Dear fellow Flamenco afficianados

i wonder if you might be of help me to identify my new flamenco guitar.
it is a peghead style and very light in weight, the construction woods are of a very light colour i am guessing the traditional woods spruce and cypruss.

it was made in 1967 by a Luthier called D J Harrison in South Africa


it is in reasonable condition, the back is cracked in a couple of places but the guitar is generally sound and just in need of some TLC

I was considering filling the cracks from the inside with a light wood filler.

luckily the integrity of the body is not effected and the neck is straight and true, intrestingly the nut looks like it is made from Tortashell, it is almost see through, i have not come acrooss one of these before.

here are a few pictures to view of the guitar, your comments are welcome



thanks for your help in advance

Comus

Interesting guitar. I have no knowledge of Harrison or how many guitars he built. The top looks possibly like a light cedar, but could be spruce and finished with a color varnish or lacquer. Maybe just darkened from age. The back looks like it is cypress, but possibly maple or birch. If it is very light weight, then probably cypress.

I would not use wood filler or try to fill the crack with glue. I would recommend having a luthier restore this guitar as it looks like it might turn out to be a nice one. That is expensive so if you make the repair yourself, consider cutting a very thin strip of light wood like spruce or pine that is straight grained that could be glued into the crack. This is difficult and usually requires a very thin piece of wood about a 1/32 " thin and about 3/8" wide be glued on the inside over the crack for the entire length and then when that is set, glue (from the backside) in the very, very thin straight grained strip in the crack and let it dry, then carefully cut off the excess with a razor knife. To make this look good will require light sanding and applying a french polish finish over the area or refinishing the guitar.

Another method some use is to place the guitar with it's back on a solid table with poly plastic between the back and table, then fill the cracks from the inside with epoxy. Doing this neatly is a problem because epoxy is messy and hard to clean up. Also the plastic has to be solid enough to stop the epoxy level with the back. Epoxy won't stick to the poly plastic. This also might be done using plastic electrical tape, but one takes the chance of removing the finish when removing the tape, especially french polish.

Adding a golpedor is simple enough and not to spendy. There is several sites that have information on this. If the braces are not loose, then no reason to worry about the crack except for looks. Clean it real good and put a golpedor and stings on it and enjoy. I would be interested in hearing the tone of it.

wow, where'd you find this one?

i would do as sam said and just take it to a luthier to fix the crack and to add golpeadors. if it's a flamenco, i wonder why it doesn't already have golpeadors. have you strung it up yet?

Manos Lentas wrote:Interesting guitar. I have no knowledge of Harrison or how many guitars he built. The top looks possibly like a light cedar, but could be spruce and finished with a color varnish or lacquer. Maybe just darkened from age. The back looks like it is cypress, but possibly maple or birch. If it is very light weight, then probably cypress.

I would not use wood filler or try to fill the crack with glue. I would recommend having a luthier restore this guitar as it looks like it might turn out to be a nice one. That is expensive so if you make the repair yourself, consider cutting a very thin strip of light wood like spruce or pine that is straight grained that could be glued into the crack. This is difficult and usually requires a very thin piece of wood about a 1/32 " thin and about 3/8" wide be glued on the inside over the crack for the entire length and then when that is set, glue (from the backside) in the very, very thin straight grained strip in the crack and let it dry, then carefully cut off the excess with a razor knife. To make this look good will require light sanding and applying a french polish finish over the area or refinishing the guitar.

Another method some use is to place the guitar with it's back on a solid table with poly plastic between the back and table, then fill the cracks from the inside with epoxy. Doing this neatly is a problem because epoxy is messy and hard to clean up. Also the plastic has to be solid enough to stop the epoxy level with the back. Epoxy won't stick to the poly plastic. This also might be done using plastic electrical tape, but one takes the chance of removing the finish when removing the tape, especially french polish.

Adding a golpedor is simple enough and not to spendy. There is several sites that have information on this. If the braces are not loose, then no reason to worry about the crack except for looks. Clean it real good and put a golpedor and stings on it and enjoy. I would be interested in hearing the tone of it.

Thank you for your lenghty reply Manos and your advice.

I was only really concerned about the cracks due to my limited knowledge of how sound is created inside a guitar, i thought that as the sound is created by the movement of air on the back of the guitar, that the flow of air might be greatly disturbed by the cracks.
I am aware that the flamenco tone is created by the reflected sound from the back stricking the sound board of the guitar which will produce the tone.

Intrestingly i had considered filling the cracks from the inside with epoxy resin.

thankyou again for your advice.

at_leo_87 wrote:wow, where'd you find this one?

i would do as sam said and just take it to a luthier to fix the crack and to add golpeadors. if it's a flamenco, i wonder why it doesn't already have golpeadors. have you strung it up yet?

Hi leo

I thought the same about the Golpeador lol but it is definately a flamenco guitar !!!

i havnt strung it up yet as i am still cleaning and adjusting, but as soon as i do i will let you know my first impressions and include a sound clip.
my Knowledge of Compas is rudimentary so dont expect anything to fancy on the soundclip lol

i am exited about hearing it sing for the first time, in who knows how long...i bought it from an auction in shabby condition with three strings on it that looked like they had never been changed.
it had been stored some where in direct sunlight and generally abused it even has splatters of magnolia emulsion on it...honestly i dont know how anyone can treat a handmade guitar with such distain

i will resurect it back to its former glory.

I was only really concerned about the cracks due to my limited knowledge of how sound is created inside a guitar, i thought that as the sound is created by the movement of air on the back of the guitar, that the flow of air might be greatly disturbed by the cracks.
I am aware that the flamenco tone is created by the reflected sound from the back stricking the sound board of the guitar which will produce the tone.

