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I was fortunate to attend a concert in Fort Worth thursday night by XuiFei Yang, an incredible player, amazing. She played her 'Smallman and Sons' guitar -- an unconventional classical guitar, lattice braced balsa graphite, very thin top, laminated sides, arm rest. I was on the front row about 15 feet away. I've heard varying opinions on Smallman guitars in the past, and no doubt she could make any guitar sound great, but that guitar sound was very impressive. I'm not good at describing tone but I liked this one, and an incredible dynamic range, loud in a hall of 200 people with no amplification. I like traditional style building for classicals but after hearing that guitar I would like to know more about its construction.

Marc,

David Schramm now offers a lattice braced classical built very similar to that of Smallman. David has also included an mechanically adjustable neck which is an unusual feature for a classical. Here is a link to his site and few construction details.

Schramm Lattice Braced Classical

Regards,

Peter

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Peter

I'm not certain, but I think Schramm own's a smallman he based his version on and was going to do an online apprentice of the lattice brace but it never happened. The Smallman played by Xuefei also had the hole in the fingerboard were the allen bolt is pictured on Schramm's website.

That's thinking outside the box! He didn't mention it but I'm guessing the
back must be laminated similar to the sides?
Thanks for posting that. Very cool.

Cheers,
Danny

I believe that some Aussies are actually carving their backs which means no braces... Very heavy, but good projection.

I've played a couple of Smallman guitars at Master Classes held at the RCM. At the end of the classes there is a general swapping around of guitars to try them, it's a chance to play a number of different high end guitars and make A:B comparisons.

First thing to say about Smallmans is that they are very playable but are so heavy that you are in danger of having your leg go to sleep!

Second thing is that they are loud and project well, however, this is not without loss of clarity and subtlety. They have the volume to fill a hall, but the people in the back half will lose a lot of the tone and separation making the experience somewhat flat. They are loud but to my ears dull in comparison to a well made fan-braced guitar, their cedar top doesn't help here.

Playing a piece of Tarrega with one makes you feel that you are playing in a big hall. But, the same piece played on my traditionally fan-braced Kevin Aram makes it sound as though you are playing in a sunlit garden in Seville! No comparison. They sound a little better with the Northern European music, but then a lute sounds better still.

I recently heard a Phillip Woodfield spruce topped lattice that sounded much better to me, I have actively been seeking out one of these to hear since a conversation with a memeber here some time ago. I believe it lends itself far better to the personality of the player than the Smallman, which to me seemed rather one dimensional.

Colin

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

[QUOTE=Kristopher10] I believe that some Aussies are actually carving their backs which means no braces... Very heavy, but good projection. [/QUOTE]

This one wasn't too heavy...



It's a slip matched black walnut back without any bracing. It's about 1/4" thick at it's thinnest point and about 3/8" at it's thickest. I'm pretty happy with the sound...I'm doing a mahogany version right now.

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http://www.PeakeGuitars.com

Thanks for that assessment Colin...I too am of the same opinion and have played a Smallman.  The difference between a Smallman and a great builder like Torres or Hauser is less volume but indescribaly better tonal quality. 

I have played at least one of each but will sacrifice volume for tonal color any day.  I have played both an Aram as well as a Woodfield and both are really good builders who produce outstanding guitars.

There seems to be something of a concensus about the Smallman sound compared to the traditional sound amongst players, echoing what has been stated here.

I've found that with guitarists I've dealt with with, volume becomes more important to those who have less of a developed ear for tone. Not everyone can really hear good tone just like not everyone has a good eye for details. It takes a trained or developed ear in some cases. But volume is something everyone (not deaf people, but anyways... any guitar listener) can hear. Particularly if that person is not used to being able to find the subtleties between guitars they're usually very impressed by increased volume and mistake it for good tone.

I have made some guitars for a dealer who seemed to have this issue. Always thinking the loudest guitars are the best ones and always trying to get me to make a lattice braced guitar. I was positive that he just couldn't really hear or understand a fine guitar - its a epidemic. Well after dealing with a couple hundred guitars I noticed him really coming around and finally understanding. I was kind of proud of him, actually.

This kind of thing seems to carry over into playing too. It seems as though the people without a developed musical ear are the ones most enamoured with technical mastery and speed. Its novelty.

I played Judicael Perroy's Smallman. Judicael sounded good on it - not great, but good. Some players can make them work. To me, the guitar fit basically with what has been said here about Smallmans. Once the novelty of the volume wears off, you aren't left with much.

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Instagram: @jfrenchluthier
Web: https://www.jfrenchguitars.com/

Forgot to mention that my comments are generalities and not really intended for Marc. I didn't see XuiFei Yang so I can't really comment there...

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Instagram: @jfrenchluthier
Web: https://www.jfrenchguitars.com/

I respect your assessments, Colin, Shawn, and Joshua, and realize they are based on first hand experience and direct comparisons. And, these assessments seem to be a commonly held view in the classical community. One person I discussed Smallman's with went as far as to compared the sound to a banjo. OTOH, John Williams likes them and not just for loudness, interview.

Personaly, I'm glad to hear your opinion, because I prefer the aesthetics of the build in a traditional style.

Marc-
Thanks for the link to the John Williams interview- very interesting reading.

Cheers
John

Danny is correct the back is a pressure laminate.
That's why it needs no braces-think Gibson 335s and related models.
This helps the treble side (so to speak)

I just worked on a Smallman from 2002 that the owner was not happy with the string height and the (tone)
He- from behind the guitar thought it bass heavy!
But out front it was just a Smallman-nasal to some; but loud and clear without warmth (an opinion)

I think there are makers & players for every type of guitar made.
Just find your own place to settle and work from there!
jacks of all trades seldom succeed !

Mike

www.collinsguitars.com

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Mike Collins

I am only going by recordings I've heard and have never played or sat in front of one of these instruments, so my observations should be taken as such, but the opinions stated here re-enforce my general opinions of heavily built steel string guitars:

It seems to me that perhaps the added volume is a mirage... it is the lack of the ability to produce the fundamental and/or the ability to produce overtones which make an instrument like this seem loud. The soundboard is too stiff to make a good bass note but stiff enough to accentuate the overtones of the same bass note. The ear hears the overtones as louder than the fundamental and as a consequence the tone is loud but muddy; there is minimal clarity and minimal separation, but maximum perceived volume.

Does anyone else share this sentiment?