Guest -> RE: Flamenco Bridge vs. Classical Bridge (Aug. 13 2004 7:59:26)
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Hi everyone This is not some kind of correction to what has been said until now, but a different aproach, and in the end the result is the same. But this might give some more understanding. I play quite a lot, and when I worked in a shop I had the possibility to listen to a lot of arguments about stringheight above soundboard. I totally aree with Aarons observation abouth the neck setting in. The flamenco guitars I´ve build have all settled 1 - 1 1/2 mm lower at the bridge after a couple of days or so. Bear that in mind. (I had to refret and replane the fingerboard on one!!) So what is it we are looking for? Low action above SB. Why? Most people say because of the golpes, and yes it´s true, it´s easyer with low action. BUT the main reason is the whole handposition. With a lower action, you get your thumb in contact with the soundboard most of the time. This gives you a flatter thumb angle playing rasgueados. You touch the SB and the string at the same time at a flatter angle, making the rasgueados easyer, and the following thumb reststroke (In a Soleá fx) a lot easyer. It also gives you the posibility to rest the thumb on the SB above the strings playing picados, and thus adding a whole lotta strength to your picados. (not bad!!!) So what is important? Stringheight above SB at the bridge? NO!!! We do not play there. What is important is stringheight above SB close to the soundhole, where the thumb is resting. And here´s the problem. Some builders dome their SB a lot and makes the lower harmonic bar flat. This does that the strings are not parrallel to the SB. You might have 8mm height at the bridge and 11mm at the soundhole. That´s not acceptable, your thumb easily slips underneath the string, and players who have learnt to play a correctly setup guitar will reject this one. Never mind the sound!!!! Because their tecnique doesn´t funcion. I try to make my guitars with the strings as parrallel as possible. No more than 1 mm difference. This by arching the lower harmonic bar in Romanillos style, and not giving the SB to much of a dome (2mm) My favorite guitar is 7mm stringheight at the bridge and 8mm at the soundhole. It´s difficult to be that precise, but it´s wonderfull to play. The breakangle at the bridge is not to big a problem if you make a 12 hole tieblock. It increases the breakangle a lot and 30 - 40 degr. should not be a problem. So go ahead, build and show us. Good luck Anders
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