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I plan on building a nylon string guitar, but I'd like to make it a 14 fret to body guitar. Will be giving up a lot of volume by doing so as compared to a 12 fret neck?

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

If I were going to do this, Ricardo, I would design a body shape for a 14 fret neck join that puts the bridge as near to the center of the lower bout as possible. There are many ways to accomplish that. It could simply be a double cutaway, or you could work with the shape in other ways to compress the upper bout and make the waist higher relative to the bridge position. A few steel string guitar makers have done this.

I don't mean to assert that the middle of the lower bout is necessarily a "better" place for the bridge, and I can't tell you exactly what differences you'd get in the sound between one design and another, but there will be differences. I'm just saying what I would do (and what I am, in fact, doing with my own latest steel string guitar design).

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

Rich Smith asked:
"I plan on building a nylon string guitar, but I'd like to make it a 14 fret to body guitar. Will be giving up a lot of volume by doing so as compared to a 12 fret neck?"

I don't think so. Todd's idea about working up a new pattern is not a bad one, but whether or not you do I don't think you'll be sacrificing much if you make the top well.

If you use a 'standard' 650mm scale you'll be moving the bridge about 1" 'north' on the top. You can also move the soundhole and transverse braces north by more or less the same amount and still have the correct number of frets. If you preserve the fan brace spacing at the bridge, or close it up just a little, so that you have the right amount of wood between the soundhole and bridge to avoid dishing the strength and acoustics of the top should work out about right. The displaced hole will yeild a slightly lower 'main air' resonance, and you might want to make it slightly (say 3-5mm) larger in diameter to get that back. The end result will possibly be a little 'different', but I don't think it will be inferior. They're all different, after all.

Thanks guys for the tips!

_________________
A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

You could always split the difference and do a 13-fret neck. I have not tried it on a nylon string but I am doing more and more of my steel-strings with 13-fret necks. They sound great and my customers really seem to like them. Just something to think about...

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
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House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

Josh, good suggestion. I'll consider how it would work with the type of music I play (slackkey).

_________________
A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

Hi Rich,
You could use a 14 fret double O body and a 26 inch classical guitar scale length to push the bridge a little closer to the center of the lower bout.

Aw, c'mon, make it a true original and draw your own shape! It's half the fun!

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

Todd, I will probably come up with my own design like a did with my double hole steel string. So I'll adapt fan bracing and build it with a dove tail neck joint, narrower fingerboard (1 7/8). I guess I should call it a hybrid - these many changes freak out CG builders. If it works as good as my first guitar I'll be real happy. Still not sure whether I'll do 12 or 14 fret neck to body.

_________________
A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA