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Gimar Yestra -> RE: tuning a guitar top (Aug. 17 2011 13:46:58)
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my questiong wasn't realy about HOW to tune a top, I know how to tune a steelstring top.
but i'd like to share my toughts on tuning a top from steelstring and archtop guitar making experience... I'm by no means an expert, so dont read the below as being the thruth, this is just my interpetation and this works for me sofar :-)
also i might want to add that I was trained by a master luthier, eventhough never building acoustics while being an appretice, i was always interested by tap tuning and acoustic guitar making, so my master told me alot of his ways etc.... I just never seen him build a flamenco :D
Tap tones can be a guideline, but don't give a guarantee for a good guitar.
Ive inspected some flamenco guitars (1 gerundino blanca, 1 Eliasson blanca and 1 Eliasson negra) all 3 guitars had a top pitch of around F# /G the backs were +- 2 semi tones up in pitch (so around G#/A).
Ive also read articles wich pretty much gave the same guideline.
You can tell the pitch by tapping the top or back, and finding the same note on the fretboard (make sure all strings are tuned lol).
if you have a high mass on the top (overbraced) you will hear a high pitch, lower mass will produce a lower pitched tap tone.. so there is the guideline wich gives you and idea of how much mass there is on the top.
find some cheapass guitar and tap the top and back and find out what pitches they are, you will most likely find them to be rather high pitched, then there is the whole top and back thickness/stiffness issue, wich is mostly experience I think.
the real thing is WHERE you take away wood, obviously you want the whole top to be able to vibrate, so around the edges the braces are made thinner to allow for more flexability. but these things are mostly experience aswell.
curious to hear some other toughts.
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