Official Luthiers Forum!

Am interested in the John Mayes DVD's on voicing but does he talk about voicing for classical guitars specifically or just steel string? There seems to be a shortage on good voicing DVD's and video examples of Classical Guitar voicing. Even the Bogdanovich DVD's which are classical specific just barely touch on bracing and voicing for Classical guitars. Does any one have any suggestions? I already have the Kent Everett DVD's but classicals are barely mentioned so am interested in Mayes DVD's but wondered what the Forum members think. Thanks for any advice.

There's a thread that is titled 'John Mayes DVDs'' on the top of the first of this forum.

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

It's been a while since I watched them, but I don't think John did anything with classical that I can remember, I'm pretty sure it was all steel string.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

Keep in mind that "voicing" doesn't do much. What I mean is that you can't voice a guitar into being better than it really is. Voicing is a matter of getting ALL the parts where they need to be. This includes your neck, back, sides, bridge, fretting, soundboard, etc... You could remove a complete fan brace and not change the sound of your guitar. It's easy to fall prey to the voicing hype. Maximizing is probably the best word for it. You are maximizing the sound quality of your instrument. Not necesarily making it better. It will still have the same character of sound because of the woods you selected, your just maximizing or getting the most of that sound out of the instrument. Most of the great current and past classical guitar makers don't "voice" their guitars. A bad guitar will always be bad, good always good, and great always great. The voicing/maximizing just helps bring out the inherent qualities closer to the surface.

Well said!!

I couldn't agree more, or have said it better.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

Thanks for that you guys. Having only built a handful of guitars that helps put a little perspective on things.

What about steel strings though?

Danny

I have a bit different view, although it's closer than what some may expect. I think having things in the right shape, place, size, ect is voicing. I think it's semantics really. Is carving, flexing, tapping, feeling, listening part of voicing as I see it? Sure. So is the other stuff like brace angles, placement, height, width, coupled or not, ect. Call it maximizing, or voicing, or anything you like really I think we are all getting at the same thing. We are trying to get the best we can out of the instrument.

And no my videos do not cover classical guitars. They cover what I spoke of above, but not specifically toward classical instruments.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Thanks for everyones input. John basically you answered my question about your DVD's and it sounds like they illustrate the types of things that I need to learn. My question is will the items that you mention apply to classical building? Are steel strings and classicals that different of an animal when it comes to building. I play both but I am totally new to building and especially the subtleties that would make a guitar sound great. I know there are some basic skills that apply to both types of builds but I would assume others do not.
I know alot of this will be trial and error on my part but I am looking for a solid place to start.