Blog – Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter

Posted on September 1, 2023September 8, 2023 by Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter

Best Ukulele for Beginners

Ferangeli Entry-level Ukuleles, Ukulele for Beginners

At Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter, we understand the importance of finding the perfect ukulele for beginners. It can be a daunting task with so many options, but don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take you through everything you need to know to choose the best ukulele for you.

What to Look for in a Beginner Ukulele

Size: When looking for a ukulele, there are a few key factors to consider. The first is the size of the ukulele. Ukuleles come in four sizes: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. Soprano ukuleles are the smallest and are great for beginners because they are easy to play and have a bright, cheerful sound.

Material: Another factor to consider is the material of the ukulele. Ukuleles can be made from various materials, including wood, plastic, and metal. Wood is the most popular choice and can give the ukulele a warm, rich tone. Plastic and metal ukuleles are more durable and affordable, but they can have a more muted sound.

Price: Finally, you’ll want to consider the price of the ukulele. As a beginner, you don’t need to spend a fortune on a ukulele, but it’s worth investing in a good-quality instrument that will last you for years to come.

Our Top Ukulele Picks for Beginners

Anj-Series Mango Concert Ukulele

Anj-Series Mango Concert Ukulele

₱3,500.00

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Our Anj-Series Mango Concert Ukulele is a great choice for beginners because it’s the most affordable solid wood ukulele, easy to play, and has a beautiful sound. It’s made from Philippine Mango wood, which gives it a warm, mellow tone, and it has geared tuners that make it easy to keep in tune. Plus, it comes with a soft case, so you can take it with you wherever you go.

Listen to the sound sample in this video:

Entry-Level Mango Tenor Ukulele

Tenor Ukulele – Mango Entry-Level

₱5,500.00

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The Entry-Level Tenor Ukulele is a step up in size from the Anj-Series Concert Ukulele, but it’s still a great choice for beginners. They’re also made with Philippine woods like Mango, Acacia, Gmelina, Jackfruit, and Mahogany, with a rich, warm tone that sounds great in any setting. It also comes with Aquila Nylgut strings, which are some of the best strings you can get for a ukulele.

How to Choose the Right Ukulele for You

Choosing the right ukulele is a personal decision that depends on your preferences and needs. Here are a few tips to help you make the right choice:

Try out different sizes: If possible, try out different sizes of ukuleles to see which one feels most comfortable to you.
Listen to the sound: The sound of a ukulele is subjective, so listen to as many as you can to find one you like. Check the different sound samples from our YouTube channel here: // insert playlist to all ukuleles
Consider your budget: Ukuleles can range from very affordable to very expensive, so consider how much you’re willing to spend before making a decision.

Conclusion

Finding the perfect ukulele for beginners can be a fun and rewarding experience. By considering the size, material, and price of the ukulele, and trying out different options, you’ll be well on your way to finding the right ukulele.

Posted on October 13, 2020March 1, 2023 by Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter

Should You Learn Tab Or Notation? A Guide For Beginner Guitarists

So you’ve decided to learn the guitar – great!

You’ll realise fairly quickly though, just as all beginner guitarists do, that you’re faced with a few pretty important decisions:

Should I learn acoustic or electric guitar?
Should I buy a nylon or steel string acoustic?
What’s best, in person or online guitar lessons?

Probably one of the biggest decisions you’ll be faced with is whether to learn guitar tab, or standard music notation.

The Difference Between Guitar Tab And Standard Notation

As is probably obvious by the name, standard notation is the conventional way of reading and writing music. It’s non-instrument specific, meaning notation is used for a variety of instruments; piano, vocals, bass guitar and more…

Guitar tab, short for tablature, is specifically designed for guitarists (and bassists), and offers a more ‘user-friendly’, if less comprehensive representation of a piece of music.

