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This may be a stupid question. It's certainly a newbie question

I'm just about to start shaving braces on my parlor top--1st build--and I was watching John Mayes' video. In tapping, he seemed to hit a tone/ring that he liked, then decided to continue shaving, searching for more sustain.

If I'm building a parlor, should I quit here? I'm not really looking for a bunch of sustain, am I? Wouldn't that kinda defeat the purpose of a parlor?

Or am I missing the point?

Thanks in advance

Steve

Steve I would think that you would want sustain out of any steel string guitar. The other option being no sustain.

Qualifier - I've only built 3 guitars but I'll say this. I've NEVER heard anyone criticize a guitar for having sustain. You elude to an idea that a parlor guitar is not supposed to have sustain??...not sure about that one.

Why would you not want it to hold a note?

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There is no difference between the man that thinks he can....and the man that thinks he cannot.

Check out my link on a Parlor Guitar, its that French maker...Larivee.

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

I guess my point is that a parlor is often identified with blues and ragtime, styles where you often want the notes to dissipate relatively quickly. Obviously, there are no hard and fast rules, but it seems to me that relatively faster decay (not sure if I'm using the term correctly) would be a good thing.

I am, needless to say, willing to be corrected

Thanks

Steve

As a long time blues ragtime guitar fingerstyle guitar player, I would rather have a guitar that sustains well, and control the sustain myself. Stefan Grossman plays Rosewood based guitars - guitars with beautiful sustain, yet plays blues/ragtime. Again, using left and right hand damping, one can control the sound the guitar makes.

Anyway, bottom line, give me volume and sustain any time on a guitar, and I am happy

Just my opinion

Glenn