Hello, it has been a while. Happy holidays to all.
As you can see in the photo I have put some of my guitars on display in my shop. Some of these are completed guitars that I use at shows and and some are under construction waiting for new owners.
The past year was somewhat busy in the shop, I completed a few new instruments and there were lots of repairs and plenty to keep me busy.
Recently I had a story writer from our statewide magazine, New Jersey Monthly, come visit me along with a professional photographer. The photographer and I set up a few working images that I have yet to see and the story will be published in the March 2020 issue of NJ Monthly.
Jay Rosenblatt in his shop with several of his handmade instruments 2019
In the photo;
(L-R) “Kasha Classical” with a reclaimed cedar soundboard and rosewood back and sides, “Big maple”, A Lutz Spruce top with maple back and sides and hand cut inlays just completed and strung up today, “Moonwood and Maple” under construction, a Moonwood Soundboard, 4A maple back and sides, maple laminate neck, In my hands a “7 String Baroque” This is an exact replica of a romantic era guitar, “Red Rose” (behind me) Redwood and rosewood PF model with mahogany neck (new, complete, sweet), “Domino” radially braced hybrid guitar made of Myrtle and alaskan spruce, “Apollo 17” “A-framed semi-arch-top with walnut back and sides, “Arches”, a guitar inspired by the Arches in Utah with a unique intersecting arch bracing system. (some of these instruments are featured in my past posts)
What else? Currently I am in the design process of an electric guitar model. That will be down the line but working on it.
In the New Year, April, 3-5, 2020, I will be exhibiting my acoustic guitars at the Artisan Guitar Show in Harrisburg, PA.
This is a three day event with concerts, musical performances, hand-built instruments and their makers, vintage instruments, workshops and classes.
I am happy to announce that I will have my favorite musical duo, “Frank and Hank,” Frank Sole and Henry Nerenberg, perform for me at the show on Sunday, April 5th., featuring my instruments.
Frank Sole and Henry Nerenberg “Frank and Hank”, will be featuring Jay Rosenblatt Guitars in performance at the Artisan Guitar Show April 3,4,5, 2020
Well Thats it for now. Looking for that special acoustic guitar? Drop me a line.
Looking back at 2013, it has been a very productive year in the guitar workshop and other areas of my luthier business.
Brace shavings
Most recently I completed the closing of a new guitar body. This one is constructed of East Indian Rosewood. The soundboard is from a 40 year old Alaskan Sitka Float Log felled in the 70’s that I purchased from Alaska Specialty Woods in 2010. It has been on my shelf seasoning. The Braces are Sitka from the same supplier. This instrument will be less ornate than my previous builds without to much pearl or embellishments keeping my focus on the sound of this instrument.
The bridge-plate is Rosewood that matches the sides. The center strip is also cut from the remains of the back. The x brace has an ebony inlay into the joint for added stiffness at the center.
This newer body style is smaller and a little more rounded than my large body instruments. It sits comfortably in the lap and has enough body depth to provide a good bass response.
In progress right now is another parlor guitar. This instrument is about 2/3 through the process.
This instrument is constructed of 50 year old American Walnut back and sides. I received an 8 foot by 12″ x 5/4 board as a gift from a friend. There were long checking about a foot into each end of the board. After resawing the boards I was able to salvage 4 sets of backs and sides.
The wood was not quarter sawn but being such an old age is very stable and went together beautifully. The top of this guitar is Red Spruce that I acquired from Carl Barney. The rosette is a classical style, handmade rosette, of wood fiber and very beautiful from LMI. Currently the body is complete, the neck is done a temporarily installed. It needs the nut, bridge, saddle tuner and strings and an initial set up.
This one has a Lutz spruce top, ebony geometric rosette, ebony bindings, ebony fingerboard with maple strip inlay, hand cut mother-of-pearl maple leaf position markers, Chippendale headstock design and an ebony bridge.
These photos show it in a test assembly for preliminary setup and is now being spray finished by my good friend and luthier, Tony DiDomenico. This should be completed early 2014.
This has a Lutz spruce top, AAAA Quilted Maple back and sides, hand carved mahogany neck with slotted headstock and Schertler tuners, hand made geometric rosette, hand toned back and sides with a golden amber stain. Ebony fingerboard, bridge and headstock, domino dot position markers, Ebony end-graft and ebony bindings .
I have other guitars and projects in the works. This year was also a good year for my repair business. There have been many repairs I have made to keep guitars playable for other musicians. Add to that the addition of the LR Baggs line of pickups and installations and having the Phil Jones line of amps available for sale and I think 2014 will continue to show growth in guitar building and repairs as well.
Showing my instruments and selling LR Baggs Pickups and Phil Jones Amps at the Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase in Woodstock, NY this past October, 2013.
I want to thank you for reading my blog and I hope you enjoy these posts.
Wishing you all a Happy New year, a great year for playing, music and song.
All my best to you for peace, health and prosperity.
On October 25th, 26th and 27, 2013 the Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase will take place in Woodstock, New York.
This is an event where the finest in hand-built acoustic guitars and acoustic stringed instruments displayed by their builders and daily performances by many talented musicians come together. http://woodstockinvitational.com/about2013.html
I will have LR Baggs Pickups for sale at my table including the M1-A, The Lyric, The Anthem, Anthem SL, I-Beam and I will also have the Gigpro, Para DI and Venue DI pre-amps for sale. If you need a great acoustic pickup or pre-amp I recommend LR Baggs. You can find me and my exhibit in the Vendors Annex.
