Sentchordi Hermanos (Valencia, Spain, c. 1861-1905)

The Sentchordi Hermanos firm made a variety of guitars, bandurrias, and other instruments in Valencia from 1861 until 1905. The shop was on the Calle de la Bolseria No. 5. and the two brothers traced their roots to Manuel Sentchordi (1700-1765).   

I wonder how a guitar from Valencia Spain, that was made 120 years ago ends up in a small auction house just north of Toronto. As I walked into the auction house, I didn't even have a chance to get my bidder number. The auctioneer was holding up this guitar calling it a child's guitar because of the size. All I saw was the ornamentation and the rich dark colour of a fine old instrument.  I put my hand up while waiting in line to register, 3 dollars, who will give me 3 dollars, the auctioneer called out. Unreal this guy didn't know what he was selling. Apparently neither did any of the other locals, mostly farmers looking for tools. 7 dollars sold... It was like music to my ears. I did not even see the guitar except from 50 feet away as I walked in the door. (In a previous post I had suggested looking your guitar over completely before purchasing.) It was pretty beat up around the edges but still quite playable and sounds very classic.The guitar has 52 points of abalone around the sound hole, I assume one for each week of the year.   
While visiting Spain one year we went to the builders address, It is now a candy shop.....my two favourite things.

1980 Tokia Les Paul Custom

1980 Tokia Les Paul Custom

The Black Les Paul Custom is one of the most iconic guitars out there. Especially if you are a huge Neil Young fan, as I have been since the mid 60's. Yes I know Neil does not play a Custom and definitely not a Tokia. We all know the history of Old Black so ....
I bought my Tokai second hand at the infamous Richmond's Trading Post on Queen St. in Toronto in the mid 80's. Part of the trade was for an El Greco bass guitar with built in equalizer, man it was a heavy beast.
I remember the feeling of excitement that Friday afternoon as I made the biggest guitar deal of my youth.
To finally own a "replica" iconic guitar, I was going to Rock until I Dropped. I had an old Trainer (Yorkville) amp head and a Hiwatt 2x15 cabinet , there was no shortage of bass on this rig.
This guitar is one of the easiest playing, loudest, comfortable, cool guitars I have played.
All original except for the very well repaired headstock break which I didn't discover until I got it home from Richmond's. Life lesson ...Always check your guitars all over before purchasing. It still rocks.

1980 Tokia Les Paul Custom

My First Acoustic 1965 KENT

A 1965 Kent from Sears, not the most up scale guitar in the world but it was mine. I practiced on it for years, though it never sounded right. I probably should have got a guitar tuner when I got the guitar!
The trouble with being self taught is you have to go by trial and error, and error, and error.
It was patriotic in those days to paint your countries flag on your guitar, so that's what I did. That didn't help the acoustic qualities at all.
Over time the neck needed a reset. You almost needed a yard stick to measure the distance between the strings and the 12th fret.
Being handy...I thought I would take this project on. There was not Google back in those days, so I was on my own.
Step 1-  I loosened off the strings.
Step 2-  I got a wood saw out of my Dad's tool kit and cut wedge shape cut out of the heal of the neck. I did this knowing you need to take less wood out as you approach the fret board.
Step 3-  I drilled a hole clean through the heal of the neck and the neck block inside the guitar.
Step 4-  I installed a bolt through the heal of the neck and a nut on the inside block.\
Step 4-  The more I tightened the nut the farther back the neck went.
I now had the adjustable neck that those better guitars had.
** I don't know why this method of adjustment ever caught on.**
I  eventually gave this guitar to a kid across the street, man he was thrilled.

This is a 1960 KAY not at all like my KENT 

I went back to playing my electric RAVEN.

I never thought about taking pictures of my guitars back in those days

Looking for Vintage Instruments

WELCOME TO MY FIRST GUITAR POSTING

It was about 44 years ago I got my first guitar for Christmas.
It was 1963 the Beatles had just been on the ED SULLIVAN SHOW. The whole world was getting caught up in Rock and Roll music.All I wanted to do was play guitar.
This excitement and passion for the guitar had never quit.
I am happiest when I am talking about, play, repairing, modifying or just thinking about guitars.
Welcome to my first posting and blog about guitars.
Over the years some guitars have come and gone, sadly gone like my very first one.

My first was a 1967 RAVEN  similar to this SATURN