MartyGrass Posted June 24, 2013 Posted June 24, 2013 To put a Florentine (sharp) cutaway on a Golden Eagle is a $600 upcharge. I recently learned why. Venetian cutaways are made from a single piece of wood on the rim. It is soaked, heated and slowly bent into those pleasing curves. Some wood can't take the stress and cracks. But if it doesn't, that's most of the process. The Florentine cutaway is made of two pieces of wood that should match in pattern, usually from the same billet. The wood bending is better tolerated than in the Venetian, so cracks are much less common. But joining the two pieces is difficult. Getting a stable junction with a clean joint takes a lot of time. So why bother with a Florentine cutaway? There may be a little bit more fret access, but it's mostly for the appearance. A friend of mine is in the middle of a Golden Eagle/Super Eagle build. The dimensions of the body are wider and longer than the GE but less than the SE. He supplied his own top and rims. Jim tried to do the Venetian curving with great caution due to the expense of these billets. It seemed to go well but the next day he noticed cracks. So now my friend will get a Florentine. If the billet was the usual stock it would have been tossed or perhaps used on a Sweet 16 or H575. Either way it was destined to be a great guitar.
2bornot2bop Posted June 24, 2013 Posted June 24, 2013 I know that friend. Can't wait to see that archtop...did he decide on a shade yet?
SofaPlayer Posted June 25, 2013 Posted June 25, 2013 Great info! 600$ is still very reasonable. A while ago the biggest German Gibson dealer had a Super 400 with a Florentine cutaway for lousy 18949.00 Euros - and it didn't take them too long to sell it. The standard one with Venetian cutaway costs 10599.00. For just the difference in price, you could get two Golden Eagles. http://www.thomann.de/de/gibson_super_400_ces_florentine_vsb.htm http://www.thomann.de/de/gibson_super_400_ces_vsb.htm
Steiner Posted June 25, 2013 Posted June 25, 2013 Why Florentine cutaways cost so much more Because they are worth it.
Ned Posted June 25, 2013 Posted June 25, 2013 Any idea if un-cut is an up-charge? A 17" version of my 575 with a five piece neck, plain ebony finger board and maple sides and back would be worth saving for. Think I saw one in black lacquer once......
FredZepp Posted June 25, 2013 Posted June 25, 2013 It can be nice having a Kalamazoo crafted Florentine.... they do exceptional work on them.
skydog52 Posted June 25, 2013 Posted June 25, 2013 Cutaways https://www.google.com/search?q=florentine+cutaway&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.48293060,d.dmg&biw=1600&bih=775&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=rOPIUcT0Kc2g4APXn4HQDg#um=1&hl=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=heritage+florentine+cutaway&oq=heritage+florentine+cutaway&gs_l=img.3...68594.79953.0.80681.27.23.0.4.4.0.129.2325.12j11.23.0...0.0.0..1c.1.17.img.VxSkG3o5bvE&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.48293060,d.dmg&fp=d5d04915bae4ff04&biw=1600&bih=775
2bornot2bop Posted June 25, 2013 Posted June 25, 2013 It can be nice having a Kalamazoo crafted Florentine.... they do exceptional work on them. Well there's cutaway's and then there's CUTAWAYS!!! Killer extra binding on that one of a kind Heritage...best I've seen bar none...what a proud papa you must be FZ!
Ned Posted June 25, 2013 Posted June 25, 2013 It can be nice having a Kalamazoo crafted Florentine.... they do exceptional work on them. That's why I was convinced the sweet 16 was going to cure my gas. Yours is a magnificent specimen to be sure. What is hiding in all those trees?
tulk1 Posted June 25, 2013 Posted June 25, 2013 Thats an interesting tale on how they do them. We should have asked at one of the PSPs. I know I didn't. I'm completely amazed when I hear how these guitars are built. Personally, I don't care for the Florentine cut. Definitely in the Venetian cutaway camp. But I will admit there are some I've seen here that were very, very nice. Just not for me.
Keith7940236 Posted June 25, 2013 Posted June 25, 2013 Makes me wonder about a Sweet 16 with a venetian cutaway. Does anyone know if they have ever done such a thing? I asked about the Florentine cutaway on my Eagle build, very expensive adder.
TalismanRich Posted June 25, 2013 Posted June 25, 2013 I could appreciate a really nice Florentine cutaway....
DetroitBlues Posted June 25, 2013 Posted June 25, 2013 Why Florentine cutaways cost so much more Because they are worth it. BINGO!
MartyGrass Posted June 25, 2013 Author Posted June 25, 2013 There's a mnemonic to help remember which design is a Florentine and which is Venetian. The Florentine is sharp like the tines on a fork. Well, that never helped me. How I remember is that the sharp cutaway looks hot, just like Florence Henderson from the Brady Bunch. Pretty sad, isn't it?
2bornot2bop Posted June 25, 2013 Posted June 25, 2013 There's a mnemonic to help remember which design is a Florentine and which is Venetian. The Florentine is sharp like the tines on a fork. Well, that never helped me. How I remember is that the sharp cutaway looks hot, just like Florence Henderson from the Brady Bunch. Pretty sad, isn't it? Well there's at least 2 ways to look at that. Either we're both geezers old enough to recall Florence Henderson's role in that series, or you simply have a very warped sense of what defined "hot" in 1969...never heard of Raquel Welch back then!?
2bornot2bop Posted June 25, 2013 Posted June 25, 2013 I like Florentine and Venetian cutaways! And that my friends is one consummate Heritage archtop collection...all bases are covered!!!
SouthpawGuy Posted June 25, 2013 Posted June 25, 2013 I like Florentine and Venetian cutaways! Interesting pickup in the neck of the Sweet 16, is that a KA ?
Gitfiddler Posted June 25, 2013 Posted June 25, 2013 Interesting pickup in the neck of the Sweet 16, is that a KA ? Yessir. Both the Golden Eagle (black floater w/12 poles) and Sweet 16 (gold set-in w/12 poles) have Kent Armstrong handwound paf's. He and I discussed each application before he made them. The 575 has HRW's, and the now departed 550 had some really sweet sounding Schallers.
heritagefan7 Posted June 26, 2013 Posted June 26, 2013 Florentine is my favorite cut. Thanks for the info Marty!
HANGAR18 Posted June 28, 2013 Posted June 28, 2013 I never realized they were that much more difficult to make. Good information! I think I'm now leaning toward preferring the easier construction of the Venetian cut.
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