Official Luthiers Forum!

[QUOTE=DarinMcC] Claire, awesome picts you have to be proud of such a fine accomplishment.

Jim, I am also building a Manuel Reyes (just starting, 1st guitar). I had recently emailed Tom with a question on the plan part of his response was the following:

"But the plan is drawn flat from the nut to the bottom of the guitar and the neck has to be lifted about 2 mm up to get the playing angle right."

In reviewing his notes in American Lutherie number 84, where the plans were originally published, he does reference angling the neck forward 2-3 mm at the nut. Did you take this correction into account. I am struggling with the best approach to build this in, as once the neck is set there is really no adjustment. Do I angle the neck forward by this amount, or could I simply increase the height of the nut.

I am looking forward to seeing you final picts.

Darin
[/QUOTE]

If I understood correctly...

Couldn't you just taper the fretboard 2mm toward the soundhole when thicknessing it? That's what I've been told to do on my first guitar (flamenco - Santos Hernandez based... curing right now) by some flamenco builders.

not ot hijack the thread, but with regards to "acheiving" flamenco action - its is common to "lift" the nut-side if the guitar about 2mm.
and it is also common to taper the face of the FB such that a slope is created, creating the same effect as giving the neck a 'negativ" angle.
the way i see it, the 2mm lift is a very good starting point. planning the FB would be a great way to get the "perfect" angle...kindda like, shaving away wood from an acoustic guitar's "heel cheeks" to get the perfect fit/action.
it is in GAL #55 (Fall '98) that R.E brune writes about a '51 barbero flamenco guitar and he clearly point out that:
1.the nut area is is lifted 2mm above the imaginary soundboard line.
2.FB face is tapered from 6.5mm to 5mm(treble side) and 6.25 to 5mm (bass side).
this creates an adequate slope that will enable the builder to use a 5mm tall bridge as some of the old flamencas were sporting.
accordingly, a taller bridge should require less of a steep angle.

Udi.

Claire;
You've gotten off to a great start with this guitar and your wood thicknesses.

I use the 51 Barbero bracing alot and love it.
But I've also used a Santos layout with the parallel bracing and had great success with that also.

Keeping an eye on the guitars over many years of use I find the Barbero bracing holds up well.
So I use that all the time now.

Despite what some will think is herecy I leave my tops a bit thick(.2.3mm) in the center and graduate to 1.8-9
on the edges.
They just scream at ya!!
Raspy as all heck!Loud and almost brittle trebles.
Good luck!
Hope to see more of your work in the future.
Mike Collins

_________________
Mike Collins