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UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45

Quirky guitar design

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WafflesOnHorsebackWafflesOnHorseback Frets: 62
edited August 2023 in Acoustics
Came across this. Hideous? Or a work of art? What do you reckon? Must admit, I am not feeling the love for this fingerboard art but it's all subjective innit. Maybe it sounds amazing. Not heard of this maker before but his website shows some rather quirky designs. Be interesting to hear one. Couldn't find any demos on YT though.

https://www.thefretcollective.co.uk/guitars/p/prohazska-custom-holy-grail-guitar-show-parlour
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  • TanninTannin Frets: 4394
    The two inlays lack class and would be much better applied to a loud, pointy, electric shred machine. 

    That regrettable lack of taste aside, the guitar looks beautiful and very likely sounds fantastic - Limba should, by rights, impart a softness and warmth perfectly suited to that parlour form.

    In my view, the artist lost confidence. The couple should either be properly naked, or else not depicted at all. As it is, they just look tacky. 

    Shame, it seems like such a nice guitar otherwise.

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  • KilgoreKilgore Frets: 8107
    I've seen this before. It's been on sale for a long time. So that may tell you something.
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  • digitalkettledigitalkettle Frets: 2587
    This got rightly slated in a thread a few months back...can't find it though!

    Deserves a second thread imho...crack on ;)
    SoundCloud - Transcriptions - Trading Feedback
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  • WafflesOnHorsebackWafflesOnHorseback Frets: 62
    edited August 2023
    One can't help but admire the confidence of the "this is a fucking good guitar" inlay. 

    Agree with tannin tho - nakedness snaking the entirety of the fingerboard would have been much classier. It's hard to make out what's going on here and if you don't have your glasses handy (as I didn't) it looks like the chap is performing solo with a Border Terrier on his shoulder.
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  • WafflesOnHorsebackWafflesOnHorseback Frets: 62
    digitalkettle said:
    This got rightly slated in a thread a few months back...can't find it though!

    Deserves a second thread imho...crack on ;)
    Did look but couldn't find owt.
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  • bugilemanbugileman Frets: 54
    Looks like nice guitar, some skill has gone into building that. But the inlay work is completely not working for me.....looks like a fat builder.....not a cool look. 
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  • Cig35Cig35 Frets: 61
    This got rightly slated in a thread a few months back...can't find it though!

    Deserves a second thread imho...crack on ;)
    Did look but couldn't find owt.
    Search function isn’t that easy to use, but here is the thread:
    https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/240317/this-guitar-makes-a-statement/p1
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  • digitalkettledigitalkettle Frets: 2587
    Cig35 said:
    This got rightly slated in a thread a few months back...can't find it though!

    Deserves a second thread imho...crack on ;)
    Did look but couldn't find owt.
    Search function isn’t that easy to use, but here is the thread:
    https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/240317/this-guitar-makes-a-statement/p1
    Well found!

    I sometimes rely directly on the power of Google with a search term like:
    site:www.thefretboard.co.uk statement
    But I couldn't think of a sensible keyword.
    SoundCloud - Transcriptions - Trading Feedback
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  • Cig35Cig35 Frets: 61
    I actually used that Google function with the luthiers last name  :)
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  • BillDLBillDL Frets: 5615
    It's still for sale, and I don't know how long it had already been advertised prior to the thread in January this year about it:
    Obviously the inlays and rosette message aren't something many people would deliberately choose to have if spending five and a half grand on an acoustic guitar.  I'm sure it will be snapped up soon by somebody that likes Tyler headstocks  ;)
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  • digitalkettledigitalkettle Frets: 2587
    Cig35 said:
    I actually used that Google function with the luthiers last name  :)
    I thought I'd tried that...but now I remember using the luthier's name in the forum search function ;-/
    SoundCloud - Transcriptions - Trading Feedback
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  • WafflesOnHorsebackWafflesOnHorseback Frets: 62
    Cig35 said:
    This got rightly slated in a thread a few months back...can't find it though!