Standard Music Notation	Guitar Tab
Staff (lines) show the notes of the music	Lines represent the string of the guitar
5 lines – notes are positioned on or between lines, as well as above or below	6 lines – notes are displayed on the lines
Pitch is represented by the position of each note on the staff. Notes move up in pitch as they move higher up on the staff	Pitch is represented by number on a string, which denotes which fret to play on the guitar
Note duration is shown by the shape of the symbol	Note duration isn’t shown in guitar tab
Show what the music sounds like	Show how to play the music on a specific instrument

Pros And Cons Of Each Approach

As you’re no doubt starting to realise, both guitar tab and standard musical notation have their pros and cons. Ultimately, your decision as to which approach to learn depends on what you’re wanting to get out of learning the guitar. Here are a few of the pros and cons of each form.

Standard Notation

Pros

The biggest advantage of learning music notation is that it’s a universal language among musicians. That means a vocalist, a guitar and a violinist can all pick up the same piece of music and understand it similarly.

Compared with tab, it offers a more meaningful and complete representation. In some cases, guitar-specific information such as fingering or fretboard positioning can be added. As you improve, you can eventually get to a point where you can even read a piece of music and play it in real time, even if you’ve never heard it before.

Cons

The main drawback of learning standard notation for guitar is it has a pretty steep learning curve. It’s basically a whole new language, and for most beginners it takes a long time to comprehend. That said, learning a musical instrument in general is a pretty big endeavour and takes a lot of time, practice, and dedication.

Notation is also a lot harder to write and produce, so you’re more likely to find an abundance of free tabs online, and not a lot of free pieces of music written in standard notation. For guitarists, standard notation can also struggle to display certain instrument-specific techniques, such as note bending.

Guitar Tab

Pros

Compared to standard notation, tab is super easy to learn. It’s fairly self explanatory, since the lines are a visual representation of the guitar strings, and the piece shows you exactly which frets and which strings to play.

Instrument-specific performance information such as bends and strumming patterns are easy to write into tab, and alternate guitar tunings don’t make a difference to how a piece is written. Tab is a lot easier to write and publish too, you can create tab in a word processor like Google Docs, meaning there is plenty of free music to download from the internet.

Most guitarists know how to read tab too, so if you’re planning on jamming with others in the future, learning tab is a smart idea.

Cons

Tab’s main disadvantage is the lack of timing information. Though some tab does have timing info, it complexifies a piece and kind of takes away from the idea of tab being fairly easy to grasp. Tab therefore is better if you already know how a piece of music is supposed to sound.

Because guitar tab is so easy to produce, it means there is inevitably a lot of poor quality tab music online. Also, if you plan on performing with other musicians in the future who aren’t guitarists, you may find it difficult to communicate in a written form if you’ve learned tab and not notation.

Which Is Best – Guitar Tab Or Standard Notation?

Ultimately, it depends on why you decided to learn guitar in the first place. If you simply want to learn how to play a few chords and a couple of your favorite songs, then guitar tab is your best bet. If in the future you hope to play with other musicians such as pianists and singers, being able to read musical notation is a good tool to have in your belt.

You may also find your guitar teacher has a preference for one or the other. If you’re planning on taking online guitar lessons, you should check out whether they are taught using tab or notation.

If you’re really serious about becoming a guitarist, then you should consider learning both. Many guitarists start by learning tab to get off the ground, and then pick up notation at a later point.

Written by Ellie Mckinsey

Posted on November 6, 2017June 3, 2019 by Fernando Dagoc Jr.

Different Guitar Models

Guitars do not only have 1 shape but a lot! The shapes of the guitars are referred to as models. There are different guitar models per playing style, or per usability, there are guitar players who love to play the rhythm, play the lead, or play fingerstyle; and there are guitar players who always travels and brings a guitar with them. I am not an expert, but if you’re a starter, this blog can be your guide.

Ferangeli Guitar Handcrater offers different guitar models, I will be listing down the most common ones that are being requested.

Dreadnought

These guitars models have a wider lower bout and deeper body. If your playing style is bass heavy, then this model is for you. We usually recommend this model to players who are more on to strumming than fingerstyling or plucking. Though you can still play fingerstyle with this model, but due to its body dimensions, the bass will have a much louder sound.

Check out our Dreadnought guitars here: https://www.ferangeliguitar.com/model/dreadnought/

Orchestra Model

One of the most common shapes of the guitar! The waist of the body is much narrower than the Dreadnought, and the body is not that deep. We recommend this to female guitar players which find it hard to cradle the guitar. The Orchestra Model is also best for fingerstyle playing due to its balanced bass and treble.

