Classical and Flamenco Guitarmaking with Benito Huipe: Extended DVD Version (2 DVD set) 3 hours. $36.00 including shipping in US. Produced and written by Ronald Louis Fernandez.
Front cover of DVD set
This 2 DVD set shows a skilled artisan making fine classical and flamenco guitars with hand tools. It is a digitally remastered version of the classic 1994 video tape. Benito Huipe was born in Paracho, Michoacan, Mexico and there he learned traditional guitarmaking methods. Upon his immigration to California he incorporated guitar building techniques used by makers from other countries.
Back of DVD package
This version is 80 minutes longer than the original VHS tape version. It includes 60 chapters which makes it easy to navigate through the DVDs . All the scenes have been re-cut. There is a new voice over, there are new titles, new scenes, new scene transitions. There is a lot of detail in these 3 hours.
The 2 DVDs
Table of Contents of Part 1 (on the red labeled DVD)--1 hour and 40 minutes
1. Platilla and Molde
Benito shows the template for the body and the assembly board with the inclined neck ramp
2. The Soundboard
Shows how to plane the edges of the rough soundboard panels and how to glue them together.
3. Thinning the Soundboard
Demonstrated using a long plane to smooth the joined soundboard.
4. Trimming Soundboard
Using the traditional Paracho kn ife to rough trim the soundboard to shape.
5. Locating Soundboard
Using the plantilla to locate the soundhole.
6. Routing Rosette Channel
Uses electric router to cut a shallow channel for the rosette
7. Inlaying Mosaic Tiles
Shows the trimming of wooden mosaic tiles and fitting them into the rosette channel.
8. Gluing Mosiaic Tiles
Using hot animal hide glue Benito glues in the mosaic tiles, then clamps them down into the channel.
9. Cutting the Soundhole
Using the traditional Paracho knike, a route bit and a workboard, Benito cuts a round hole in the soundboard.
10. Soundhole Reinforcement
Trimming, planing, sanding a piece of wood to reinforce the rosette area under the face.
11. Contrapuente
The making and gluing of a reinforcement strip under the bridge.
12. Fan Braces
Making and gluing on fan braces.
13. Transverse Braces
Making and gluing braces which go across the soundboard.
14. Bracing Patterns
Benito shows and discusses classical and flamenco bracing patterns.
15. Back or Fondo
Planing and gluing together the back panels.
16. Reinfrocement Strip
Ron cuts and glues on a reinfrocement strip onto a glued up back.
17. Back Braces
Trimming and gluing back braces onto a 3-piece Brazilian Rosewood back.
18. Sides and Aros
Cutting the sides and thicknessing the sides.
19. Bending Sides with Blanket
Shaping the sides over a mold using a silicon rubber heating blanket.
20. Bending over a Pipe
Showing how sides are ebetn over a hot pipe.
21. Joining Neck and Head
Cutting a head peice with a handsaw and then gluing the angled head to the neck.
22. Heel Block
Ron makes a laminated heel block and glues it to the base of the neck.
23. Slotting the Heel
Cutting slots into the heel block to allow for inserting of the sides.
24. Shaping Heel and Foot
Rasping and carving the heel and foot.
25. Base Block
Gluing and shaping the block which joins the sides at the base of the guitar.
26. Attaching Soundboard to Neck
Cutting a step at the bottm of the neck to allow for gluing on the soundboard.
27. Attaching to the Molde
Affixing ther neck-soundboard to the workboard.
28. Inserting Sides into Neck
Trim sides so they fit nto slots at the bottom of the neck.
29. Assembly on the Molde
Putting ther sides and neck-soundboard assembly together.
30. Block Style Lining
Tiny wooden blocks are used to glue the soundboard to the sides.
31. Kerfed Lining
Kerfed wooded strips are glued to the inside of the sides to receive the back.
32. Fittting the Back
Clamping the back to the sides.
