how to measure internal guitar dimensions, attn T.Blackshear

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Andrew

Posts: 34
Joined: Dec. 25 2008

how to measure internal guitar dimen...

This maybe a question that Tom Blackshear or others might be able to help me with. I looking at drawing a plan of an Arcangel Fernandez flamenco but was wondering how best to measure internal components like braces etc.

Fan bracing dimensions on Tom's Reyes plan are very accurate.

So far I'm using the following;

Hacklinger gauge for thickness
One of those flexible neck inspection cameras for internal pictures
Plasticine to make impressions of bracing.. etc

Any suggestions/methods to help out greatly appreciated.

Andrew

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 27 2009 4:37:01

estebanana

Posts: 9351
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: how to measure internal guitar d... (in reply to Andrew)

Make a christmas light bulb interior inspection light. If you don't already have one.

Get a small bulb, mine is a 40 watt bulb, and rig it to a socket on a long extension cord. It's nice if it has a switch on the cord. Make a half shell looking contraption with some stiff cardboard and tape it to the socket holder so that it provides a heat barrier and a non scratching surface for the bulb to move around on inside the guitar.

If you drop it in the guitar don't leave it on in there for any length of time or get a weaker bulb if you do. You can use tracing paper or any thin transparent paper to lay over the top and shine the light through the top. When you turn off the surrounding room lights you'll get a full shadow play reading on the braces.

It's helpful to have all the lights in the room turned low or off and have a desk light with a switch close by so you can go back and forth between looking at the guitar with the internal light and making notes on your paper.

You have to be really careful how you trace onto the top through the paper. You have to pick some type of drawing media which will not press through the paper and mark the top. One way I've been doing plans is to get thin sheets of clear mylar at the art supply store. You carefully cut out a rectangle to fit around the bridge and fingerboard (plus a hole at the sound hole for the lamp)and lay the whole sheet on top of the guitar. You then use a fine sharpie marker to note the positions of the ends of the braces, the plantilla, the soundhole or any other feature you would like to save.

If you carefully index the mylar to the plantilla and center line you can then make more than one mylar overlay for the guitar. On one mylar sheet you might want to plot top thickness with the gauge, (provided you account for the thickness of the mylar) and on another only the braces. That way you can later make paper plans of each separate issue by taking the mylar to a copy shop, or if you're keeping it for yourself you can work from tracing paper copies make from the mylar. Make sure you find a pen that makes permanent marks on whatever clear plastic you decide to use.

Slightly thicker plastic sheet also makes good templates which can be copied. I don't use wood or plex templates unless it's designed for use as a tool guide for routing. The plastic sheet is easier to store and it bends around guitar contours and slopes. I have some clear matt plastic sheets at 0.47 mm they are also really good for making protective covers for various parts of the guitar around the neck when fretting and filing up the fingerboard.

"The future is in plastics."

What movie is that from?

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 27 2009 10:08:03

Peter Tsiorba

Posts: 130
Joined: Oct. 27 2009
From: Portland, Oregon Pacific Northwest

RE: how to measure internal guitar d... (in reply to estebanana)

quote:

When you turn off the surrounding room lights you'll get a full shadow play reading on the braces.

I recently had an opportunity to restore a 1949 Esteso flamenco guitar. The photo below illustrates the idea of reading braces from the top with a decent light inside and dark ambient environment. For a lightbulb, I used one of those efficient florescent light bulbs. Much less heat, yet quite a bit of light. Works great. As far as measurements of braces inside the box, I like using very small high-precision Starret machinist outside and inside calipers. They are quite small, and you can operate the adjustments with one hand, while inside the guitar box.

Attachment (1)

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Peter Tsiorba
Classical-Flamenco-Guitars
tsiorba.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 27 2009 12:01:46

Andrew

Posts: 34
Joined: Dec. 25 2008

RE: how to measure internal guitar d... (in reply to estebanana)

Thanks for the great ideas, i'm be using them.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 2 2010 2:19:59

estebanana

Posts: 9351
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: how to measure internal guitar d... (in reply to Andrew)

Great, but what movie is that quote from?

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 2 2010 16:08:55

nhills

Posts: 230
Joined: Jul. 13 2003
From: West Des Moines, IA USA

RE: how to measure internal guitar d... (in reply to estebanana)

The quote is from "The Graduate"
Cheers

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"The duende is God's orgasm." - Antonio Canales

"I'm just a poor crazy man in love with his art." - Santos Hernandez (as translated by R. Brune)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 2 2010 17:45:15