1st Build help needed

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1st Build help needed - Please

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lsnyman

Posts: 120
Joined: Feb. 6 2009

1st Build help needed - Please

I have completed my top, bracing rosette etc and my neck as well, all according to the GAL Reyes measurments.
I am very confused by the assembly and preparation of the sides before bending them. There seem to be so many conflicting methods when reading posts here, the Cumpiano book, Bogdnovich etc, but no one sems to address this particular point I am asking.

I attach a drawing below. After bracing the top, the top is flat on the upper bout in all directions and then curves or dome down to the tailblock and of course is curved in the lower bout.
Note I have accentuated the curves for illustration.
So in a state of rest, the top is shaped like the "side view' sketch, the tail block end drops down and therefore the bridge position is lower than the neck position.

So the question is, Are the sides kept Straight and level at the top, OR are they Domed towards the Tail block, OR tapered to the Neck?

In my reasoning they should be left flat, resulting in the domed portion of the top being pushed upwards as in the first side view.
If they are domed at the bout end then basically the top will just lie at rest on the sides.

It seems everyone does it differently or am I just missing something?

The second part of the question is the same for the back. Are the sides tapered toward the neck on the back. My own guitar is actually tapered towrd the back.
To mee it seemd the back should be domed completely from front to back and side to side

please help
Thanks
Liam

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 5 2011 17:01:30

Andy Culpepper

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

RE: 1st Build help needed - Please (in reply to lsnyman)

It depends on how you made your workboard. The way I do it I make the edge of the sides that will join to the top perfectly straight before bending. The edge of my workboard is flat with the only dishing happening in the lower bout and a tiny dropoff of the top under the fingerboard to get the top and neck on a plane with the right neck angle. On the finished guitar the plane of the top of the sides is flat with the dome happening between the heel and soundhole like in your first side view with the red outline.

When fitting the back the sides are normally tapered towards the heel block. I plane an angle into the gluing surface of the spanish foot to match the angle of the side taper. I also have a radiused sanding block to sand the edge of the sides w/linings to match the back doming.

_____________________________

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

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 5 2011 17:20:34

lsnyman

Posts: 120
Joined: Feb. 6 2009

RE: 1st Build help needed - Please (in reply to lsnyman)

Andy
Thanks very much for your insight, Im glad my instincts were on track. One question, do you bother to cut a taper in the sides before bending or do you just cut them to the correct maximum width before bending?
Here are some pics of my top and headstock.
I took a different path instead of a traditional rosette. The Padauk should pop nicely when finished I hope.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 6 2011 0:52:27

Gimar Yestra

Posts: 298
Joined: Jan. 19 2011
From: The Netherlands

RE: 1st Build help needed - Please (in reply to lsnyman)

howmuch dome does your back have?? I'm using 4 mm dome for my back, so I wont bother to cut the sides to match the radius, since its so little.

I've made steelstrings where the dome on the back is around 7 mm, in those cases I do cut a small taper.

however I found it easier to bend the sides without a taper, it leaves more straight edges for reference purposes, and its easier to check if your bends for twists by laying it on a flat surface.

EDIT: that headstock looks very nice, nice inlay and nice shape, looking forward to see the finished product!

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www.yestragitaarbouw.nl

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 6 2011 12:01:04

lsnyman

Posts: 120
Joined: Feb. 6 2009

RE: 1st Build help needed - Please (in reply to lsnyman)

That makes a whole lot of sense, Thank you so much.
The design is based on one of the mosaic patterns found in the Alhambra. A little different to the norm, but that is what is nice about building a guitar for yourself