CUSTOM HAND BUILT CLASSICAL GUITARS
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Build Log: Overview of a Custom Built Small Guitar. |
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I was commissioned to build a guitar for a petite woman. She needed a guitar that was a bit smaller than normal but would still give her a full sound. After a lot of research and some suggestions from fellow guitar makers I decided to build a guitar for her based on Antonio de Torres's FE 17 guitar. This was the 17th guitar from Torres's first epoch of guitar building. FE 17, as it is called, was played for many years by Francisco Tarrega. The body size is small by today’s standards so it would be a good fit for the player. I used a 640mm scale length instead of the usual 650 scale length. This places all of the frets a bit closer together to accommodate shorter fingers. Instead of the standard 52mm width at the nut, I made this one 48mm at the nut and kept the neck width proportional. This also helps the player reach all the notes. All images can be zoomed in when clicked |
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This is how I draft a new guitar design. I based this guitar on FE 17 by Antonio de Torres. I just had measurements and a rough drawing to work with so I used a batten to determine a final shape I was happy with. If you change one aspect of the batten, then you change everything. |
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I cut the bindings for this guitar from the sides themselves. |
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This is the set up that I used to determine the deflection of the top while thinning. Deflection testing gives a very subtle indication of the effects of thinning the top in small increments. |
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The top after the rosette is installed |
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The fan bracing. The placement and dimensions are directly from the Torres model. |
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The top is on the Solera or building platform. I use this platform and build in the Spanish method. I make a new Solera for each model of Spanish guitar that I build. |
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The top and back before gluing together. |
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Detail shots of the top and ribs before gluing on the back. The little blocks that join the ribs and the top are individually glued in place with hide glue. |
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The box is closed. I will glue on the bridge and make the guitar playable before finishing. I play a new guitar "in the white" before finishing for a while to give the guitar a chance to develop its voice. The guitar usually sounds "green" or "tight" at this point. After a week or two of playing I will selectively sand the top around the perimeter to open up the sound if needed. |
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The French polished guitar strung up for the first time. |
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The new owner, enjoying her custom built Spanish guitar for the first time. |
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The maker, saying goodbye to this fine little instrument. It will be missed in the shop. |