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Heavy weight in the heel ?   You are logged in as Guest
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Guetta

 

Posts: 40
Joined: May 28 2014
 

Heavy weight in the heel ? 
Hello my question is for the luthier of Foro Flamenco.

I have two guitars in rosewood with a heavy weight in the heel. The neck falls forward because a larger mass of wood inside creates this counterweight.
I would like to know if it is possible to reduce this weight on the heel through the rosette?
Obviously without damaging the guitar! I would really like to have lighter guitars is it a bad idea to do it by a luthier?

Thank you for the advice
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Oct. 26 2017 7:32:31
 
jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005
 

RE: Heavy weight in the heel ? (in reply to Guetta) 
I don't quite understand your question; but it sounds like a chore that I would avoid like the plague. If you want a light weight flamenco guitar the best solution is to buy a lightweight flamenco guitar.

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Oct. 26 2017 22:06:26
 
Echi

 

Posts: 1132
Joined: Jan. 11 2013
 

RE: Heavy weight in the heel ? (in reply to Guetta) 
Hi, can I ask you how do you know the cause of the weight is the heel?
Usually the neck is made of cedrela, quite a light wood.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Oct. 28 2017 6:24:43
 
Guetta

 

Posts: 40
Joined: May 28 2014
 

RE: Heavy weight in the heel ? (in reply to Echi) 
quote:


Hi, can I ask you how do you know the cause of the weight is the heel?
Usually the neck is made of cedrela, quite a light wood.


Hi Echi, it's the wood of the heel because it comes back under the top until the 15 freight with a thickness !
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Oct. 29 2017 9:10:02
 
Njål Bendixen

 

Posts: 65
Joined: Aug. 25 2016
 

RE: Heavy weight in the heel ? (in reply to Guetta) 
Everything is possible, but this one is a lot of effort. Better to sell the guitar to someone who don't mind the balance issue, and buy yourself a guitar that works for you.

I don't think that doing it through the sound hole is a good idea. Better to take off the back. That gives you an idea of the scale of work. Always restoration and modification takes much more time than new making. I would only consider this if you are in love with the guitar and would never exchange it for anything. But do remember that altering the balance and the weight of a guitar also alters the sound and the feel somewhat.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Oct. 29 2017 11:31:21
 
Echi

 

Posts: 1132
Joined: Jan. 11 2013
 

RE: Heavy weight in the heel ? (in reply to Guetta) 
quote:


Hi Echi, it's the wood of the heel because it comes back under the top until the 15 freight with a thickness

Maybe it's the heel, maybe not or not only.
There are also things like the double sides or the neck reinforcement which can contribute in increasing the final weight.
My point is that the first step is the right assessment.
If you told the name of the maker it would be easier to guess the cause of your problem: As an instance a Marvi guitar can be definetely heavy, but there is no way you can have the heel shaved as it's a guitar assembled in a peculiar way. Other makers just go for big guitars and to thin down the heel wouldn't make such a difference either.
The second remark is about the job in itself: I guess it's difficult to do a clean job working through the soundhole.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Oct. 29 2017 13:24:34
 
Cloth Ears

 

Posts: 152
Joined: Apr. 26 2005
 

RE: Heavy weight in the heel ? (in reply to Guetta) 
My classical guitar has a truss rod in the neck which causes this issue. I certainly would not want that in my flamenco guitars, which have much lighter construction.

Have a look at the soundhole end of the neck inside the guitar body for a tension adjustment bolt, to see if this is present in your guitar. Obviously don't try removing it, but it may just be the cause.

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Oct. 29 2017 13:57:35
 
Morante

 

Posts: 2179
Joined: Nov. 21 2010
 

RE: Heavy weight in the heel ? (in reply to Guetta) 
quote:


Hi Echi, it's the wood of the heel because it comes back under the top until the 15 freight with a thickness !


All Spanish guitars are made like this; there is always wood under the fretboard. It seems to me that you don´t know what you are talking about. Take the guitar to a luthier and ask for an informed opinion.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Oct. 29 2017 14:38:17
 
Escribano

Posts: 6415
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Heavy weight in the heel ? (in reply to Morante) 
My Anders is as light as a feather, with an ebony fingerboard. No pesa nada, as all flamencos should be. Don't understand how it can be heavy and imbalanced.

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Oct. 29 2017 17:19:04
 
Echi

 

Posts: 1132
Joined: Jan. 11 2013
 

RE: Heavy weight in the heel ? (in reply to Guetta) 
I’m not surprised the guitar is heavy but I wouldn’t blame the heel for that....
The very fact the guitar is unbalanced suggests the neck/headstock group is heavier than the box.
Just to clarify my previous post: some makers, like Marvi or Bernd Martin, let the neck go forth under the fretboard up to the upper harmonic bar or even the sound hole : if this is the case, this may contribute in increasing the overall weight.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Oct. 29 2017 18:45:48
 
Guetta

 

Posts: 40
Joined: May 28 2014
 

RE: Heavy weight in the heel ? (in reply to Guetta) 
Thank you all for your responses !
Effectively, I am not luthier and that's why I ask advises.
All your comments really help me ...
Thanks
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Oct. 30 2017 6:34:11
 
jalalkun

Posts: 276
Joined: May 3 2017
From: Iraq, living in Cologne, Germany

RE: Heavy weight in the heel ? (in reply to Escribano) 
quote:

ORIGINAL: Escribano

My Anders is as light as a feather, with an ebony fingerboard. No pesa nada, as all flamencos should be. Don't understand how it can be heavy and imbalanced.


could you please tell us how much it weighs? I'm curious to know

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Oct. 30 2017 19:59:56
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