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Nel Laboratorio

chalkboard, workshop Thierry Andre atelier 2025
“L’ispirazione esiste,
ma deve trovarti
lavorando."
Pablo Picasso
Atelier-Thierry André - 2024 - with the -78- hollow-body guitar.

Latest hollow body instrument titled -78 Tempo-, on workbench showing light cedar top construction, and completed with mica pigments, anilin dye and nitrocellulose laquer finish. This guitar's primary application is more electric, while it acoustically (video below) validates an innovative concept in which the acoustic horn comes-in to naturally complement the acoustic sound of the guitar box as such. 

Sperimentazione in corso con la componente tromba acustica come parte
della chitarra:

Hai letto bene. La chitarra a corpo cavo TriHorn è in fase di realizzazione e, sebbene la sua applicazione primaria sia più elettrica, mi permetterà di convalidare alcune idee legate al tema del corno acustico, completando naturalmente il suono della scatola della chitarra in quanto tale.

Da questa sperimentazione, il mio obiettivo è quello di fare in modo che il sistema completo della chitarra generi un'uscita di frequenze specifiche per i medio-alti del tipo - Wah -, cioè un suono di gamma media pronunciato e focalizzato verso l'esecutore, particolarmente interessante per lavori di campionamento e registrazione. Il prossimo passo sarà trovare un modo per amplificare questi nuovi suoni nel contesto delle applicazioni live.

SUPERSONIC: in the making

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SUPERSONIC, general outline. Based on my MULTI harp-guitar shape, this new 6-string shares a carved soundbox configuration, with the addition of 2 -horns- positioned at upper-bout (column side) and below the tailpiece.

SUPERSONIC, guitar by Thierry Andre, in the making
SUPERSONIC, guitar by Thierry Andre, in the making

SUPERSONIC, border/raised-side is worked piece by piece in order to bring the soundbox to a 3" depth archtop guitar standard.

SUPERSONIC, guitar by Thierry Andre, in the making
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SUPERSONIC, redwood top and cedar soundbox, with carved soundbox inside/outside views. 

Un po' d'acciaio, un po' di suono: decisamente orientato al bowl-back.

Oudtar, bowl-back steel string guitar by Thierry Andre Instruments

Initiated in 2011, the bowl-back guitar is here a bent & laminated resonance shell rather than carved soundbox. Designed in the manner of the lute, and in affinity with the guitarist, its primary objective is to bring more natural reverberation to the sound of the acoustic guitar.

A bit like the Eastern instruments, Oudtar (above), Raga guitar and Raga 2 (below) offer the guitarist a slightly different voice, while remaining familiar in terms of playability.

Il recente (2023) Raga 2 con la sua configurazione bowl-back:

Raga 2 - Bowl-back guitar by Thierry Andre Instruments
RAGA 2 build-mold, Thierry Andre Instruments

La cassa armonica Raga 2 è composta da 22 doghe laminate, assemblate su uno stampo smontabile sfaccettato.

Raga 2 - Bowl-back guitar by Thierry Andre Instruments

“Una chitarra standard con corde in acciaio ha un fondo conforme. Quando colpisci una nota, la parte posteriore pomperà aria e si muoverà. Ti darà note basse in questo modo, agendo come un trampolino”, dice. “Ma con l’oudtar, la doppia curvatura del retro rende riflettente l’intera cassa di risonanza. È come una cupola o una volta che dà riverbero al suono. 

Raga 2 - Bowl-back guitar by Thierry Andre Instruments
Raga 2 - Bowl-back guitar by Thierry Andre Instruments
In the Workshop, Thierry Andre Instruments

“André paragona tutto ciò all'acustica di una cattedrale il cui design consente alle persone di sentire le proprie voci echeggiare lungo le pareti. Dato che l’oudtar non ha gli spigoli vivi di una chitarra, il suono risuona come un oud o un liuto, strumenti che hanno anche il fondo arrotondato.” JH White, rivista Magnifisance ( Leggi di più )

RAGA 2, bowl-back guitar by Thierry Andre Instruments
Raga 2 by Thierry Andre Instruments

Raga 2 con finitura laccata polvere argento opalescente.

Thierry André - atelier - workshop

HARP-GUITAR TEASER

One picture below

 

Harp-guitars with sympathetic strings byThierry Andre Instruments

Chitarre arpa con corde simpatiche: Multi, Echoes of Time , Multi 2 .

2025: Un anno dedicato alla chitarra acustica archtop.

There are ongoing archtop projects that I hope will captivate you in terms of sound and/or at least in terms of craftsmanship.

I have paid a lot of attention this past year to developing -My Blue Guitar- on behalf of the Archtop Foundation.

On the one hand, this collection (initiated by Scott Chinery) is a creatively significant one for me in my career, its release corresponding to my graduation from guitar making school - a long time ago - and it will have marked my young intellect with new unsuspected -guitar- possibilities.

On the other hand, it is, and I feel it, a real rendezvous with the history of the guitar, this order.

What exactly to present? On what level, between audacity, innovation, and tradition, to play this card? My God! !

Archtop guitar prototype 1 by Thierry Andre Instruments
Archtop guitar prototype 2 by Thierry Andre Instruments

In reference to my body of work, choosing exactly which version of the Archtop to present was downright the unbearable question.

So I decided to produce at least two (2) Blue Archtop (possibly 3) and to choose, along the way, which one will join the mythical collection by itself.

I don't want to spoil the surprise! So, on these few photos without descriptions, I'm just telling you that I'm working on it - with heart - in the best possible way!

 

Two of these guitars are taken. If I make the third one, it will be announced.

Archtop guitar prototype 2 by Thierry Andre Instruments
Archtop guitar prototype 2 by Thierry Andre Instruments
Archtop guitar prototype 2 by Thierry Andre Instruments
Archtop guitar prototype 3 by Thierry Andre Instruments
Clara-archtop-Thierry Andre Instruments
Soundboard to the Clara archtop guitar byThierry Andre Instruments

All'interno del Clara Archtop con retro piatto. Notare l'impronta uniforme del contatto sul perimetro della parte superiore influenzata dalla costruzione di violini e violoncelli.

The Clara archtop guitar byThierry Andre Instruments

Above: The Clara Archtop - acoustic / electric archtop guitar with floating (through the top) humbucker (2022).

Main materials: : Red Cedar, ziricote, black limba, ebony, rosewood, aluminium, dyed sycomore, recon stone. 

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