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I was wondering if anyone has used multi-piece tops (more than 2) like 3 or 4 piece?
Does this present a considerable problem with the sound and bracing?
Thanks

-j.

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“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy

I read somewhere -- maybe it was in Romanillos' book -- that Antonio De Torres, the father of the modern classical guitar, used 3, 4, and even 5 pieces on some of his guitar tops. I would think that if you have nice, tight glue seams it probably wouldn't matter.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

Your right Michael, according to Romanillos, of the 80 or so Torres guitars surveyed 16 or so had 3 or 4 piece tops, hardly any had bookmatched tops and a lot of them also had the join off centre. We are spoilt with the access we have to top grade wood, builders then had to use the wood they could get. What Torres could do that I for one can't is to get the very best from the wood he had, the magic of the feel of the wood between his finger and thumb.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Not only were some of Romanillos' tops not bookmatched, some appeared to have come from different logs, IIRC.

burbank38918.5751041667

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

[QUOTE=Colin S]What Torres could do that I for one can't is to get the very best from the wood he had, the magic of the feel of the wood between his finger and thumb.
[/QUOTE]

As I recall, the feel between his finger and thumb was a way Torres described that part of his artistry. Considering what he had to work with, it makes his results all the more remarkable.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

A four-piece top made with superior wood is likely to sound better than a two-piece made with lesser quality material, depending, of course, on the skill of the builder.

Actually, my first guitar had a 3-piece top. Sounded decent for a first guitar.

Hmmmmmm,Very interesting,Had no idea he made those multi-piece tops.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Just to add to this is a trick I learned a couple of years ago, and which I've used if a top or back set is a bit too narrow for the lower bout.

Save the offcuts from the waist area. Then take each offcut piece, flip it over, and transfer it over to the opposite lower bout. Then line the cuts up so the grain differences show the least, trim them to about the size you'll need, prepare the glue joints, and glue the offcuts in place. Flipping the pieces over makes sure that whatever runout exists is in the same direction between the plates and the added "wings."

Best,

Michael

_________________
Live to Play, Play to Live

So then, that means Michael has built 4-piece tops!

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Been there done that - one of my students has a Beneteau, and one of the first things I noticed about it was it has lower bout wings on the top !!! He never knew, or would never have noticed. I do this as well, but mostly on backs, but I dont flip anything over - I slip a piece back from the upper bout area to the lower bout - that keeps the grain colour and runout exactly the same on each side of the top. You can usually make it almost invisble.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"