Official Luthiers Forum!

No doubt about it, experience is the greatest teacher.

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Under Compensated Nut!

I want to say a few things, but before I muddy up the waters, Todd could you, while maintaining confidences of course, give some specific details on the philosophy of building of the instruments you looked at.
I remember listening to Manuel Velasquez tell about his building, and learned a very good lesson looking at two guitars, one early, one late.

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I'm voicing tops a little tighter than I used to after hearing a couple I built several years ago that I thought were a little "stiff" out of the oven. They had been played a lot and sounded great. I think I was guilty of a little overvoicing early on.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Terrence.
I'm confused.
You thought your earlier ones were too stiff when they were new, but time has shown they weren't?
I guess I don't know what "overvoicing" means.

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I think I was taking too much wood off before David now they are a little stiffer. I keep notes of my impressions after they were strung up and several that I thought were a little tight turned out to be some of the best sounding several years later. Time will tell.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Yes, I get it now, and I agree. Especially with Red Spruce. I have one that was tight, and now about a year later, it is awesome.

Too bad I can't have them all back around a year later.

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An instrument that's slightly tight can be shaped by a skilled player; the same
can't be said for one that's too loose. A recurring theme with good CG players is a desire for a (unified) tension in the guitar, something to push more-or-less subtly against, to produce a timbral and dynamic field for the Music.

I am up to 118 guitars now . My early enthusiasm for the craft had many flaws . I think that I have learned it is more important to make the guitar to the players needs that it is to build one and find a player that needs it . I think to me it is more about balance. If making a top that moves is the key , we would have figured out how to brace paper by now.
We all have our theories and some may not be right . Keep a log learn cause and effect relationships . I learn on every build.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

True words John.
I know I keep bringing up Manuel Velasquez's name, but his words went straight to my "guitar building heart" when he said "the tone is in the wood, leave some wood for tone" and have given much more thought of how to have a responsive guitar without thinning everything to nothing.

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I was so proud of my first acoustic guitar when I built it. I took hundreds of pictures throughout the construction stages, held the materials in my hands, played air guitar with the neck, followed the advice from the couple books I had, and built what I thought at the time was gods gift to man in musical instrument form. I talked about this guitar like I gave birth to it or something.

I laugh now, because 14 acoustics later I see how terrible my first guitar really was. I was so worried about making something that would not fall apart once the strings were pulled to pitch that I built the thing with probably twice as much wood as it needed. The bracing pattern, layout, and carving were all big and boxy, and my neck heel barely made it half way down the sides! The fretboard was completely flat, and the honduran mahogany back was eight shades darker than the african mahogany sides. lol Also, I learned that I am allergic to Shedua wood, which delayed my building by a few days as I cleared it from my lungs and was able to breathe again. (wear a dust mask, seriously) I still have that guitar, though it is never played anymore it still sits on its stand and will always be my first acoustic guitar. I'll attach some pics, be ready to laugh.

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Thanks Todd,
Car shopping, blah.
Now if it were "sports car shopping" that would be something, but I'm no longer single.

Upper body bracing, that is a useful discussion. I haven't been in one. I'll have to pick my battle one of these days.
I'm hoping to attend this years GAL in July, if I can make the scratch. I'm out of a regular job currently.

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Sheesh, Todd, first 100? You're fast! Seems I recall you started about the same time I did!

Most of what's changed in my builds has been invisible: bracing, joint quality, fret leveling, and the like.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Well, that's a relief!

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com