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Building a guitar-some Tips and Hints
What is the great secret of how Martins, Gibsons, Taylors, Fenders, Gretsch's and the like, sound so classy? The answers should be clear really. They are made cleanly and beautifully from very good sound wood and the best materials and are always finished off two look so shiny and squeaky clean in the store. However, some of these legendary guitars dont always play and sound quite like their price tag would lead you to believe, I have discovered.
Why is it that some guitars are definitely better than others from the same stack?
The answer is not easy to come by, I believe. As a boatbuilder, I really do believe that some guitars suffer from 'trapped in humidity "when they are manufactured in the first place. This can have a couple of negative effects right from the getgo. I firmly believe that there is a 'magic figure' of humidity in every different kind of wood that good guitars are made of. As there are many, its clear to see that not all would have been sprayed or shellacked at the exact moment that the timber's moisture content was at its premium condition.This is a large factor, I'm sure.
Take for example, a guitar that I once owned. It was a very old (1970's maybe earlier) twelve string Guild. The sound was astonishing. IT was as light as a feather and when it behaved itself was an amazing guitar. It would sing, it was loud and it sounded so good. Other days, when I took it from it's case it would not tune. it was dull it would not stay tuned for one minute and it sounded cheap and nasty, like a real el cheapo guitar. I tried to play it on a few gigs but gave up in frustration and started to leave it under the bed, in it's case just like the guy I bought it from, the previous owner. He admitted that was why it was never used, he could not trust it. In the end I sold it, and was not sorry to see it go.
That was about fifteen years ago and it is only now that I do regret selling it. The guitar was originally owned by the legendary Long John Baldry and was played on "Let the Heartaches beginning "The Guy I bought it from was Paul King ex-Mungo Jerry, so it had a great history and would be a real collector's item now.
The whole point is here, is that I think, but I can not prove it, that it suffered from excessive humidity when it was built. The moisture was sealed in or never dried out all in the first place. This is no slur on Guild who make some of the finest guitars in the world, but that one was a definite 'monday morning guitar' It happens, right? As the temperature varied, the soundboard would move excessively putting it out of kilt.
I'll bet that some of you out there have some really top name guitars that sound not so hot? right?
One other reason I think that some guitars sound so bad is that they are sprayed too heavily With these 'plasticky lacquered' that, in my humble opinion, kill the sound totally. It is no coincidence that spirit based finished guitars sound so bright is that they are not being 'suppressed' By A heavy coating of lacquered on top … sound boards are supposed to resonate, right?
One good decision when I made the Weiss Born was that I used 'Shellac' or 'French polish' as it is called. I am Tickled to say that it sings, like a lark and the sustain is boggling! Maybe I guessed right!
After all it would take a gaggle of analysts with sound a whole truckload of audio gear two prove it … To show how difficult it is two pin down, it is a known fact that hundreds of makers and players have tried to copy the exact sound of an original Stradivarius violin, but they simply can not … And they dont know why!
When you build your guitar, take a few chances and THINK about it … it's only a few pieces of timber, and it is supposed to be fun, right?
About the Author
Terry Buddell, a freelance writer, lives on board his yacht in Australia. He recently built a weissenborn acoustic slide guitar on board and you can see photos of the build, buy the book on how to build it, listen to a sound clip of the guitar or even buy the plans for the guitar on www.buildaweissenborn.com .
