Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
Hi folks, just want to throw some stuff out there on lining material.
In the past I've used lime, mahogany etc - which has been up to the job. I'm contemplating trying to build an ultralight model and have thought about using balsa. Just wondering if anyone has any experience of using this and possible pro's / con's or any other thoughts. I'm not sure I would want to extend the use of this material, but just trying to cut down on every bit of weight. Mind you, if I was feeling brave it would be almost worth a risk for the back struts. Ha!
In the past I've used lime, mahogany etc - which has been up to the job. I'm contemplating trying to build an ultralight model and have thought about using balsa.
The difference in weight between balsa and Spanish cedar would seem insignificant to me. If you want to cut weight make the back and sides out of a light wood (like red cedar) and the fingerboard out of rosewood.
The difference in weight between balsa and Spanish cedar would seem insignificant to me. If you want to cut weight make the back and sides out of a light wood (like red cedar) and the fingerboard out of rosewood.
Ok, thanks John - I suppose my original thought was to sneak weight back from the not so obvious and without deviating too much from original materials. I can see though the logic in what your saying.(lets not beat about if you want to loose weight!) Maybe I should start investigating densities and take things forward? This stemmed from a recent build and I used some mahogany for the linings and cross bars on the back. The wood in question was quite dense and hence my thoughts on the above. Great stuff, thanks, Rae.
I built an 1100gram Blanca earlier this year. I weighed everything as I went in comparison to a rosewood classic I was building at the same time. Then I had a computer crash and lost it all..... But as John said, using rosewood rather than ebony for the fretboard makes a big difference, Pegs or pegheds rather than machines, small headstock, low density neck wood (I used Australian red Cedar) and then a lightweight box Besides having a fair bit of scope for weight reduction, a lightweight neck is going to balance better with a light body.
But as John said, using rosewood rather than ebony for the fretboard makes a big difference, Pegs or pegheds rather than machines, small headstock, low density neck wood (I used Australian red Cedar) and then a lightweight box Besides having a fair bit of scope for weight reduction, a lightweight neck is going to balance better with a light body.
quote:
Thanks Jeff,
This Australian Red Cedar is cropping up a few times, so I'll maybe investigate this. Not sure where to source this in the UK, but I dare say I'll find a way. The rest of what you say makes sense too. I've not worked the Cedar before, but again many thanks for the advice. I like my pegs too, so this is no sacrifice.
I had this 1002 g. flamenco built not that long ago. It ended up being a very nice instrument, and was purchased by a pro musician. To my surprise, the guitar has tremendous projection.
By the way, in the catalog of the La Guitarra Exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY, there is a guitar by Santos Hernandez that weight something like 968 grams or very close to it. I believe it had an ebony fingerboard.
Here's the video link:
_____________________________
Peter Tsiorba Classical-Flamenco-Guitars tsiorba.com
I don't think you have to introduce non-standard materials to be able to get to about 1kg. in weight. You can, but even with ebony, cypress, Spanish cedar, etc. the guitar can lose a lot of weight. I look at my earlier guitars, and notice how comparably "chunky" they look around all the parts. Anyway, I do not normally build this light, but it certainly was a very enlightening experience, and I'm open to lightly constructed instruments in the future. Such light guitar will not appeal to everyone. Yet, because of this very guitar, I ended up getting commissions for similarly-light instruments.
Enjoy the process, and I'd love to hear your observations when the guitar is completed.
_____________________________
Peter Tsiorba Classical-Flamenco-Guitars tsiorba.com
I don't think you have to introduce non-standard materials to be able to get to about 1kg. in weight.
Peter,
Thanks for both you replies and the link. Interesting about the Santo guitar - and I suppose my building veers strongly in that direction at the mo. I might have to steady myself taking ribs down to 1mm - I thought maybe somewhere between 1.3 and 1.5. Quite a few makers seem to shy from reducing here too much. When I learnt how to make violins (long time ago now) I had two teachers. They would both argue with one saying , mine is lighter and you can bend the ribs easier - the other would say, but mine is stronger. (they both made good violins). Ever onward............and thanks again, Rae