a_arnold -> RE: whats the benefit of 660mm scale compared to 650mm? (May 16 2007 22:11:33)
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I've got at 650 blanca and then commissioned a 660 negra by Salvador Castillo. He told me before he made the 660 that it would have more sustain, a more "profound", bigger sound. At the risk of disagreeing with John Shelton (never a safe thing to do), all that Salvador predicted is true. The difference is immediately noticeable. But, as John would point out, that's just 2 guitars. I put a new set of strings on them both after they were both played in and compared them side by side. The 660 has the same "punch" as the 650, but the longer sustain tends to mask the punch somewhat (during fast picado runs, for example.) If you blindfolded me I couldn't tell the difference with my hands as far as the "feel" of the extra 10mm goes, but the sound is unmistakable. The big difference is in sustain. Having more sustain means the effect of the strings aging and going dead becomes more noticeable earlier on the 660. I think the 660 has a more classical sound, and is therefore better suited to flamenco solos that have a more lyrical feel (alegrias por Rosa, zambra mora, granainas, etc.) It would also be a good compromise for someone who wanted to play both classical and flamenco and only had one guitar. By the way, I understand PDL's conde is more than 660 -- maybe 667, if I remember correctly. And (although I disagree with him) Huber's book (the Development of the Modern Guitar) makes the (unsupported) claim that professionals prefer the longer string length, and implies that this is because the "bigger" sound is necessary for concert performance, even though it is harder to play, especially for "amateurs". Take Huber's academic opinion for what it's worth. It's a good book, but not intended to be scholarly, and I doubt he took a census of professional players' string lengths. I guess opinions are allowed in a non-scholarly book, even when unsupported by data. Huber does, however, provide an extensive list of the proportions and string lengths of a large number of top-end guitars made by respected luthiers. Apparently he has been taking measurements through his entire academic career. Hope that helps. Tony Arnold
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