    Deserves a second thread imho...crack on ;)
    Did look but couldn't find owt.
    Search function isn’t that easy to use, but here is the thread:
    https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/240317/this-guitar-makes-a-statement/p1
    Ah. Ta!
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  • SoupmanSoupman Frets: 172
    If the luthier is willing to put those tasteless inlays on top it makes you wonder what he's done inside!
    Not for me.
    I also remember the thread, still unsold. Surprise surprise.....
     :s
     
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  • stevehsteveh Frets: 186
    edited August 2023
    Hideous.

    And I don’t like the fretboard or soundhole inlay either…
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  • ScreamingDaveScreamingDave Frets: 468
    Laughable tasteless.
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  • GRBaldwinGRBaldwin Frets: 24
    If anyone knows anything about Balázs Prohaszka and his work, they’ll know that he’s actually one of the most talented luthiers around, doing things with wood & inlays that most luthiers wouldn’t even attempt.

    This one, as mentioned before in the previous post about it, was built as a playful, jokey, tongue in cheek, (if you excuse the expression), guitar built for the Holy Grail guitar show in 2020 that was cancelled due to Covid. He built it effectively as a talking piece and a nod to his quirky sensibilities and slightly dark sense of humour. That’s not taking away from the fact that, like all of his guitars, it’s also a fantastic sounding instrument.

    Of course, Balázs knows it’s not to everyone’s tastes and obviously built it as a one off, but to disregard it as laughable basically shows a lack of understanding of it and the art of guitar lutherie in general really. Check out some of his other work and you might get a grasp of the man’s talents.

    https://instagram.com/prohaszkaguitars?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

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  • WafflesOnHorsebackWafflesOnHorseback Frets: 62
    edited September 2023
    How does thinking the inlay is laughable show a lack of understanding of the art of guitar lutherie?
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  • GRBaldwinGRBaldwin Frets: 24
    WafflesOnHorseback said:
    How does thinking the inlay is laughable show a lack of understanding of the art of guitar lutherie?
    Because they’re missing the point that it’s just a playful piece of art in essence and otherwise an exquisitely built instrument. 

    Anyway, not worth arguing over these things. I just wanted to express the quality of Balázs’s work to those that weren’t aware of him and to say that this isn’t a trademark of his work or anything, more a one off build as a conversation starter for a high level of luthiery guitar show.
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  • TanninTannin Frets: 4394
    Did it succeed? Did it in fact start a conversation? 

    Yes. Twice!

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  • WafflesOnHorsebackWafflesOnHorseback Frets: 62
    edited September 2023
    GRBaldwin said:
    How does thinking the inlay is laughable show a lack of understanding of the art of guitar lutherie?


    Anyway, not worth arguing over these things.

    Oh. Righty ho. So you had the last say then shut it down after telling us in a patronising, slightly pompous manner that we don't understand the art of lutherie. So that's that and all's well and good then. 

    Anyway, not worth arguing over these things. 
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  • GRBaldwinGRBaldwin Frets: 24
    edited September 2023
    @WafflesOnHorseback ;;;;;;

    Apologies for some of my comments. Early morning feeding my newborn and just frustrated at reading some of the comments and some people missing the point of why it was built. Didn’t want my friend Balázs being lauded as some tasteless pervert or something! He’s a ridiculously talented individual building some stunning instruments.

    If you wanted to check out and have a play of some of his guitars, then you’re more than welcome. Feel free to drop me a message if you’re ever around these parts
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  • BillDLBillDL Frets: 5615
    If I wanted to showcase my talents with any hand-made article I believe I would avoid totally alienating a significant percentage of the potential future clientelle that find the word "fucking" to be objectionable.
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  • GoFishGoFish Frets: 1082
    tbf the word "fucking" is less objectionable in some other European countries (non anglo). Spain, Belgium, Czech etc
    Ten years too late and still getting it wrong
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  • TanninTannin Frets: 4394
    How many high-end guitar makers are there in the UK?

    How many are we talking about?


