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Taken out of context this is really an interesting approach to lutherie.

My Solara`s are similar to those presented so I won`t bother with more photos. I am working with the flat top plane, not the tail drop. The tail drop is basically a tilted lower bout dome for anyone having trouble imaging it. I have nothing against it, but haven`t yet a clear and good reason to convert...but I could!

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

Is there any reason why go bars aren't used?
Any suggestions for a good book on building Classicals.

I use spring loaded go-bars!

My favorite book on building classical guitars is Courtnall's "Making Master Guitars". It's a little pricey, but it has a lot of information on many of the most famous makers of yore, and plans of their guitars. Then it takes you through a general build. Some of it may be a little old fashioned, but it's still a good book. Bogdanovich's book on classical guitar construction is also good, with excellent pictures, and at an excellent price point.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

+1 on Courtnall. Just get it.

Many classical builders use go-bars. I do.

_________________
Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

On Courtnall-
A 'must-have' on the well-equipped luthier bookshelf, 'fer sure.
It's an interesting read, but often falls short for me when I want to find specific information. There are instructions for making a solera with a 2mm dome/hollow, and the instructions imply that you could then replicate the 'master guitars' described using this solera- including the Romanillos, Bouchet, Hauser, etc. I don't think this is correct.

In addition, the 'plans' in the book are quite varied in their 'completeness'; I don't know if the full-size Courtnall plans are any different. Of course published plans (at considerable expense) share the same problem of missing details. This may in part explain the popularity of the '37 Hauser with builders - the Brune plans are quite complete.

A book with the production quality (good pictures, good text, and cheap) of Bogdanovich showing a 'standard build' (no laminated sides, for example) is long overdue.

Cheers
John

"A book with the production quality (good pictures, good text, and cheap) of Bogdanovich showing a 'standard build' (no laminated sides, for example) is long overdue."

Is that a + for the book? Not quite sure what you are saying. The Bogdanovich shows laminated sides and not solid? What would be the differance between building the two other then laminating the side?

Chris:
Yes- sorry if I wasn't clear. Bogdanovich would be my #1 recommendation for a 1st classical-building book- excellent value. I've seen comments from beginner builders who were 'put off' by some of the construction details (e.g. laminated sides). But, as you say, not a big stretch to use solid sides, especially if you are an experienced (SS) builder. Perhaps Bogdanovich can add some simplification options in a 2nd Edition.
At $35, Courtnall would be a great resource, though the pictures and text are still far from the standard in Bogdanovich.

You could also build a nice simple classical from Sloane's book ($20 on the used book market) though it has some 'funny' ideas like boiling sides. Another book I just 'discovered' which seems quite good is McLeod &|Welford's 'The Classical Guitar-Design & Construction' - it just arrived and I haven't had a chance to read it all ,but it looks quite good. Again, look in the used book market. (abebooks.com or similar) And, a lot of builders refer to Natelson's classical guitar building sections in Cumpiano&Natelson.

Back to soleras!
(I still can't figure out exactly how that Romanillos solera is shaped....)

Cheers
John

What do you want to know, John?

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I want to know how to make/contour the solera surface for the Romanillos style.
Starting with a flat piece of birch ply or MDF....
Apparently, a straight wedge of wood is glued to the base? thickness? and where does it 'end'-- at the transverse brace below the soundhole?
And then, a 'hollow' is created in the wedge?? Depth? Shape? contours? Max depth is at the .....(bridge??)

I may have just been dozing when this was all described; sorry.

John

Most of that stuff is in the Shawn posts I mentioned before, and in the PM exchange I sent you. However, the piece runs from the Transverse Brace below the sound hole to the tail. It is about 5 mm thick at the thickest part. It tapers from the TB to the widest part of the wing of the lower bout. It is shaped the same as the top, which is going to fit over it. The sides are left square on the top, which is the down side, and wrap around the top on the solera. I scooped mine out with scrapers and a radiused sanding block. Mine is at a 25' radius. I can't recall how deep it is off the top of my head, but it may be slightly exaggerated. I left mine flat around the perimeter in an area about 20 mm wide. The scooped out area is deepest at the location of the bridge, and is sort of shaped like an egg, with the narrow end closest to the sound hole. The TB is flat, not curved, so the dip stops before it gets there. I had to repair mine with Bondo. There are a couple of thousand pictures of the process in my build albums. That might help. I have many close up's of assembling the sides to the top, which lets you see the correlation between the two.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Thanks, Waddy; very helpful.
The doming/hollowing sounds as though it is not very great- 25' radius with 20mm flat at each edge would be about 1.75mm hollow. Does this sound about right?

'the piece'= the 'wedge' ?
I previously thought that this was a constant taper full-on wedge, thickest at the tail and tapering to nothing just before the transverse brace. But it sounds like what you are saying is that it is 5mm thick from the tail to the widest part of the lower bout, then 'breaks' and tapers toward the TB.. Is this correct?

John

I went out and checked my solera. I guess I over dished it, as it's about 3mm deep. So, I must be getting a little spring back as my tops are exactly 25' radius when out of the solera.

And yes, it tapers to the wings and stays the same from there around the tail.

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Thanks, Waddy!

Both the Sloane and McCleod/Welford books suffer from lack of detailed instructions. i like both books and each one gives differing methods. The M/W does not employ the use of a Solera and it uses a dovetail joint for the body/neck joint, even if it does mention the integral heel/neck. Nothing wrong with either per se but perhaps a dovetail joint isn't the easiest for beginners.
The Courtnall is probably the best for employing the Spanish method of construction. It is a little pricey but in comparison to some other specialised books on Guitars and Violins it's seriously cheap!
Let's not forget Natelson and Cumpiano. It may be a little wordy and a little confusing but at least it is detailed.
Doubtfire is also a pretty good book but perhaps difficult to obtain a copy.