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| Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=40115 |
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| Author: | LarryH [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:22 am ] |
| Post subject: | Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
Just wondering why guitars are thinner at the neck than the tail? Is there an acoustic reason for this convention? Or just tradition? Or what? |
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| Author: | Darryl Young [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:32 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
Player comfort I assume.....not as thick right in front of you where your belly meets the body. |
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| Author: | grumpy [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 12:36 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
Because... |
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| Author: | Tom West [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 12:59 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
In a book on classical guitar building written by Art Overholtzer in the 70's, he said that it should be reversed in order to allow the sound easy access to exit the sound hole. He also leached as much resin as he could out of rosewood backs and sides using acetone, built flat backs because he thought guitars should be made with as little built in stress as possible, and used water-proofing on the top wood before gluing to help prevent distortion from water in the glue. An interesting chap to say the least. Tom |
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| Author: | douglas ingram [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
Tom West wrote: In a book on classical guitar building written by Art Overholtzer in the 70's, he said ... An interesting chap to say the least. Tom Interesting isn't quite the word that I would use to describe him. It also creates a subtle variance which, to the eye, makes a uniformly wide rib look less bulky at that scale. |
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| Author: | LarryH [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
I did find this on the web, "My understanding is that if the body were not tapered, it would be a single depth throughout the body, which would be bad because tapering is better. Also, a single depth would be inferior." http://www.harmonycentral.com/t5/Acoust ... p/23763527 |
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| Author: | LarryH [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:40 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
..and this "...A steel string guitar is tapered because most of the sound that's generated is done so in the lower bout, and since the sound then travels to the upper bout, where there is less physical volume, it gets compressed, hence speeding up the sound of the notes played before they escape from the sound hole and it makes you sound like you're playing faster. If they made classical guitars the same way, the speed at which the notes would come out, since classical guitarists play faster anyway, would be so fast that the notes played would break the sound barrier and the guitar would explode and blow your pecker off." |
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| Author: | George L [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:44 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
Good reporting, Larry. I'll share that info with my classical guitarist friends. Better to be safe than sorry. |
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| Author: | Darryl Young [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:45 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
Ha! This sounds like the little girl on the commercial trying to explain why more is better than less........ LarryH wrote: I did find this on the web, "My understanding is that if the body were not tapered, it would be a single depth throughout the body, which would be bad because tapering is better. Also, a single depth would be inferior."
http://www.harmonycentral.com/t5/Acoust ... p/23763527 |
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| Author: | Tony_in_NYC [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:47 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
And that, my friends, is why I won't play classical guitar. |
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| Author: | Darryl Young [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
I personally believe it's so you can use up all that tapered side wood you have laying around......build with all your sides tapered (even the sides that are striaght) and people think it was intentional.........<smile> |
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| Author: | Bryan Bear [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:57 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
Tony_in_NYC wrote: And that, my friends, is why I won't play classical guitarever again. Fool me once. . . pass the ice pack. Tony, in the interest of full disclosure, I have filled in the rest of your quote. |
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| Author: | Lavrov Guitars [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 2:01 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
Bryan Bear wrote: Tony_in_NYC wrote: And that, my friends, is why I won't play classical guitarever again. Fool me once. . . pass the ice pack. Tony, in the interest of full disclosure, I have filled in the rest of your quote.  Oops was that supposed to be out loud?
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| Author: | Tony_in_NYC [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 2:04 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
Bryan Bear wrote: Tony_in_NYC wrote: And that, my friends, is why I won't play classical guitarever again. Fool me once. . . pass the ice pack. Tony, in the interest of full disclosure, I have filled in the rest of your quote. Oh thanks Bryan! My phone keeps posting stuff before I am ready. I had to edit this post because it was supposed to include a picture of a fat goat for no reason other than it reminds me of you. See for yourself: 
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| Author: | Bryan Bear [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 2:37 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
Well she has my eyes. . . |
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| Author: | Pat Foster [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 2:52 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
Tom West wrote: In a book on classical guitar building written by Art Overholtzer in the 70's, he said that it should be reversed in order to allow the sound easy access to exit the sound hole. He also leached as much resin as he could out of rosewood backs and sides using acetone, built flat backs because he thought guitars should be made with as little built in stress as possible, and used water-proofing on the top wood before gluing to help prevent distortion from water in the glue. An interesting chap to say the least. Tom I think I use one of his ideas all these years later, but I can't remember what it was. Pat |
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| Author: | WaddyThomson [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 3:13 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
I only play very sloooow classical pieces! Pachelbel's Canon comes to mind! |
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| Author: | Michael.N. [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 3:28 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
Trees taper as well. It's always best to look for the simple and the obvious answer. |
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| Author: | WudWerkr [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 3:30 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
Quote: If they made classical guitars the same way, the speed at which the notes would come out, since classical guitarists play faster anyway, would be so fast that the notes played would break the sound barrier and the guitar would explode and blow your pecker off." 
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| Author: | bluescreek [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:30 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
There is actually a stability in adding a wedge . |
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| Author: | Stuart Gort [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:56 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
It was done in anticipation of the electric guitar...which would look stupid otherwise. |
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| Author: | LarryH [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:58 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
bluescreek wrote: There is actually a stability in adding a wedge . So it's mainly structural? Does anyone build non-tapered bodies steel string guitars? Just can't help but think about the tale of a house wife who always cut the ends off her roast before she cooked it. When asked why, she said, "Because that's the way my mother always used to do it." Curious she asked her mother why she always cut the ends off her roast before cooking and her mother replied, "Because my roasting pan was too short for a whole roast." |
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| Author: | LarryH [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:59 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
Zlurgh wrote: It was done in anticipation of the electric guitar...which would look stupid otherwise. Dewey Decibel? Did he organize a sound library? |
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| Author: | LarryH [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 5:30 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
Tony_in_NYC wrote: Bryan Bear wrote: Tony_in_NYC wrote: And that, my friends, is why I won't play classical guitarever again. Fool me once. . . pass the ice pack. Tony, in the interest of full disclosure, I have filled in the rest of your quote. Oh thanks Bryan! My phone keeps posting stuff before I am ready. I had to edit this post because it was supposed to include a picture of a fat goat for no reason other than it reminds me of you. See for yourself: That goat sure looks a lot like a sheep but it kinda looks tapered too - does anyone know why? |
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| Author: | fingerstyle1978 [ Fri Apr 19, 2013 5:32 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Why Do Guitar Bodies Taper From Tail to Neck Block? |
LarryH wrote: ..and this "If they made classical guitars the same way, the speed at which the notes would come out, since classical guitarists play faster anyway, would be so fast that the notes played would break the sound barrier and the guitar would explode and blow your pecker off."
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