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  • WafflesOnHorsebackWafflesOnHorseback Frets: 62
    edited September 2023
    GRBaldwin said:
    @WafflesOnHorseback ;;;;;;;;;

    Apologies for some of my comments. Early morning feeding my newborn and just frustrated at reading some of the comments and some people missing the point of why it was built. Didn’t want my friend Balázs being lauded as some tasteless pervert or something! He’s a ridiculously talented individual building some stunning instruments.

    If you wanted to check out and have a play of some of his guitars, then you’re more than welcome. Feel free to drop me a message if you’re ever around these parts

    No worries. If I may make a (hopefully) constructive, well intended comment. IMO...FWIW...etc...

    Perhaps someone should post a video of the guitar being played? I couldn't find one. If it sounds great then it stands a chance of selling. The wood looks lovely (the back is stunning). Unfortunately, the 'interesting' inlay has become a diversion (when it's the sound that should be the selling point) and the public seems to have spoken i.e it hasn't been sold yet. Actually, I have always been supportive of luthiers and have had several instruments made for me and I wouldn't wish ill on any craftsman of this skill. But I think a rethink might be in order - i.e. redo the inlays and soundhole so it becomes sellable.

    I'm imagining it without all that on it and I think it would look great.







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  • BillDLBillDL Frets: 5615
    WafflesOnHorseback said:

    Perhaps someone should post a video of the guitar being played? I couldn't find one. If it sounds great then it stands a chance of selling.
    I believe there is one of Frankie Boyle playing it on Songs of Praise a few years ago  ;)
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  • GRBaldwinGRBaldwin Frets: 24
    Agreed. I really need to do some videos of some of his guitars. Here's some low quality ones I did a good few years ago of some others of his though. Few quirky designs in there too, but all stunning sounding things.  Apologies for the low res videos and slightly suspect playing in parts.









    Re. the rebuild of this particular guitar. I think it's more hassle than it's worth really. It was just built as a one off and should probably stay that way IMO. He's built plenty of other fantastic guitars that certainly fall into the less offensive category, haha. I completely agree that this one has a marmite thing going on, but it was always gonna be that way. Like someone said, it'll probably go to someone who can't play a note, has more money than sense and will just hang it on their wall as a quirky piece of art. I'd love for someone who loved the jokey nature of it and can actually play to buy it and appreciate it as a great guitar however, but it's a lot of money and a very niche thing.
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  • WafflesOnHorsebackWafflesOnHorseback Frets: 62
    edited September 2023
    GRBaldwin said:

    Re. the rebuild of this particular guitar. I think it's more hassle than it's worth really. It was just built as a one off and should probably stay that way IMO. He's built plenty of other fantastic guitars that certainly fall into the less offensive category, haha. I completely agree that this one has a marmite thing going on, but it was always gonna be that way. Like someone said, it'll probably go to someone who can't play a note, has more money than sense and will just hang it on their wall as a quirky piece of art. I'd love for someone who loved the jokey nature of it and can actually play to buy it and appreciate it as a great guitar however, but it's a lot of money and a very niche thing.

    Some very nice designs. He's certainly creative. Not sure about the sound - maybe it's the vid quality. Thanks for posting and giving us an insight into his work. Shame he won't alter it. Just can't help thinking that changing it and making it sellable is better than just having it hang around unsold for years. You're obviously a fan and his pal - could you not buy it at mate rate?

    But anyway, I'm kinda repeating myself now. 

    Nice chatting. Off out for walkies and drinkies now.

    All the best!

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  • digitalkettledigitalkettle Frets: 2587
    WafflesOnHorseback said:
    ...
    Nice chatting. Off out for a horse ride and waffles now.

    All the best!

    Fixed ;)
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  • GRBaldwinGRBaldwin Frets: 24

    You're obviously a fan and his pal - could you not buy it at mate rate?

    With one of his in a collection of 15 guitars already and a just over 2 week old newborn, I need another guitar like a hole in the head at the moment, haha. Not to mention the arguments that would definitely ensue with my wife over spending yet more thousands of pounds on things "I don't need." Still....never say never :)

    Enjoy the walks and bevvies. Certainly a nice day for it!
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