Check out our Orchestra Model guitars here: https://www.ferangeliguitar.com/model/orchestra-model/

Classical Guitars

All our nylon-stringed guitars are classical guitars. These guitars are primarily used in playing classical music, these guitars have a wider neck width and string-to-string spacings. It is harder for players with short fingers to play these guitars, but we can customize the neck to the player’s configuration.

Students studying how to play classical music with a guitar should use these types and since the strings are nylon, they’re much friendlier to a beginner’s fingertips.

There are different types of classical guitars, Flamenco, Spanish and the Classical. What we commonly offer is the Ramirez Classical guitar.

Check out our Ramirez Classical guitars here: https://www.ferangeliguitar.com/model/ramirez-classical/

Travel Guitars (000 and GS-Travel)

Do you travel most of the time? Find it bulky to carry a standard-sized guitar? Travel Guitars are about 3/4 of the standard-sized guitar, they have a shorter body length and possibly a shorter scale length. This way it’ll be less bulky for you to travel and still make music!

We have two different models for Travel Guitars, the Martin 000 which you can check out here: https://www.ferangeliguitar.com/model/000-travel/ and the GS-Travel which you can also check out here: https://www.ferangeliguitar.com/model/gs-travel/

Guitaleles

Ukuleles have been on the rise nowadays, and it’s rise create a new model of guitars which we call Guitaleles. These models are the same size of a tenor ukulele with a much wider neck and have nylon strings. Due to its size, the tuning will be different from a guitar, Starting from the first string to the sixth string the tuning would be A-E-C-G-D-A. Similarly, you’re just putting a capo on the 5th fret of the standard guitar.

Check out our Guitaleles here: https://www.ferangeliguitar.com/model/guitalele/

Knowing the different Guitar models that we commoonly make, this does not restrict you from playing music that is played best of another model. It’s just that, it will not sound right even when you hit the right notes.

Posted on November 6, 2017 by Fernando Dagoc Jr. — 1 Comment

Why the Guitar’s Shape?

One day, one of our clients asked me, “why is the guitar’s shape like this?” and at that time, I was not able to answer it, and it stuck to my mind. I’ve been working with these instruments most of my life, yet I was not able to answer such fundamental question! So I did a bit of research and asked a renowned luthier from Spain.

La Guitarra

In Spain, “the guitar” is called “La Guitarra”, where “la” pertains to the female gender, likewise “el” is for the male gender. In the old times, the guitar is being used by men, as their partner in making music or use them to serenade the opposite gender.

The translation of “la Guitarra” to English made it a more general term which would be “the guitar”, the identification of the gender is now gone. The term “the guitar” has been used all over the world, thus, not identifying the instrument as a woman.

The Anatomy of an Acoustic Guitar

Since guitar’s shape is a reflection of a woman, the names of the parts of the guitar also came from the human anatomy, there is the head, the neck, and the body. The body also has an upper bout, a waist, and a lower bout. See the photo below:

So, Why the Guitar’s Shape?

A good reason is that the guitars in the old times were made by men, for men, the shape allows them to cradle the guitar similar to a woman’s body.

Now, the shape is kept for a couple of reasons:

Tradition. Most Guitar Enthusiasts want to have the “traditional” shape of the instrument. In fact, there are some who does not buy a guitar if there are alterations from her traditional look.
Physics. A classical guitar is constantly resisting the string tension of about 60 kilos (about 90 kilos for steel string guitars) 20/7 until she dies. 🙁 It’s quite a job to keep you happy guys! 😉 Nevertheless, the waist of the guitar helps on the resistance to any warping of these tensions.

References

Posted on October 11, 2017April 13, 2023 by Fernando Dagoc Jr.

2017 SikatPinoy National Arts & Crafts Fair

Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter, along with other talented Filipino crafters, is excited to showcase a diverse range of locally-made products at the upcoming Sikat Pinoy Arts and Crafts Fair. The event is set to take place from October 26th to 29th at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City, Philippines.

