Construction
There are three major strands of construction work which comprise
1. Acoustic guitars
2. Solid-bodied Electric guitars
3. Guiternes and Mandoras/mandolins
Accoustic guitars
The stock model acoustic (see gallery) is based on the OM/00 style guitar of the 1930's but with some contemporary overtones: the bracing and end-block designs have been modified for extra bass response and the table is edge-shaved to give an enhanced and thereby balanced treble voice. Stock timbers are Sitka and Indian Rosewood with Rio fingerboard, but custom options of Brazilian mahogany, Rio rosewood, Tazmanian blackwood, Koa, and European fruitwoods are available on request, as is Western cedar for tops. Purfling and inlay are at the customer's discretion, but all rosettes are hand made in house. Onboard electrics and pick-up systems can be discussed with potential customers - everything serious can be considered!
Solid-bodied Electric guitars
The gallery gives some idea of electrics built to date - obviously anything goes, as far as these instruments are concerned but the favourite chez Pierre has to be Pierre Précieuse as featured on the contact page - this is a one-piece Brazilian mahogany body with Wild Maple(Oregon) 1" top, Macassar fingerboard, Abalone inlays, PRS pick-ups, Wilkinson tremolo, hand rubbed finish, the works! The same guitar is available with Alder and Maple body with rock-maple neck, solid mahogany throughout, or a choice of hardwood body and wacky fingerboards. We never refuse a customer's options, but the Rice krispies packet body was a challenge, and, surprise-surprise, didn't get into the gallery!
Guiternes and Mandoras/mandolins
2006 sees the introduction of guiternes (C14 small bodied 5 & 9 string plus a contemporary slant of 25.5" scaled up version for guitarists who haven't read the Cantigas de Santa Maria!) and Mandolin family instruments. These will all feature French fruit-wood bodies and hand-turned tuners with all hardware built in-house: photos limited as yet but watch for updates and the instruments will appear at Parthenay in summer 2007.
