Yep! I've bent 3 of 4 sides. I need to tool up for the cut-away side. I'm also going to do laminated sides, so I need to make matching pairs for everything... Hopefully I can get those bent and laminated this week.
Your brace work looks familiar to me. Did you use any particular maker as a guide for the scalloping design? Any thought to using spectrum analysis on the tone of the tops before and after voicing? I think it would be possible to do in a recording program with a plug....
I started with what Taylor does, then adapted it to some dimensions that fit this body a bit better. These two guitars are being built to a plan. Future guitars will be spectrum tested using a program called Spectrum Analyser. It will take multiple tap tests and average them over 10 taps, then you can see the resonant frequencies and adjust the guitar so those freqs land where you want them. I will also use empirical testing of the materials to determine flex, dampening and resonance. I was in class 2 weeks ago with a world renown expert in that subject... I learned a TON about how to make a very predictable and very responsive acoustic guitar. Hopefully I can put all that education to good use!
Looks good to me buddy. But I've only built one experimental acoustic guitar out of Formica. Still used wood braces split out of clear pine. I've seen one guy check the flex on the tops as they are carved. I think it was Chuck Morrison. He does mostly Classical guitars though so maybe not apples to apples.
I watch Chuck too. The string pull on a classical set of strings is about 1/2 of a steel string, so they are different, but the theory is all the same. I am going to use a flex meter on the next ones I build. They will have much more "science" in them. These two are for me to learn construction technique more than anything... I have a feeling they'll still sound decent, but future ones should stand out against these... I HOPE!!!
It feels a bit like cigar or wine making. You could spend a lifetime taking notes and have a few guitars where you "get lucky". The optimal combination of timber, voicing and fitment may only show up a few times in a lifespan. I'm trying to get ahead of that with science and math. I believe that will enhance the luck factor.
I commend to you Contemporary Acoustic Guitar Design and Build by Trevor Gore and Gerald Gilet. Also life gets easier when you flip over your chisel for the same cuts…and do your top a favour and put some non slip router mat between it and the sandpaper, it’ll thank you…:)
I love this. We're at about the exact same step all along the way. I'm bending my sides tomorrow. I cant wait.
Yep! I've bent 3 of 4 sides. I need to tool up for the cut-away side. I'm also going to do laminated sides, so I need to make matching pairs for everything... Hopefully I can get those bent and laminated this week.
Your brace work looks familiar to me. Did you use any particular maker as a guide for the scalloping design? Any thought to using spectrum analysis on the tone of the tops before and after voicing? I think it would be possible to do in a recording program with a plug....
I started with what Taylor does, then adapted it to some dimensions that fit this body a bit better. These two guitars are being built to a plan. Future guitars will be spectrum tested using a program called Spectrum Analyser. It will take multiple tap tests and average them over 10 taps, then you can see the resonant frequencies and adjust the guitar so those freqs land where you want them. I will also use empirical testing of the materials to determine flex, dampening and resonance. I was in class 2 weeks ago with a world renown expert in that subject... I learned a TON about how to make a very predictable and very responsive acoustic guitar. Hopefully I can put all that education to good use!
Looks good to me buddy. But I've only built one experimental acoustic guitar out of Formica. Still used wood braces split out of clear pine. I've seen one guy check the flex on the tops as they are carved. I think it was Chuck Morrison. He does mostly Classical guitars though so maybe not apples to apples.
I watch Chuck too. The string pull on a classical set of strings is about 1/2 of a steel string, so they are different, but the theory is all the same. I am going to use a flex meter on the next ones I build. They will have much more "science" in them. These two are for me to learn construction technique more than anything... I have a feeling they'll still sound decent, but future ones should stand out against these... I HOPE!!!
very interesting work mang! I'm anxious to hear when this is done and ready to sing! top tuning has always been interesting to me.
I can't wait to hear these things play! Good, bad or indifferent, I know I'll learn a lot that will inform future guitars.
Absolutely brilliant
Thanks Amen!
Voicing the sound bars seems like a thing that a guy could spend a lifetime experimenting with.
It feels a bit like cigar or wine making. You could spend a lifetime taking notes and have a few guitars where you "get lucky". The optimal combination of timber, voicing and fitment may only show up a few times in a lifespan. I'm trying to get ahead of that with science and math. I believe that will enhance the luck factor.
I commend to you Contemporary Acoustic Guitar Design and Build by Trevor Gore and Gerald Gilet. Also life gets easier when you flip over your chisel for the same cuts…and do your top a favour and put some non slip router mat between it and the sandpaper, it’ll thank you…:)
This is not "voicing" all you did was scallop the braces.
This is not "voicing" all you did was scallop the braces.