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As I am somewhat new to the world of guitar making I was just wondering if there is a consensus as to what is normally the case. Does classicals have more or less doming of the soundboard than flamencos?
I know there are always different preferences and something may work well for one maker but not for another.
I am just asking if anyone seem to have observed if there is a tendency for classicals to be more or less domed than flamencos.
RE: Doming flamenco vs classical (in reply to f.j.w.)
Hello Frank,
Welcome to the world of lutherie---the benign addiction (;->)...
I dome my classicals and flamencos the same---about 1/16" (1.5mm) over the length of my bridge, which is 7-1/8" long. That bit of doming I press in with go-bars, into a hollow form, when I glue in the fan braces. It helps accommodate humidity changes, and gives a bit of stiffness without adding weight.
The big differences between my classicals and flamencos are:
~ Lower density top wood for flamencos, and higher density for classicals
~ Bridge saddle at .31" (8mm) at the 6th string for flamencos, .40" (10mm) for classicals
~ Action height at .125" (3mm) at the 12th fret for flamencos, .140" (3.5mm) for classicals---Action height can vary according to the player's preference.
I happen to like cypress best for back and sides on flamencos, but for a flamenca negra, I choose relatively low density Indian rosewood.
It's rather like cooking. You can vary the ingredients according to taste.
The one thing I've learned the hard way is to not take custom orders. Build guitars that please you, and then go looking for someone with the same preferences.
If you are not a player, become one. I've been a flamenco player all my life, and am now realizing that I need to become a classical player as well, if I really want to be able to judge the quality of my classicals---and I'm 77!
By the way, I teach guitar making, as well as build them:
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