The Sikat Pinoy Arts and Crafts Fair is an extraordinary event that should not be missed, especially for those who appreciate quality, handcrafted items. Not only is admission free, but you also have the opportunity to explore the exhibition and discover the unique products on display. Moreover, one booth that you should definitely visit is Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter’s. Their exceptional handcrafted guitars and ukuleles are a true marvel that you won’t want to miss out on.

Experience the Craftsmanship of Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter

Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter is a well-known brand of handcrafted guitars and ukuleles made in the Philippines. Their instruments are highly sought after by musicians and collectors alike for their exceptional sound quality and beautiful designs. At the Sikat Pinoy Arts and Crafts Fair, you can visit their booth and try out their instruments for yourself. You will be impressed with the craftsmanship that goes into each guitar and ukulele.

Discover Other Filipino-Made Products

In addition to Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter’s exquisite instruments, the Sikat Pinoy Arts and Crafts Fair will also showcase an impressive range of other Filipino-made products, including clothing, accessories, home decor, and furniture. This is an exceptional opportunity for you to support local businesses and artisans while finding distinctive and one-of-a-kind items that you won’t find anywhere else.

Free Admission to the Fair

The best part of the Sikat Pinoy Arts and Crafts Fair is that admission is completely free! You can bring along your family and friends to join you in exploring and discovering the best crafts made by talented Filipino artisans. With so many exceptional and beautiful products on display, there is definitely something that will catch your eye. So, don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to experience the best of Filipino craftsmanship.

Don’t Miss Out on the Sikat Pinoy Arts and Crafts Fair

Save the dates October 26-29 for the best of Filipino craftsmanship at SM Megamall. Visit Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter booth to try exceptional guitars and ukuleles. So, come join us at the Sikat Pinoy Arts and Crafts Fair, and we’ll see you there!

Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/146409195967057/

Stay Tuned…

Stay Tuned for More Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter Exhibit Locations

Looking for even more opportunities to experience Ferangeli Guitars and Ukuleles? Look no further than our Exhibits page at https://www.ferangeliguitar.com/exhibits/.

Find updates on exhibits and get sneak peeks of what’s to come. Keep an eye out for new exhibit locations and upcoming events featuring the finest quality guitars from Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter.

Posted on July 31, 2017March 25, 2023 by Fernando Dagoc Jr.

Ateneo Blue Eagle Guitar

Inspired by the Ateneo’s deep traditions of Music, The Ateneo Blue Eagle Guitar is a Tribute to the experiences in the campus.

The Abalone Rosette is taken from the scallop shape of the school seal. It shimmers blue like the wings of Blue Eagle.

The Body of the Blue Eagle Guitar is made of solid Mango. It reminds the fond memories playing under the great Mango tree by the Track and Field oval.

The Ateneo Blue Eagle Guitar is handcrafted by our luthiers here in Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter. From the custom wing design bridge laced with light wood and abalone inlay to the headstock done in the shape of the HS Chapel apex and the bold Ateneo “A” in mother of pearl as a tribute to the school. And at the center of it all, is the beautiful Philippine eagle inlay meticulously done by our artisans in honor of our beloved country. The Ateneo Blue Eagle Guitar is a premium and exclusive item. It is a Legacy by which many songs will be written and sung.

For the benefit of Tulong-Dunong Scholarship

Contact: www.facebook.com/AteneoBlueEagleGuitar

Posted on July 9, 2017March 1, 2023 by Fernando Dagoc Jr.

The Philippines guitar makers competing with karaoke

Lapu-Lapu, near Cebu in the Philippines, considers itself the guitar capital of the country. Its handcrafted guitars and ukuleles are sold around the world. But modern life means there are strings attached to its success.

The Philippine guitar makers competing with karaokeMeet the Philippines guitar makers who face stiff competition from karaoke. 🎸 http://bbc.in/2uMkvUz

Posted by BBC News on Thursday, July 6, 2017

Filed and produced by Timothy McDonald

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/av/business-40508801/the-philippines-guitar-makers-competing-with-karaoke

Posted on October 3, 2015April 13, 2023 by Fernando Dagoc Jr. — 1 Comment

Ferangeli to Manila FAME

Manila FAME, The Design and Lifestyle Event, is back and better than ever! Organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), this prestigious event is scheduled to take place from October 15-18, 2015 at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City, Philippines. In its 62nd edition, Manila FAME remains the country’s premier trade platform for exports and design, offering small and medium scale entrepreneurs the opportunity to showcase their products to the world market.

