custom measurements (Full Version)

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Miguel de Maria -> custom measurements (Oct. 31 2006 15:02:19)

I am wondering if anyone has any experience with custom guitars. I don't mean handmade guitars or ones where you pick out the rosette, but ones with different dimensions and measurements suited to your body.

When you look at the various sizes of people's body parts, but then we are all trying to use the same size of guitar, it doesn't make much sense to me. For example, my friend James is well over six feet and has huge hands, and I am well under six feet and have rather small hands. Yet we're supposed to play the same instrument? Well, we don't wear the same size shoes or clothes, do we?

I wonder just how much a custom fitted instrument would help someone play.



Anders Eliasson -> RE: custom measurements (Oct. 31 2006 16:11:13)

Maybe it would help your friend James to play a bigger body guitar, but it would give the builder headache to be able to make the guitar sound well. Just 1 cm extra across the body and you totally loose control of what you are doing.
Big guitars tend to be impresise sounding with bad definition. If you ever try a guitar from Esteve, you´ll know what I mean. They are all big and not specially good on this aspect. I´ve tried a 4000 euros guitar from them and the same problem.

Besides, I once played in the Copenhagen youth simphony orchestra and you had big guys playing violins and small girls playing the Cello....

Adjust and be one with your instrument, forget your body and be the instrument.[;)]



Miguel de Maria -> RE: custom measurements (Oct. 31 2006 16:53:43)

There is the matter of not being able to reach certain things...



PacoPaella -> RE: custom measurements (Oct. 31 2006 17:09:11)

my first teacher has small hands too, a local luthier http://www.ak-gitarrenbau.de/ built a smaller cutaway flamenco for him and it was more than sufficient for gigs. Of course it costs somewhat more than the normal out-of-the box model where the luthier can assemble the stuff with his eyes closed.



Miguel de Maria -> RE: custom measurements (Oct. 31 2006 18:18:18)

At 4000 Euros+, I hope it's sufficient for gigs! Strangely enough, two of our more accomplished flamencos here in town have even smaller hands than I.



Anders Eliasson -> RE: custom measurements (Nov. 1 2006 7:23:01)

Well

I forgot to add that things like longer a or shorter scale, thicker or thinner neck, wider or narrower neck etc. are never any problems and can always be build to the costumers wishes, but changing the box size... Well, making it smaller is not to difficult to control, but making it bigger........[X(] It´s like the Spanish guitar just does not like to be bigger.



mellowmel -> RE: custom measurements (Nov. 1 2006 8:05:42)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Anders Eliasson

Well

I forgot to add that things like longer a or shorter scale, thicker or thinner neck, wider or narrower neck etc. are never any problems and can always be build to the costumers wishes, but changing the box size... Well, making it smaller is not to difficult to control, but making it bigger........[X(] It´s like the Spanish guitar just does not like to be bigger.


Hi Anders,

How big is bigger, and what are the dimensions of your blancas?

Thanks!



Anders Eliasson -> RE: custom measurements (Nov. 1 2006 17:03:33)

Hi mellowmel.

Could you be a bit more specific. What do you want to know? Length, width at upper and lower part, scale?

My guitars are in between or very standard in size. I have builded bigger and smaller, and find that this size is where I get the best compromise.



GailP -> RE: custom measurements (Nov. 1 2006 19:16:38)

Anders,

If a customer cannot come to see you at your shop, how do you determine what scale length, shape of neck profile, and width of neck (fretboard) is best for your customer when you make them a custom guitar?



mkhn -> RE: custom measurements (Nov. 1 2006 21:40:27)

Im on the list for a Devoe blanca and he asked to send him a tracing of my left hand. I will definitely drop by his shop before he gets started on my guitar, but he does customize the guitar to suit one's hands better if they tend to be either a bit smaller or larger in size to the "norm". I believe he doesnt customize the box dimensions as Anders had previously wrote, but rather the fretboard parameters.



Anders Eliasson -> RE: custom measurements (Nov. 2 2006 7:48:28)

In general, I feel that all this costum measuring is highly overrated. I´ve seen small guys playing long and wide scale guitars and visa versa. The standard scales (650 - 655) and nut (51 - 53) suits almost all players. The difference inbetween the frets on a 650 or a 660mm guitar is around 1/2mm !!!!! Nut width is something that you feel a lot, but not only size of your hands, but the way you play, the way you put your hands on the guitars are very important factors, so if someone comes to my workshop and ask me what size they need, I tell them to play for a while and I observe with eyes and ears. (And nose. If they swet to much I´ll make them a smaller guitar[:D])



Miguel de Maria -> RE: custom measurements (Nov. 2 2006 14:57:47)

I recently had a luthier adjust the nut width on my gig guitar. It was a very tiny amount, but I certainly noticed it and will have the job done on my other guitar. I don't know anything about scale length, though...



