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Fine luthiery; how is it done?
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Ruphus
Posts: 3782
Joined: Nov. 18 2010
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 Fine luthiery; how is it done?
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I remember a handmade classical luthier guitar in the display window of music store of a small German town, sometime in the late seventies.
It was labelled with 5000 DM, something I hadn´t seen before, making me so curious that I had to just go in there and kindly ask whether I may give it a try.
Disappointing, that thing couldn´t even compete with my good old Aira guitar ( a specimen with clearly classical attributes, wanting to be a flamenca just by its golpeador ). Apparrently, the maker and the shop thought they were entitled to a crazy price level, just because the dud was handmade.
That experience together with a Hohner guitar, made me dismiss German luthiery altogether, until decades later when I learnt to gradually accept reality about fine German luthiery like from Hauser & co. And took even longer to update me on fine luthiery from France, North-America, Italy, Yugoslavia you name it ... even Japan, Korea, now China and meanwhile prepared to see great builts from pretty everywhere.
( Allegedly, even where I´m now. Gotta explore on it yet.)
Anyway, as posted I received a flamenco guitar from Lester DeVoe recently, which surpassed most of my expectations without words.
It delights me in all regards ( except maybe weight. It resides in the lower region of light category ).
Corresponding to real life experience and recordings great responsiveness seems to be achieved by many reknown ( and likely lesser known ) luthiers today. Depth of tone appears not to be all too scarce either.
What I consider to be still relatively rare could be classical guitars either of the very romantic type, or of a clay-like brilliance ( as I call it ) in the way of Hauser, which might mostly occure with specimesn of certain makers whose price range seems to start beyond ~ 10 grands. Maybe similar with extreme dynamic range, which must be another demanding challenge of the craft.
And then there is what I estimate not too common property as well, like with the DeVoe; which would be not only surprising simultaneity of both, strong fundamental and overtones, but captivating precise harmonic align of second partial and overtones to the fundamental.
... Evenly with each and every note, mind you!
I am interested to hear how a maker might be proceding to purposefully achieve such.
More even as it must be hard to forsee / calculate such subtle yet significant attribute, until having things ready and stringed.
No?
Ruphus
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Apr. 28 2011 18:40:33
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Ruphus
Posts: 3782
Joined: Nov. 18 2010
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 RE: Fine luthiery; how is it done? (in reply to Ruphus)
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Thank you, Doctor,
I quite tried to view that video, but couldn´t get around census. Will try again.
I am curious how B&S of cardboard can do, if only layered dense and stiff enough, I guess.
For accuracy I got to correct myself on this:quote:
... Evenly with each and every note, mind you!
There exist a couple of wolftones, eventhough with exactly harmonic overtones as mentioned above, quickly decaying together with their fundamental. Most prominently with "C ( and lesser with "A# and "D# ).
Not really dead notes, but considerably shorter relatively to the rest.
They are little noticable with all the covering up through sympathetic resonation. Sticking out only when sympathetic vibrations are muted.
Their tails must be cancelled by the strong main air of the instrument ( which must be E, if I pin-point that correctly ).
Something increasingly occuring the more responsive guitars get.
About overtones harmony:
Just tested my best classical guitar. Eventhough its intonation being highly accurate, its overtones are not nearly on spot like with the DeVoe.
Seems as if this kind of accuracy was bound to the constructions own tune. ... Maybe determined by main air precisely pitched to its note?
Thinking of it, I like to speculate like that.
No matter which main air, if you can hit it as closely as possible to the corresponding standard frequency of the note ... bingo!
If you get that done, all other notes will have their overtones and sympathetic company in line too.
Together with other of most desired sound / playability properties, you´ll have a killer instrument holding the unconsciously perceived secret of perfect harmony as icing on the cake.
Correct me if I´m wrong.
Ruphus
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Apr. 29 2011 0:09:08
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Ruphus
Posts: 3782
Joined: Nov. 18 2010
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RE: Fine luthiery; how is it done? (in reply to Ruphus)
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As you say, logically the structure, hence kind of material too, should make a difference. Its feedback effecting the tops performance.
After all, if you, let´s say, bear a membrane on a rubber structure much of membranes resonance should be absorbed. From there the individual kind of bearing structure should influence which frequencies might be rather responded too and which lesser so.
It might also influence whether vibrations of the top will be emitted fast ( = bright sound, I guess ) or slow ( = accumulating / depth of tone ). It might also individually influence whether low or high frequencies will be either slowed down or released with just little lag.
I tend to think that for instance the denseness of rosewood in combination with its oil contents would slow down low frequencies and lend them depth ( while absorbing some of HF ), while maple would do similar rather to upper frequencies ( while bluring some of LF ).
Naturally, all considered with structural specs as ( nearly ) parameter.
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Besides, I would welcome if available / "ordinary" species from secondary forests would replace exotic woods as sought after material.
Which is why I notice when a well reputated luthier remarks that for instance sycamore delivers all attributes for best results.
It is also why I like the cardboard example, as it could contribute to getting away from the BR hype.
... Maybe ovations could be a hintside too. I used to have one that was performing quite well despite its back of plastic.
Ruphus
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Apr. 30 2011 10:30:05
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