I will also have some of my guitars on display to play and to check out the pickups and amps.
Cocobolo and redwood guitar Hand built by Jay RosenblattMaple Parlor Guitar with ebony appointments hand built by Jay Rosenblatt
Pictured here are some of the LR Baggs products I will have on sale.
LR Baggs Lyric bridge plate microphone acoustic PickupLR Baggs Venue DI Pre AmpLR Baggs M1-A Active body sensitive acoustic pick-up
In my opinion LR Baggs makes the best acoustic pickups and Phil Jones make the most natural sounding amps for Guitars, Basses, and Violins. combine these two together and you have the best acoustic sound available from your instruments.
I recently became a distributor of Phil Jones Pure Sound Amps . I will have the CUB II AG 150 on display at my table and there will also be one in the main building amp room for testing and listening. You can order them from me at the show or by email or telephone. Please look for my information on my “About Page” on this blog.
Pictured here is the Phil Jones CUB AG-150 two channel amp. This is a sweetie of an amp, 100 watts in a very portable package weighing only 15 LBS. 6.8kg. Perfect for the musician that needs portability, great tone and the ability to plug a guitar and mic in when playing small clubs and gigs. It comes with a padded gig bag and an optional stand is available.
Last year at the Woodstock Invitational I made good friends with many of the other builders and also the vendors who will be providing tone woods and parts for the luthier. I got to personally meet John Sebastian who delighted me by playing one of my guitars. I listened to some great performances and was totaly inspired by the great and talented luthiers who participated in the event. Here are some of last years photos.
Maplewoodstock 2013 was this past weekend. I want to thank all of my friends and musicians who entertained us and all the folks that came out Saturday and Sunday to visit my booth. Both days were filled with great music and people. Everyone was having a great time.
My tent was slightly rained out on for an hour Saturday, but Sunday, although hot, was dry. The tent looked great and because I was under a tree in the shade many people hung around. It didn’t hurt to be under the tree on Saturday either when it rained as it kept people around helping sales too. I received many inquiries about repairs and requests to commission me to build acoustic guitars.
On the day of the event I was displaying a Joe Mendel 5 string banjo. I will have it in my shop for about two more weeks before I send it back to Joe. This one has a Padauk tone ring, maple neck and brushed brass hardware. It’s a beautiful instrument with a deep, rich tone. If you are interested in this banjo please get in touch with Joe or myself. Joe can be found at http://www.jmendelfrets.com
Keep in mind I have and install LR Baggs pick-ups and pre-amps . Drop me a line to find out more about pricing and such.
Thanks,
On May 8th., 2013, I held a presentation on how I build my JR Acoustic Guitar at the Central Jersey Woodworkers Associations monthly meeting. http://www.cjwa.org. I was assisted by my friend and right hand man John Grunberg, and Frank Sole’, musician, who helped me set up and video taped the presentation.
My exhibit included six completed guitars, one of which Frank built, guitar bodies under construction, forms, woods, templates, materials, and about 250 images in my powerpoint presentation. I spoke for almost two hours. I am pleased to report the the interest and admiration of the audience was outstanding. I was told by many that it was the most informative and interesting presentation they have have had at their meeting in a long time.
To wrap up the show Frank Sole played finger-style on my recently completed Redwood and Cocobolo guitar to a huge applause. He was great! It was great!
I was very pleased to represent some of the companies who generously provided woods or from whom I purchase parts and materials that I use in my building process.
I have completed a new instrument that I have been working on for a while now. It is stunning.
This acoustic features a Redwood top, Cocobolo back and sides, Bloodwood purfling with a coral and BW/WB purfling, 24.9 scale, hand carved mahogany neck with chippendale headstock, ebony fingerboard with hand cut and inlayed white/gold mother of pearl vine with abalone leaves, white gold MOP vine inlay with abalone leaves and white/gold pearl JR logo on headstock, hand cut ebony and cocobolo geometric rosette with black/brown fillet and binding, ebony w/w/b/w endpiece, rosewood heel-cap, herringbone back centerstrip and ebony bridge with bone nut and saddle. This has a varnish finish.
Although I have not had the time to properly photograph it I am posting some quick photos here. Enjoy!
On May 8th., 2013, I will be showing photos and speaking about how I build acoustic guitars.
The presentation will contain over 200 images highlighting the building process of my acoustic guitars from start to finish, the tools I use, woods, jigs, brace layout and assembly, attaching the back, top and sides together, creating my geometric rosette, making the bridge, bindings, neck forming and shaping, and the basic assembly process that I have documented while making several of my guitars.
This event will be held at the Central Jersey Woodworkers Association Monthly meeting at the Old Brick Reformed Church, 490 Route 520, Marlboro, NJ, in the Church Parish Hall, located behind the church .
I will have some of my completed guitars on display and my friend Frank Sole will play a few tunes on one of my instruments for you listening pleasure. I will also have samples of the woods used in the building process and templates to pass around for review.
I want to thank the sponsors who are my suppliers of the woods and tools I use in the building process and have generously donated materials, tools and templates to help me demonstrate some of the steps used in making guitars. I hope you will contact them for any of your instrument parts and needs.
Other fine companies who help me in this process are
Tony DiDomenico Guitars, finisher, Dale Bartholemew’s finishing shop, High Mountain Tonewoods and Alaska Specialty Woods.
There is no charge to attend. I hope you can make the presentation and I hope to see you there.
