Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi
I am a beginning luthier, full time doc, so please bear with me. I have
built one steel string with a kit. I am building a 2nd without one, and I
am going to be an apprentice with an experienced classical guitar builder.
I am having difficulty finding info on how to tap tune etc. Most books
describe taping the soundboard to get the tone you want. How do you do
that. I am getting the impression the more you remove from your bracing
the lower the tone. I don't know if this is true. Is there any info out there
on the basics of tuning the soundboard etc. Each luthier seems to create
their "own sound".   Is this by the size and shape of their bracing.

Thanks

Andy

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

dana bourgesoir(sp) has published some very good info on tap tuning. the mimf also has some good info in their library, here:

    http://www.mimf.com/cgi-bin/ksearch/ ksearch.cgi?terms=tap+tuning&display=50&all=1

Also I have put out a DVD on this subject. You can find it by clicking the
link in my signature that says Mayes music.

Dana (I worked for him for almost a year) has put out two articles and
they are both great.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Andy,

Welcome to the forum. Who do you get to apprentice with? That will be a great experience.

I encourage you to get John's DVD. You can see and hear voicing done right in front of you. The articles by Dana are excellent, but I needed the visual and auditory help to really understand what voicing a top meant.

Jeff

If you are going to A.S.I.A. Ervin Somogyi, "The Master of Top Tuning" will be giving a seminar on this very topic!

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

I'll also be at the ASIA Symposium with some of the 'glitter testing' stuff for a workshop. Sort of 'Tap Tones on Silicon'. ;)

Alan Carruth

I am going to apprentice with Greg Brandt
Andy

_________________
Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com