more bass

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more bass

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jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

more bass

Here's a question for the other makers. I have a potential client who has one of our classic guitars made in the 70's. He loves the guitar because of it's booming bass and wonders if we can make a new double body guitar with similar qualities. He is more interested in bass than trebles.

I already know how to make the guitar have so-called booming bass strings but wonder how others might modify their guitars to comply with this request assuming you would even take on the commission.

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John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 15 2014 22:14:38

estebanana

Posts: 9360
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: more bass (in reply to jshelton5040)

Asymmetrical fan braces, more on the treble side less on the bass.

Sand or thin the top a lot behind the bridge, keep the area above the bridge stiffer. That kind of thinning gives breathy basses. I ruined a guitar top on purpose once to take it to extreme thinness behind the bridge and watched what happened.

When you get into that realm, in old time instrument language you are making 16' foot basses, the term comes from the length of organ pipes. The bass is in it's regular register, but it has a breathy sound like it is a octave lower. The organ pipes length was the way the register was named....8 foot bass,16 foot bass.

If they want more bass, make them a seven string. It makes more sense, the added support of overtones from the low string makes everything else have a richer sound.

If you ask me it's not worth it to make a bassy guitar, just give them an extra bass string and make the regular guitar.

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https://www.stephenfaulkguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 16 2014 4:15:31

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: more bass (in reply to jshelton5040)

Basically bring the air resonance down to F or even E-F... there's only so far you can go on the top while keeping it structurally stable so thinning the back or shaving the braces down more will get it there. Maybe make the guitar deeper too, and possible smaller soundhole.

Bass is one of those things that depends a lot on your distance from the guitar but I've been able to make guitars that sound a lot bassier to the player by taking the top as far as it can go and then thinning out the back some.

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Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 16 2014 18:40:50

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: more bass (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Andy Culpepper

Basically bring the air resonance down to F or even E-F... there's only so far you can go on the top while keeping it structurally stable so thinning the back or shaving the braces down more will get it there. Maybe make the guitar deeper too, and possible smaller soundhole.

Andy,
We think alike.

I've been amazed at how lightly braced some of our early guitars are when they come in for repair or adjustment. I must have been a lunatic to think they would work (some didn't). Manuel Lopez-Ramos was always asking for "profound bass" but he was unwilling to give up trebles and sustain. It made for some interesting conversations and challenging builds. Except for a few gems most of those experiments were rather unsuccessful but hopefully one learns from his mistakes.

I think I know how to make a guitar with strong bass. Perhaps I'll be able to find out.

_____________________________

John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 16 2014 21:13:35

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: more bass (in reply to jshelton5040)

John,

There are several ways I know to enhance the bass'.

You can shorten the bass brace near the side by taking off some length toward the sound-hole.

Or you can taper the top of the bass brace in its length, thinner toward the sound-hole.

Or you can thin the top of the bass brace, and this will add a little more bass.

Any of this should be done with very little adjustment.

_____________________________

Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 17 2014 19:38:57

constructordeguitarras

Posts: 1677
Joined: Jan. 29 2012
From: Seattle, Washington, USA

RE: more bass (in reply to jshelton5040)

After experimenting so much for so long to get a good balance between trebles and basses, I shudder to think of changing anything in my method. I think in your situation I would build the guitar as I normally would and then shave the braces through the sound hole little by little along the lines of Andy's and Tom's suggestions, testing by actual playing as I go. I have noticed that a lot of guitars become louder and bassier as they age.

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Ethan Deutsch
www.edluthier.com
www.facebook.com/ethandeutschguitars
www.youtube.com/marioamayaflamenco
I always have flamenco guitars available for sale.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 22 2014 2:11:44

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: more bass (in reply to constructordeguitarras)

Age does loosen up the guitar a little so I try and keep it a little tight when new.

Your guitars are sounding very good.

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 23 2014 12:18:31