Wednesday 27 August 2014

LC Grand Concert Cutaway and La Classica

by Luca Canteri

Last month, we went to Fuerteventura and visited Luca’s workshop. After Tamara had finished photographing two more of Luca’s masterpieces, I had a go on them.

The first of them, Grand Concert Cutaway, has a look and feel of the Grand Concert Multiscale but is even more beautiful.

(a)

As you can see, the cutaway is not very deep. It does not give you completely unimpeded access to the higher frets. But ask yourself, do you really need it? Instead, you get this amazing body shape and the sound to die for.

(b)(c)

Model specification: LC Grand Concert Cutaway

  • Woods: Val di Fiemme Spruce, Makassar Ebony back and sides, Ebony bindings, Brazilian Rosewood Fingerboard
  • Triple ring rosette (b) and Headplate (c): Brazilian Rosewood & Makassar Ebony
  • Bone saddle and nut. Back horn bridge pins
  • Tuners: Gotoh 510 mini 1.18 ratio
  • Nut: 45 mm
  • Bridge strings spacing: 58 mm
  • Multiscale: 25″—26″
  • Waist: 25 cm
  • Upper bout: 29 cm
  • Lower bout: 39.5 cm
  • Body length: 49 cm
  • Overall length: 102 cm

After playing a multiscale, a “normal” fretboard, at least for a little while, feels a bit weird.

La Classica (d) looks more like a flamenco instrument than a concert classical. However, it sounds very different from flamenco guitar. If anything, its sound reminded me that of one cedar-top guitar I heard in Peter Barton’s workshop at the Leeds College of Music back in 1996 (sorry can’t be any more precise!), soft, sweet and long-lasting. Besides, it is a very comfy instrument to play. (As I had mentioned before, the steel string guitar’s neck is too narrow for me.) A pleasure for ear, eye and hands alike.

(d)

Model specification: La Classica

  • Top: Italian Val di Fiemme Spruce
  • Back and Sides: Burmese Rosewood
  • Ebony Fingerboard
  • East Indian Rosewood Bindings
  • Bone nut and saddle
  • Schaller Tuners
  • K&K pickup
  • Nut width: 54 mm nut width
  • Upper bout: 29 cm
  • Waist: 25 cm
  • Lower bout: 37 cm

More photos of acoustic guitar @ Shutterstock.

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