Beautiful & Unusual Classical Guitars - Episode 5: Zebulon Turrentine 'No. 22'
Zebulon Turrentine has music & wood in his blood. From an early age he was surrounded by both. Now he has a degree in classical guitar performance and an enviable reputation as a master luthier. Read on to learn more about this wonderful craftsman and this prized guitar that was prize!
Nice view from the lower bout towards the headstock
Introduction
Zebulon Turrentine has been around wood and music for his entire life. He was born in a log cabin in the USA so it seems as if it was fated that Zebulon would end up combining music and wood as beautiful and mellifluous instruments.
Awesomely Zebulon is not just a luthier but he's also a graduate performer with a Bachelor's degree in Classical Guitar Performance from Shenandoah University! How cool is that? To add to fate Zebulon's 6th grade teacher was the daughter of a fabulous guitar maker - Don Gallagher the son of J. W. Gallagher of Gallagher Guitar Co.
There's that lovely Western Red Cedar top with assymetric lattice bracing.
Specifications:
- Top - Western Red Cedar
- Back and Sides - African Mahogany
- Fretboard - West African Ebony
- Bridge - African Padauk
- Bracing - Asymmetric lattice
- French polish with shellac
- Scale length - 650mm
- Jumbo Gold EVO frets
Nice view of the headstock & Der Jung tuners
The guitar was commissioned as the 1st prize for the University of Louisville Florida 2015 Guitar competition - and what a prize it truly was. There isn't too much information around about this guitar on Zebulon's website apart from why it was made, what is was made for, and what is was made from. However it doesn't matter as we have plenty of pictures to drool over.
Perfect view of the wonderful African Mahogany grain
How to get one for yourself?
Zebulon now has a workshop in Cookeville, Tennessee in the United States of America. He's happy for anyone to give him a call or stop by for lunch!
Don't miss my other blogs showcasing some of the world's most beautiful & unusual guitars.
Let your fingers fly!
Beautiful & Unusual Classical Guitars - Episode 2: Mangore 'White Tiger'
Every now again we see a guitar that captures our imagination and the White Tiger from Bellucci Guitars is definitely one of those! Read on to find out more about this stunning guitar creature.
Introduction
Bellucci Guitars headed by Renato Bellucci is known for making stunning guitars made from exotic woods and incorporating new design features like beveled cutaways, elevated fingerboards, soundports, & tailpiece bridges. Something else that they have also built a culture around is their use of unusual woods & combining them in unique ways.
In this article I will be focusing on just one of their designs as their company has too many wonderful classical guitars to cover in just one article!
The 'White Tiger' Classical Guitar
Back and Sides: Black & White Ebony
Top - Spruce
Scale Length: 630mm + Indented/Beveled Cutaway for access to the upper frets.
Violin Type Bridge made from Ebony
All headstocks need 3 Birmanian Rubies mounted in 18kt gold don't they?
The ebony armrest alla Greg Smallman in all its glory.
A nice view of the Artec Edge-Z Preamp
Full Specifications at a glance:
- Back and Sides - Black & White Ebony
- Top - Spruce
- Scale Length - 630mm
- Preamp - Artec Edge-Z
- Carbon fiber truss rod
- Indented/Beveled cutaway
- Armrest - Ebony
- Gold plated tuners
- 22 frets
- Radius fingerboard
- Bridge and Neck nuts - Buffalo horn
My Opinion
Sadly I haven't played this guitar and I probably never will as it was custom-made for a lucky gentleman from the USA but I can say that it looks stunning and is has some wonderful features that I'd certainly love to have on my custom-made guitar (when I get one).
Leave a comment and let me know what you think and make sure you check out my other articles on modern classical guitar design.
Beautiful & Unusual Classical Guitars - Episode 1: Projection Guitar (Florian Vorreiter)
Florian Vorreiter is at the cutting edge of classical guitar design. Read on to discover more about his ideas & philosophy behind guitar construction.
Introduction
Every now and again we see a picture or watch a video and something within catches our eye & our imagination. A couple of months ago I was browsing through some Pinterest boards and I happened to see a picture of a classical guitar with a soundport that had a sliding door as part of its design. I was so intrigued that I immediately occupied myself with further research and discovered that the guitar was made by a German luthier called Florian Vorreiter.
It seemed that it was destiny for Vorreiter to become a luthier extraordinaire as his father restored museum instruments for several decades, and through his father's craft he was exposed to instrument repair, design, & construction going on to make & revolutionise not only classical guitar design but also acoustic guitars, lutes, & Baglama.
An amazing picture of an 'Experimental Guitar' by Florian Vorreiter.
A love for art & music showed from an early age with Florian being an avid violinist and in later years an artist with a passion and penchant for air brushes, spray cans, and the humble pencil. These two passions have combined to create what I believe to be some of the most visually stunning classical guitars of the 21st century.
The picture above says it all about these guitars but I should take some time to show you some of the unique features of a Vorreiter guitar.
The 'Floating Bridge'
Floating Bridge concept - light, high break angle, cool looking!
Ergonomics
Beveled armrest and cutaway - increases comfort and playability.
Headstock
A striking headstock design featuring a fully carved relief with flamenco-style tuning pegs.
Soundport Ideas
A crazy styled soundport that opens & closes!
To find out more about modern classical guitar designs and features be sure to check out my other blog articles here. To find out more about Florian Vorreiter's fabulous guitars and the man himself take the time to visit his website: