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February 11 2005

It was at this point that Joshua's creative nature really began to show. In one of our conversations he said that he'd always greatly admired the "Meander" inlay done on another famous 1858 Torres guitar. Joshua had always wanted to do this on a guitar, but had never had the opportunity. He then proposed that he would like to try it on mine. Being a proponent of beauty as well as function, I was amenable to the idea, especially after I saw the inlay on the original guitar, reproduced here by Japanese luthier Jun Nakano. While I think the inlay work is truly amazing, for my taste the guitar is a little gaudy, so we decided on a more refined approach, including the design elements at strategic locations rather than making them an overpowering feature.

Joshua writes:
"The website of Jun Nakano. Jun is an excellent craftsman, and though his website is in Japanese, it is well worth viewing on account of his amazing inlay work. One guitar featured on the website is a copy of the 1858 Torres guitar for which Antonio de Torres won a bronze medal. The copy is magnificient and flawless. I have seen this guitar in real life, and it is a true work of art."

Jerry,
Check out the attached. I figured doing a headplate would be the least destructive way to try my hand at actually putting the meander into something. It came out really nice looking. If you have no objection to the shape of Torres' head (same thing as a Hauser) I'll use it on Issa. The head of Tarrega's Torres is like this, except it has one other inlay at both edges. Using my normal headstock crest, which comes to a point would - I feel - not look nearly as good with the meander. I imagine you're fine with the Torres head + meander, but if not I'll use it on my guitar ;). This stuff is going to look great on your back, flanked in herringbone...
Best regards,
Joshua

Joshua,
Okay, now you're officially messin' with me!!! That looks fantastic, absolutely fantastic. I would be very pleased for you to use the Torres style head if you think it would look better. I got the other teaser image as well. That looks SO nice against that lighter colored wood, I imagine it is the Cypress? Looking good Josh. Thanks again for the pictures. I'm showing them to everyone who will give me the time of day!!
Jerry



Jerry,
Glad you like everything so far! Yes that is the Cypress you see in the first picture, and I think the meander will look exquisite flanked in herringbone against that wood. The meander came out pretty good. The challenges in making these sorts of things is part of the human element and spirit that is imbued into a guitar, and I always look at such things with a smile when its finally finished. I'm both bemused and amused by the work of Torres in this regard, from reading the Grondona/Waldner book (the pictures have been a great help for doing this design). On the head of Tarrega's guitar for instance, the first three pieces of the meander/greek key starting at the nut are upside down in relation to the rest of the design. This was a guitar Torres made for himself in 1864, that was later aquired by Tarrega. While that particular instance can be easily, and reasonably explained as the charm of something that is made by human hands, he eventually goes one further as to defy perfection with what must have been total intention. On his guitar of 1858, right at the tail where the two ribs/sides meet, he places only one meander/greek key upside down, in a guitar that is otherwise perfectly executed with many of the same inlay. Maybe that says something about his spirit, or his humility as a guitar maker and person. Though I am doing everything I can to capture the same kind of spirit and sensitivity to instrument making as Torres did, I haven't placed anything upside down yet. Maybe down the road....Check out Felix Manzanero's obviously Torres inspired 50th anniversary guitar. http://www.guitarrasmanzanero.com/ I once sat across from him during dinner in Spain, and had a blast talking to him despite the fact that I speak almost no Spanish and he almost no English, but in some instances I guess cognac is the international language! I hope you're having a great weekend.

best wishes,
Joshua