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I'm building a new Flamenco guitar, my top at 2.2mm is tuned to G#, should i remove more wood from the bracing ? or should i keep it until final sanding to 2.1mm ?
The note you get by tapping the unattached soundboard is meaningless as far as the final resonances of the instrument. Even the guru of free plate tuning, Alan Carruth , does not attempt to predict final resonances from the unattached soundboard. Besides which, the resonance most people refer to when the say that for example "my guitar is at G on the 6th string" is actually the air resonance, which is mainly influenced by the air volume of the body and the size of the soundhole (as well as to a lesser extent by the flexibility of back, sides and soundboard.
What is meant by a top is tuned to a certain note and what is the aim of doing that?
I hold the guitar and play keys on the piano. The guitar resonates more at a specific note. Problem is that the finish and age also affect the tuning of the top. It's just a way to try to take some of the variables out of building. Not an exact science anymore than anything else in guitar making is.
The top at G# will be a little too high in its frequency if you are building toward a more F#-G when the guitar is finished. But you don't reveal what design you are using so this is rather off the road to finalizing the actual top tone.
There are ways to adjust this but the design is important for it to be worked just right. The top can be thinned around its outside edges to lower the key, or thinned out in its fan braces but the thinner braces might cause the sound to be brighter than normal, which could play negatively with the ambiance of the tone.
Many things are possible in tone adjustment but I always advise to build a proven pattern, which gives more information.
BTW, most top designs I've worked with are basically the same tonal key off the guitar as on it with the bridge installed, or very close to the actual off and on.
In case of being a little high, you can taper the edges a little to bring down the key. Do this with the guitar strung up, and playing; not more than about .1 mm thinner around the edges to start with.That's point 1 mm, .1 mm
Tom, did you notice that the poster talks about a loose top and not an assembled guitar?
Yes Sir, as I was referring to both loose and installed tops being about the same key.
quote:
BTW, most top designs I've worked with are basically the same tonal key off the guitar as on it with the bridge installed, or very close to the actual off and on.
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