Gigi and the end of Part 1
A small black poodle marks the end of part1.
Table of Contents--Part 2 (on the yellow labeled DVD)--1 hour 22 minutes
33. Making Laminated Binding
Shows hand cutting veneeers strips with Paracho knife, and then affixing them together with string while gluing.
34. Routing Binding Ledges
Using an electric router to cut binding channel along the edges of soundbox.
35. Gluing Binding--Back
Applying glue and then taping binding around back of soundbox.
36. Gluing Purfling Around Face
Gluing ornamental purfling around face into a step ledge between binding ledge and soundboard.
37. Routing Channel at Base
Cutting a channel with an electric router to allow for inlay of ornamental wood strips at base of guitar.
38. Gluing Base Strip
Leveling and gluing in of veneers into channel at base of guitar.
39. Fingerboard
Leveling neck surface for fingerboard, cutting finergboard to size, planing edges on a shooting board. Ramping the underside of the fingerboard over thesoundboard, cutting off th excess wood which overhangs into soundhole, applying hot an imal hide glue and clamping fingerboard to neck.
40. Headstock Overlay
Gluing and clamping on laminated veneers onto the head.
41. Heel Shaping
Th use of knife, chisel and file to shape the heel.
42. Neck Shaping
Carving with the Paracho knife, using the spokeshave and sanding back of neck.
43. Drill and Slot Head
Free hand drilling roller holes. Routing, sanding and filing head slots.
44. Flamenco Head Template
Marking and drilling holes for flamenco pegs.
45. Creating Head Design
Drilling, sawing, carving and sanding to create a unique head design.
46. Cutting Fret Slots
Marking and sawing fret slots by hand.
47. Nut Slot
Hand cutting slot for nut.
48. Fretboard and Neck Relief
Preparing fretboard before fretting sanding in neck relief.
49. Fretting
Cutting frets to size, bending frets, hammering frets into fretboard, snipping off overhang and filing ends smooth.
50. Making the Bridge
Cutting blank for bridge, marking out sections of bridge, routing saddle slot, valley and string block ledge. Handcarving, sanding and filing bridge to shape. Inlaying veneer and bone ornamentation.
51. Bridge Placement
Locating bridge's distance from 12th fret.
52. Compensation
Remarks about intonation
53. Aligning the Bridge
Checking bridge placementin relation to 1st and 6th strings.
54. Gluing on Bridge
Gluing on and clamping on the bridge. This section is a dry run.
55. Preparation for Finishing
Scraping and sanding before lacquer finishing.
56. Lacquer Finishing
A brief overview of steps in lacquer finishing.
57 Cleaning Fretboard
Removing tape and steel wooling fretboard.
58. Fitting Tuners
Screwing in the machine tuners.
59. Nut and Saddle
Making the nut and saddle from a piece of boiled beef bone. Shaping, filing and fitting these parts.
60. Finished Guitar
View of completed and lacquered guitar. Benito's original farewell.
Epilogue
Benito 12 years later in his shop in Paracho, Mexico.
Ron Playing Guitar
Ron shows a 2006 Benito Huipe guitar of Palo escrito which Ron has French polished. Then Ron plays his original flamenco Bulerias composition
The Benito Huipe Guitar ($2700) shown in this DVD at the end of the DVDs is now for sale. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzTH7I9xBs0
This DVD has been sold through
dealers who specialize in tools for guitarmakers.
We only ship within the United
States, It is unfortunate but the mailing and customs services
overseas in recent years have been quite a problem.
At this time it is also available directly from Fernandez Music, P.O. Box 2130, Anacortes, WA 98221 for:
$25.00 plus shipping within the U.S. (total $36.00);
Payment is by PayPal or Zelle to: ron@fernandezmusic.com. Our phone number is 949-856-1537
Go To our French Polishing DVD, Press here.
If you have any question, email me: ron@fernandezmusic.com
Return to Fernandez Music Home Page