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News : Robert and I are collaborating on a new design that falls somewhere between a OOO and a small jumbo. Should be done by Christmas.
On the weekend of Dec. 4th, 5th and 6th I will be at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale ,Il. at the Holiday Craft Sale with guitars in tow. Yeah I know, it's called a craft sale, but there is some great art there as well, after all it is Carbondale and it's a lot of fun and close to home. Come see me and pick awhile. Your input, evaluation and critques are welcome.
On the weekend of Dec. 4th, 5th and 6th I will be at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale ,Il. at the Holiday Craft Sale with guitars in tow. Yeah I know, it's called a craft sale, but there is some great art there as well, after all it is Carbondale and it's a lot of fun and close to home. Come see me and pick awhile. Your input, evaluation and critques are welcome.
Thank you Robert Bowlin and Flatpicking Guitar Magazine for encouraging my behavior.
William Noah
"Hey Terry
Got to spend some more time with the guitar last night and all I can say is your work is brilliant! This guitar that you built outshines all my others and my hats off to you. It is the most harmonically rich guitar I've ever owned. Absolutly brilliant."
Walt Barber
Got to spend some more time with the guitar last night and all I can say is your work is brilliant! This guitar that you built outshines all my others and my hats off to you. It is the most harmonically rich guitar I've ever owned. Absolutly brilliant."
Walt Barber
Whip in the shop
Robert Bowlin, two time national flatpicking guitar champion,
ex Nashville session musician, Bill Monroe's last fiddle player and many other accomplishments too long to list here.
I make custom handcrafted acoustic guitars with attention to projection, clarity, and balanced tone in all ranges, coupled with necks that allow excellent playability facillitating smoothness of runs anywhere on the fretboard. Tops and backs are meticulously voiced to allow them to vibrate and work together in harmony, a box that responds to string vibration in a way as to blend your body, emotions and the guitar as one.
Adirondack or German spruce is the preferred wood for the top and all bracing. The Adirondack comes from a supplier to Martin, Collings, and other top builders. The German comes a supplier direct from the mountains of Germany, the real deal. Sides and back are available in a wide range of species, and of course will build with whatever you wish. I keep as much wood in the guitar as possible, using wood for bindings and rosettes. A mother of pearl logo and fretmarkers in squares, diamonds and cateyes round out a simple but elegant appearance. Bone is used for the saddle and nut. The finishing touch is Waverly tuners.
I focus mainly on dreadnaughts in a 25.4 scale and triple O's in 24.9 scale, but have molds for virtually any body style you wish. My necks are slightly tapered with a compound radius fretboard. These subtle changes are not visibly detectable, but in your hands very noticeable.
My forward X bracing design on the top falls somewhere between advanced, (1" from the soundhole), to "standard" (1 3/4" from the soundhole). Many factors determining this are the tops stiffness, bracing size and stiffness, bridge plate dimensions, string gauge, body style and whether to close or open the x.
I use a dovetail joint for the neck and take my time to get a very tight fit, using a clamp to push it in snug the last teeny bit. It is a little time consuming to make it fit right, but I beleive it adds to the integrety and sound quality of the guitar.
My approach to vibration and tuning of the top is like a stone thrown in a pond. Very tight, large, fast ripples at first, then wider, slower and smaller as they move out, sending waves throughout the guitar. The bridge is my stone and the top is the pond. I like to play with the ripples. However, I must note the top is by no means the sole contributing factor to sound and vibration.
My guitars feel "alive" and vibrate in you hands everywhere and the harder you drive them with a pick the more you are rewarded for your effort.
I am not a "wood snob" or eletist regarding species for use on tops or backs and am confident in my abilitiy to build in any combinations of wood and pull out what I need.
There are a lot of factors I take into consideration when building. I do not use a cookie cutter approach , nor have exact templates for layout or absolutes and I am constantly changing, adapting, and evolving. Everything is taken into consideration.
You may contact me at :
Whipple Creek Guitars
57 Jerusalem Hill Road
Pomona, Il. 62975
call 618-559-2317 or 618-893-4915
or email thewhip@whipplecreekguitars.com
Adirondack or German spruce is the preferred wood for the top and all bracing. The Adirondack comes from a supplier to Martin, Collings, and other top builders. The German comes a supplier direct from the mountains of Germany, the real deal. Sides and back are available in a wide range of species, and of course will build with whatever you wish. I keep as much wood in the guitar as possible, using wood for bindings and rosettes. A mother of pearl logo and fretmarkers in squares, diamonds and cateyes round out a simple but elegant appearance. Bone is used for the saddle and nut. The finishing touch is Waverly tuners.
I focus mainly on dreadnaughts in a 25.4 scale and triple O's in 24.9 scale, but have molds for virtually any body style you wish. My necks are slightly tapered with a compound radius fretboard. These subtle changes are not visibly detectable, but in your hands very noticeable.
My forward X bracing design on the top falls somewhere between advanced, (1" from the soundhole), to "standard" (1 3/4" from the soundhole). Many factors determining this are the tops stiffness, bracing size and stiffness, bridge plate dimensions, string gauge, body style and whether to close or open the x.
I use a dovetail joint for the neck and take my time to get a very tight fit, using a clamp to push it in snug the last teeny bit. It is a little time consuming to make it fit right, but I beleive it adds to the integrety and sound quality of the guitar.
My approach to vibration and tuning of the top is like a stone thrown in a pond. Very tight, large, fast ripples at first, then wider, slower and smaller as they move out, sending waves throughout the guitar. The bridge is my stone and the top is the pond. I like to play with the ripples. However, I must note the top is by no means the sole contributing factor to sound and vibration.
My guitars feel "alive" and vibrate in you hands everywhere and the harder you drive them with a pick the more you are rewarded for your effort.
I am not a "wood snob" or eletist regarding species for use on tops or backs and am confident in my abilitiy to build in any combinations of wood and pull out what I need.
There are a lot of factors I take into consideration when building. I do not use a cookie cutter approach , nor have exact templates for layout or absolutes and I am constantly changing, adapting, and evolving. Everything is taken into consideration.
You may contact me at :
Whipple Creek Guitars
57 Jerusalem Hill Road
Pomona, Il. 62975
call 618-559-2317 or 618-893-4915
or email thewhip@whipplecreekguitars.com
Winner of the Whipple Creek Guitar is Eric Travelstead shown with his wife Rhonda from Eldorado. That's a happy man.
Gene Beaver 77 ,"retired", owner of Beavers Music Shop, in Equality Il. has played for over 60 years and has sold nearly every major brand has this to say about Whipple Creek.
"I've never held a finer guitar in my hands. I've known guys who made guitars for 30 years and don't make 'em this good."
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