Discovering the Latest Creations

Manila FAME is the Asia-Pacific’s second longest trade show. This year, it’ll showcase new creations from Philippine artisans and manufacturers. It’s the only UFI-approved trade event in the country, presenting the finest in Philippine design and lifestyle products.

Joining the Event

Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter is thrilled to be taking part in this year’s Manila FAME event, where we will be showcasing a range of our instruments, from entry-levels to high-ends. Our team of skilled craftsmen is excited to demonstrate the precision and quality that goes into each and every instrument we create.

Visit the Fair

Looking for a fun and engaging experience? Come and visit Manila FAME from October 15-18, 2015! This event provides a platform for Philippine exporters to showcase their products, such as Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter. You’ll get to discover the latest products from various industries and experience our instruments firsthand by stopping by our booth. So why not come and join us?

Stay Tuned…

Manila FAME is an incredible opportunity to discover the best of Philippine design and exports. With the event’s impressive history and the level of quality it consistently delivers, visitors can expect an unforgettable experience. We invite you to come and join us, and be part of this exciting celebration of creativity, design, and innovation. See you there!

Stay Tuned for more Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter Exhibit Locations!

Looking for even more opportunities to experience Ferangeli Guitars and Ukuleles? Look no further than our Exhibits page at https://www.ferangeliguitar.com/exhibits/.

Find updates on exhibits and get sneak peeks of what’s to come. Keep an eye out for new exhibit locations and upcoming events featuring the finest quality guitars from Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter.

Posted on May 2, 2015March 1, 2023 by Fernando Dagoc Jr.

Ferangeli at Sikat Pinoy National Handicrafts Fair

In connection with the Philippines’ hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit this year, the DTI Sikat Pinoy National Handicrafts Fair will be showcasing not only products from the country’s sixteen regions, but also from some of the APEC member economies.

With the theme Piling-Piling Produktong Pilipino, the handicrafts edition of the 2005 SikatPinoy national trade fairs, we, Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter, are taking part to exhibit our hand-crafted instruments made from Lapu-lapu City, Cebu! Alongside us are indoor and outdoor furniture; houseware and decor such as linen, lighting fixtures, tabletop accents, etc.; gift and novelty items; and health and wellness products. This retail and order-taking event aims to expand the market presence and open up business opportunities for Filipino SMEs from the regions.

At the same time, special settings and pavilions will feature guest exhibitors from APEC member-economies. The DTI SikatPinoy National Handicrafts Fair is scheduled from May 6 to 10, 2015 (Wednesday to Sunday), at the Megatrade Halls, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City. The fair
is open from 10:00 am to 9:00 p.m. Admission is FREE.

For more information, contact the DTI-Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion at telephone number
751-3223, fax number 751-3224, or email [email protected]. Please “Like” the Facebook page www.facebook. com/sikatpinoyfairs for updates on SikatPinoy events.

The Poster:

Source: https://www.facebook.com/SikatPinoyFairs

Via: http://www.elifestylemanila.com/smes-from-philippine-regions-apec-economies-showcase-products-in-dti-national-handicrafts-fair/

Posted on February 21, 2015March 1, 2023 by Fernando Dagoc Jr.

Hadar: A Ferangeli Student Luthier

Hadar, from Israel, a guitar enthusiast who wants to know more about how the instrument is made was looking for people to teach him the craft. When he found out about Ferangeli Guitar Handcrafter, he then came to the shop inquiring if we could teach him how to make his own guitar, and with the future goal of teaching other people, from his homeland, in the art of guitar-making. As he was more than willing to learn we were also more than willing to teach him.

During his stay, he was guided by the Andoy, the master luthier, on to what he’d be doing for the day, or the next succeeding days perhaps. Depending on what he’d be working on, he will be paired with one of our employees for the hands-on.

To document his every progress, he got his camera ready. He took photos and videos of every process and every pieces of his guitar. These documents will serve as his reference when he goes back to Israel and teach other enthusiasts.