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Why are there so few classicals with Ryan bevel/Laskin armrest (apart from tradition)?

It seems like the must-have feature:
- Increased comfort when playing a larger box of course

- smaller active soundboard area which may help to bring out the trebles
- yet still the larger box volume, which helps with volume

I don't have the specific measurements at hand, but it seems you could have the Hauser box size with a Romanillos soundboard size.

If tradition prevents the use of a armrest, could you just use two layers of lining at the lower bout to reduce active soundboard area while maintaining larger box size?

It seems so simple, so maybe I'm missing something...

cheers, Christian

More likely because playing a classical guitar is not all that similar to playing a steel string guitar. My arm doesn't get uncomfortable at all when I play, and it also doesn't rest on the soundboard, it rests on the binding at the corner. The position for playing classical does not inhibit the sound of the guitar nearly so much as the way steel string players hug their instruments, with the whole arm draped over the soundboard, so they can stroke. There are, however classical guitars with arm rests, but most are more like the ones found on a Smallman and similar instruments, where the sounboard is highly sensitive. That type of rest lifts the arm off of the corner of the instrument, and extends over the soundboard, but does not touch it.

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Waddy

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Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Thanks Waddy. That makes sense regarding the armrests - I never had proper classical training and only play my classical once in a while - probably with terrible technique.

But then regarding my second question:

Could you just use two/more layers of lining at the lower bout to reduce active soundboard area (bring out trebles) while maintaining larger box size (more volume)?[/quote]

Would that be something worthwhile trying?

thanks, Christian

I don't really think soundboard area is the problem. More likely tradition is the enemy of of the Classical armrest. Some builders, Michael Lazar, comes to mind, use wider binding so they can have a more rounded corner. Truth is, I don't think it' an issue, but getting a player to like a guitar that is far from tradition, is sometimes the culprit, unless that guitar has much better or louder sound than the competition, i.e., Smallman. The classical market is very small compared to the steel string market.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I think yes, just make the interior of the guitar as if you were going to bevel an arm rest, but then just finish the exterior without the bevel. Many of us classical players inhibit the soundboard, no matter how careful we think we are with our arm.

If you check you Grit Laskin's website, he has made some classicals with his Laskin Armrest for players.
So I would not say it's a no no...

http://www.williamlaskin.com/level2.php?info=classical

Luc

Just remembered, my luthier teacher Luis Mesquita has made many well executed Laskin Armrests for classicals for his customers.
The Ryan style and Karol style armrest would work well also.
Here is another link for you to reference.

http://www.lfdmguitars.com/gallery/augusta/augusta.html

Cheers - Luc