Ricardo -> RE: custom measurements (Nov. 2 2006 22:51:48)

One thing I am picky about is the string spacing at the nut, not the nut width itself. I Like when the string slot spacing in the nut is wide. (that sounded bad). I dont' think I could guess the scale length beween 650-664. In fact I know I can't because that is the diference between two of my guitars and I was shocked when I measured em.

Ricardo



Ramón -> RE: custom measurements (Nov. 13 2006 23:42:38)

I'm almost 6' 3" (189cm), but slim at 190 (87kg), long slender fingers, yet I like spacing - and I still prefer a 650-655mm string length. I have a 660mm Negra and I CAN feel a bit of a difference. Granted, as Anders says, it really is small, but as your hands become more sensitive...It's why you begin to 'learn' what a great guitar sounds and feels like. Experience... I've tried guitars at 50-52mm (52mm seems 'standard' with most builders) at the nut, and it is seriously harder for me to play. I really have to focus on exact placement.

One of the things that I really liked about the Reyes that I built was that the body was a bit thicker than many of the smaller (thinner) body flamencos these days - and the guitar IS really quite loud - yet not as thick as a typical Classical body - which I find a bit uncomfortable under my arm - even at my height.

However, when I first saw the plans, what struck me was a 54mm wide headnut, AND the high E was set in about 5-6mm from the edge of the fretboard. All my other guitars were much closer, and an aggressive 'pull-off' - especially with a cejilla - could literally pull the string off the board and under the capo.

I added a pic here that I used in my building journal. It's the headnut and string spacing from the plans, and this setup is FANTASTIC - for me!

I love that High E set away from the edge of the fingerboard. I'm sure other builders do this, too, but it was a first for me to have THIS much room and no pull-off - literally! This is really (customization) where 1 or 2mm's is quite noticeable.

What I do like to do is try as many guitars as I can. Look them over closely in between playing, and see the hows and whys, and get ideas of WHY I like or dislike the guitar. Now I take pics, make notes, and get ideas. This helps in just 'setting up' a guitar, too, to get a bit more out of it.

As a side-note: I have reset the action on my Reyes copy. With just barely a touch of 'buzz', the low E is now at 2mm at the 12th fret! Juan Moro (John Moore) played the guitar at a dance class this weekend and just gave me 'the look', and said; "This is REALLY nice".

Yessssssssssss! lol

(Although he nearly set my baby on fire! I was afraid there might be smoke, so I checked it over closely for burn marks or smoldering when he was done)![:D]

Just my .2¢



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sonikete -> RE: custom measurements (Nov. 14 2006 0:01:27)

Wow, you built a Reyes copy?! I havent follwed the luthier thread so im sorry if i ask questions already answered but, are there any photos and sound clips of it around here? Id love to see and hear it!



DoctorX2k2 -> RE: custom measurements (Nov. 14 2006 1:53:06)

quote:

ORIGINAL: sonikete

Wow, you built a Reyes copy?! I havent follwed the luthier thread so im sorry if i ask questions already answered but, are there any photos and sound clips of it around here? Id love to see and hear it!



Final thread there : http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m=41843&p=1&tmode=1&smode=1

As for sound clips... we're still waiting on Ramon [:@]. I'm going to take out the bamboo stick soon and force him to post something! Even if it has to come out of a cheap computer mic! [:D]



sonikete -> RE: custom measurements (Nov. 14 2006 2:22:38)

Holy crap, thats one fine looking guitar, im in love ! Thanks a lot! Cant wait to hear it!



Ramón -> RE: custom measurements (Nov. 14 2006 4:03:51)

OKAY, OKAY!

Sheesh.....If I wanted THIS kind of abuse I'd just get married! [;)]

I will try to snag this REALLY nice sound recorder and do a clip. Maybe this weekend..

Brutes! [:@]

PS...Thanks, Sonikete. And if you look under this section, I did a series, 1-15, on the experiences I had building my first guitar.



sonikete -> RE: custom measurements (Nov. 14 2006 6:28:05)

Yes, i will read that. I kind of got an urge to try that myself.[:D]



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