Intrestingly i had considered filling the cracks from the inside with epoxy resin.

thankyou again for your advice.

Comus, With all respect you are slightly confused on how a guitar produces it's tone. The string vibrations are transferred to the top via the bridge. The bracing of the top has a great deal to do with tone and evenness of amplitude of the notes, etc. The air that is moved by the top is reflected by the back and forced out the sound hole. The width of the sides plays a role in the acoustic of the guitar. Many flamencos are less wide on the sides as opposed to classical, gives them a crisper tone. Generally top, b & s on a flamenco are thinned more than a classical, making them more prone to cracking. Anyway any air forced out of the crack would be so minimal that it would not be noticeable in volume and in most cases would have no effect on tone. Sometimes guitars open up when a top cracks. I have a crack in my 2004 Dominguez top that starts at the rosette and go to the purfling on the left side of the finger board. I can tell no difference in tone. I bought the guitar new and take extra good care of it. It didn't crack until early this year for no reason I can determine. For an abused guitar yours look in good shape. I am surprised it is in one piece. I had a 1969 Mexican made Pimental that after 10 years cracked full length of the back and full length of top in two places. The sides also cracked the entire distance of the left side. I glued the sides back together, but never messed with the top or back. It seemed the guitar opened up after this. Probably made with poorly seasoned wood. Harrison must have used some well seasoned wood to hold up this well. I would like to hear from anyone that has heard of Harrison of South Africa.

Don't worry about a sound clip not being perfect. Several of us here are low level intermediate or beginners. We do have some advanced players and also some talented pros, but they are kind and understanding and focus on what you do right instead of what you do wrong. Any criticism is very constructive and helpful.

Hi sam
I do understand how sound is created in the guitar, you were just able to put it more eloquently than i could.
Having never owned a cracked guitar before i was Hypothesizing about how it may effect the sound really,so thanks for putting my mind at rest about that....i am not a wealthy man so i may decide to leave well alone in regards to the crack in the back as i imagine a luthier would charge many hundreds of Pounds to do a good job because it would be time consuming.

I have actually strung up the guitar with a new set of la bella strings, but have taken them of again as the the Pegs were so stiff and dry...it was really difficult to tune...and i was concerned about breaking a peg.

I hope i have done correctly...as i have ordered some Hills peg dope and some Hiderpaste...so i can sort out the pegs properly so they will be lubricated(peg dope) and also not slip(Hilder paste).

The quick go i did have of it when tuned up...it did have the correct percussive and bright tone.
intrestingly the wood has a very distinct smell (when i stick my nose inside the guitar) i feel certain that my guitar is a traditional Blanca with cypress back and sides, and spruce for the soundboard...the distinct smell is probably the smell of the cypress.

The peg dope should fix the tuning problem. If it smells like cypress, then I would say it is. Cypress has an unmistakeably smell. Now get a tap plate on it and enjoy. I am looking forward to hearing a sound clip of it. Old flamenco guitars like this one can sometimes give a player more pleasure than a new expensive one. As I was once told, an old flamenco guitar has a history and the guitar will tell its story if the player coaxes it. I was also told a handmade flamenco guitar never has an owner, only caretakers.

I am a storyteller and enjoy imagining what stories this guitar could tell. Who played on it? What palos were their favorites? Where did they play, on stage or at juergas or maybe just some gypsies singing and playing guitar after getting a little gusto. What countries has it been in? Did it originally have a golpedor? What events lead to selling of it at auction?

Manos Lentas wrote:The peg dope should fix the tuning problem. If it smells like cypress, then I would say it is. Cypress has an unmistakeably smell. Now get a tap plate on it and enjoy. I am looking forward to hearing a sound clip of it. Old flamenco guitars like this one can sometimes give a player more pleasure than a new expensive one. As I was once told, an old flamenco guitar has a history and the guitar will tell its story if the player coaxes it. I was also told a handmade flamenco guitar never has an owner, only caretakers.

I am a storyteller and enjoy imagining what stories this guitar could tell. Who played on it? What palos were their favorites? Where did they play, on stage or at juergas or maybe just some gypsies singing and playing guitar after getting a little gusto. What countries has it been in? Did it originally have a golpedor? What events lead to selling of it at auction?

I like the way you are thinking about this because i have thought about it the same way myself...i am very intrested to know the history of this guitar as well.....
as far as the getting it together is concerned...i have the golpiador cut to shape and ready to fit...i have the peg dope....i am now looking for a means to repair the damage a little which will be under the golpiador...becaus once the golpiador is in place it wont be coming off again and it is clear...so i have heard there is a flamenco guitar luthier maybe 30 miles from where i live (which is good news) i think i will visit them and get advice on the best way to go as far as a purely cosmetic tidying up can be done before placing the golpierdor.
i also have a set of standard tension savarez flamenco strings on order...so all is well and proceeding along nicely.

as far as your thoughts on the comparing it to a new expensive flamenco like a Conde Hermarnos...my thoughts are a 44 year old well payed handmade guitar guitar is going to sound better than a new onw because it is well played in and the woods have settled etc...my thoughts on the prices of new peg head flamenco blancas, made from high quality cypruss with a thin spruce soundboardstart at around £1800 to about £3000 of course the name of a famous luthier adds a £1000 onto the price tag..hence how expensive Condo Blancas are!!
so i beleive that my guitar new (at 1967 prices) would of come in around the £1800 mark or higher certainly not lower
if it was made in spain by a famous luthier( which is why Mercedes cost more than other lesser car makes) they are not neccesserrily better it a bit of expensicve badge snobbery lol