Pitch of back braces

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Taranto

Posts: 213
Joined: Apr. 7 2005

Pitch of back braces

Hi,

what is the importance of pithes of the back braces? Do I need to tune them?
Do they influence the guitar sound?

Thanks, Taranto

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 11 2007 16:03:31

Armando

Posts: 302
Joined: May 27 2005
From: Zürich, Switzerland

RE: Pitch of back braces (in reply to Taranto)

Hi Taranto

What ever you do during construction has its influence on the final sound of the guitar. To what extend is another story and how the sound changes if you tune certain parts is extremly difficult to forecast. It's not proven that tuning some parts of the guitar to a specific pitch will certainly improve the quality of sound.

As of the tuning of the back there are many different opinions among luthiers. Some of them say that it is best to have the back being tuned a seminote above or below the tuning of the top in order to ensure coupling between the two.

Other famous makers tune their tops and backs up to five semitones appart.
I could not find out by myself so far which one of the two is right because i think it depends as always what instrument you are building (classical or flamenco) and also what character you want the instrument to have.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 13 2007 20:50:37

Taranto

Posts: 213
Joined: Apr. 7 2005

RE: Pitch of back braces (in reply to Armando)

Hi Arman,

Right now I'm building my first ever which is a classical following J Bogdanovich's book.
He writes that knocking on the three back braces should produce three distinctive sounds which they do naturally since they are of different length.

By the way how do you tune the top or back? By knocking on them? Knocking different locations sound different.

Thanks, Taranto

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 13 2007 21:17:12

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: Pitch of back braces (in reply to Taranto)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Taranto

what is the importance of pithes of the back braces? Do I need to tune them?
Do they influence the guitar sound?

My advice would be to try to achieve an arch in the back that is pleasing to the eye with no lumps or bumps. That's difficult enough without thinking about tuning. As to tuning...concentrate on the top since that's where the sound is produced.

_____________________________

John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 14 2007 0:05:59

stephen hill

Posts: 300
Joined: Feb. 16 2004
From: La Herradura, Granada, Spain

RE: Pitch of back braces (in reply to Taranto)

I have tuned my backs like the following,
I tap the lower back bar and then tap the bridge. I look for a musical difference , a minor 3rd or major 3rd. I, ve done 4th and 5th, they each have their character. But now I look to the box pitch wanting an fsharp, so am working things to that. The most important is not to make things the same. If things arnt right I get my hand in there with a small plane and shave the damn things down. (Its a bit like artificial insemination with cows...)
Usually tho its right, as I follow a thread with my guitars and try to look at the small changes.

_____________________________

stephen hill - granada spain
http://www.spanishguitars.co.uk

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 14 2007 2:08:55

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: Pitch of back braces (in reply to Taranto)

quote:

My advice would be to try to achieve an arch in the back that is pleasing to the eye with no lumps or bumps. That's difficult enough without thinking about tuning. As to tuning...concentrate on the top since that's where the sound is produced.

I agree.

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Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 14 2007 10:03:45