Alegrias both first take improvisational, but cannot get them up loaded. Check back as I will keep trying.
Siguiriyas falseta Tsiorba.mp3