Su Meng´s guitar

[bruno]

Does anybody have a guess about what guitar Su Meng plays in the Paganini video on youtube? It seems to have a very discrete rosette and a rather wide fretboard. Sounds very good.

[Section_10]

I was thinking Mcgill when I first saw the video, but i have doubts about that.

[Dave Tate]

If I remember correctly, it's from a luthier named Kim Hee Hong. Check www.almaguitar.com - it says right in the corner of the video!

Dave

[thraex]

I remember visiting a site of a german luthier where she appeared in the pictures featuring his guitars together with her teacher and fellow chinese virtuosos. But I can't remember the luthier...

[Charles W]

Hi,
The German luthier(s) are Armin and Mario Gropp

http://www.gropp-gitarren.de/english/default.htm

I think that's what she's playing in that video.

[bruno]

That´s it! Thanks!

Had never heard of this luthier. Looks real good. Interesting design too.

Hey, does anyone out there have first-hand knowledge of these guitars?

[Charles W]

Why, yes :)

A friend of mine has got a spruce/cocobolo Gropp. They have a distinct look, so they're pretty easy to spot. You can also find some videos of Li Jie playing one on Youtube.

My friend's Gropp is very light with a fairly shallow body and has a hybrid fan/lattice bracing.

As far as the sound- It has remarkable bass, very deep with a strong fundamental tone. Likewise with the trebles, they have a solid density and are very round with a nice swell in the attack (The owner calls it "bloom"), not at all metallic or edgy. Attempts at verbal descriptions aside, I'd definitely say it's a nice guitar. You don't seem to see many in the States.

[thraex]

Charles, thank you for the name, I was going mad in trying to remember it!! ahah

Actually, I have a guitar which is also a hybrid fan-lattice braced, the weight is that of a Torres and the stiffness of the top of a Hauser I, those parameters I think where determining what the bracing came out to be.
Needless to say it is very light, huge sound, clear trebles, and powerful basses.
The sound is not traditional, and the sustain is where I feel dissapointed, but hey, you always compromise something! can't have it all.
But is not my type of guitar, although extremely easy to play.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/thraex41/walnut-bracing.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/thraex41/IMG_0685.jpg

[Charles W]

No problem!

Thraex, that's an interesting design. I've wondered about what might result with a bridge design like that with the strings anchored to the end. It seems like the top could be made lighter if it didn't have to bear the entire pull of the string tension. I wonder how that type of bridge affects the transmission of vibrations to the top compared to a traditional saddle. It seems like it would drive the bridge better in an up and down pumping motion but less in a forward and backward rocking motion, as the strings are mainly pushing straight down on the bridge? Thanks for the photos.

[thraex]

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/thraex41/tailpiece.jpg

Charles:
In theory it liberates the top to oscilate more freely, changing the tension placement, I guess, the 6 stringer is very loud, and extremely light, even being a spruce top (UV aged)
The guitar I show you now, is my first Brahms, which just got upgraded with the tail piece, that is a previous solution to the 3 piece bridge you saw before and which my newest guitar also has:

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/thraex41/IMG_0815.jpg

This guitar is far heavier, I asked a thicker top, I like them thick, with projection and sustain, instead of a cloud of sound like the ultra thin guitars. This guitar is developing to be my favourite. :)

[mokotoff]

That´s it! Thanks!

Had never heard of this luthier. Looks real good. Interesting design too.

Hey, does anyone out there have first-hand knowledge of these guitars?

I got to meet Su Meng earlier this week (she is studying now with Barrueco in Baltimore, quite near me) and played her guitar. It is fabulous, possibly the nicest trebles I ever touched, a bit uneven, but fantastic sustain, just on and on, even in notes above 12th fret. She has a spruce/braz rosewood, and it is very light, like a lute. I personally love the design, distinct and different but not weird...I definitely want one. It was great to hear her play too, very affable, friendly young lady!

[mokotoff]

Why, yes :)

A friend of mine has got a spruce/cocobolo Gropp. They have a distinct look, so they're pretty easy to spot. You can also find some videos of Li Jie playing one on Youtube.

Hey Charles...you mind connecting me with your friend via email? I would like to know what he thinks of it. Send me email off list: cemokotoff@yahoo.com, thanks!

[Blue Klein]

Sumeng own guitar from Mario grupp from germany but in Video she use Kim Hee Hong guitar because this concert is organize by Alma Music in Korea. Then sound in Video is from Kim Hee Hong guitar.Then when you meet her you will see Mario grupp guitar on her hand.Only on stage in Video is Kim Hee Hong. This Li Ji also have one of Grupp guitar beside Smallman, Kohno, Raya pardo, Marin Montero.

[strummer]

When I visited Chen Zhi's studio in Beijing in the summer of 2005, Su Meng and Wang Yameng both had guitars from the same Korean builder - can't remember the name though.

A special treat for me was getting to play the famous Smallman John Williams donated to the studio.