Official Luthiers Forum!

The last discussion I started on bracing / voicing didn't get to many answers and I didn't get in depth answers. The Somogyi info you gave me was very interesting and it gave me the most info I was after but it falls short as to showing the complete process. I guess if you want the full story you have to take the workshop he has but I ain't got that kind of cash if you know what I mean. I have John's DVD's and they are good as to hearing the different voicings that gives me an idea as to the sustain and speed of decay which makes sense to me. But it falls short in explaining more of the info I am after. If he has a method of figuring out where to shave braces and why then it wasn't real clear to me or it just wasn't explained very well. Don't get me wrong as hearing the way the tone changes was very good info and worth the cost of the tapes . But I'm looking for more detailed info. I guessing these 4 1/2 hours will yeild a lot more in the area of info I'm in search of. I think they might be here tomorrow. So I'll absorb Kent's info and then Somogyi's book should be out soon enough. I'm starting to save up for it too.

I remember the discussion being too broad for focused discussion. Comparing tapered to scalloped braces would be much easier to work with.

Chris,
I think you will be amazed at how much information is contained in these DVD's. He does cover the bracing of a dreadnought and 2 OM's, one cedar and one spruce. The cool thing about this DVD is that if he didn't discuss a specific topic good enough, he went back and recorded that skipped information in his own shop. He did explain about what each brace does, and which ones lend themselves to treble and bass, but he specifically says if you think you can apply some formula to getting a specific tone, it is not possible to do this. And moving the bridge up and down is not like EQ'g an instrument. But he does go into a lot of explanation to what lends itself to more bass and more treble. Including the depth of the box, size of sound hole, even how the binding affects the tone. There is just too much to explain in a post, you just have to watch it over and over to get the most out of it. Good luck, and would love to hear your opinion on these DVD's!

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

That sounds great then. I think you know what type of info I'm in search of. I understand that you can't just tune it to a certainty, I'm not as dumb as I look, really. But I do somewhat get into detailed infomation. I like when someone explains why they do something and how things work. Even if it's a therory I like to hear their reasoning and logic. Then I can decide if it makes sense to me or not. I'm looking forward to watching it and I am sure it will be a help to me in learning to voice tops. I don't think Robbie would put something out there that he wasn't happy with.

I just bought both DVD sets and am now waiting for the Somogyi and Romanillos books to come out.

I took a course with Kent a few years back and always hoped he would do some videos on his voicing technique, so this is well worth it to me. I'll post a message after I watch both of these - but I'll probably say they are great, if it's anything like his classes.

Robbie, thanks so much for hosting the voicing class and getting this video out for everyone. It really is a great thing you guys have done.

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John Lewis
Wannabe builder owned by 2 crazy dachshunds

I just finished them after the mailman drop them off today. Five Stars or in this case thumbs up.
Kent does a fine job of explaining his method and gives you a lot to think about too.
The only part I didn't get was the grafts/meter of the tap tones. But I guess that's because I don't know how to read it.
Thanks for producing the DVD Robbie and thanks to Kent for sharing his voicing technic and the other tips.

I am still working on watching the voicing DVD and I feel like my head is going to explode!!!!

There is a lot of info on these disks. What a bargain!

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http://www.booneguitars.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephen-Boone-guitar-builder/488208541257210

Good things come to those who wait. Mine were mailed on Monday and haven't made their way from CO to CA. I'm chomping at the bit.

Well it didn't hurt my head. I think about my builds a lot anyway and sometimes dream about it. What did Kent call that ? LAANT??? Nothing new to me.

These videos look cool. Everyone should buy them if they can!

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Well I have both DVD's the John Mayes I bought awhile back ,and the Kent Everett which arrived yesterday and I watched it through. I found John discusses some things kent does not and "vice versa". They realy have two (similar in some ways and varying in some ways ) differing approaches. Kent is telling you to find your sound and stick to it , where John gets more into voicing for various styles and sounds. both are a very good investment for anyone wishing to gain more insight into voicing.. ! Jody

I watched both DVDs yeterday, and they are definitely worth the time. Kent really makes you think about the big picture of voicing. He also has a different and time saving way of final shaping the braces. I highly recommend studying these DVDs.

Chuck

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Two thumbs up on the voicing DVD. Anyone that has built hundreds of successful instruments over a span of 30+ years is worth listening to. Good Stuff
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

For those of you who have watched the setup CD, what specific topics are covered?

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Doug Mills
Chicago, Illinois

Doug,
I also took this class and have watched the DVD. It again is so full of great information, that you will keep going back to it as your main reference. The menu is broken down as follows:
-Say Hello To the Guitar
-Truss Rod explained
-Neck Relief(A great explanation of why you need relief)
-The Nut
-The Action
-Play It
-Extra Woodchips

You will not be disappointed in Kents method of setting up a guitar!

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

If you are laid off or strapped for cash like me and want to buy the Voicing DVD or John's Voicing and Advance Voicing DVD then PM me and I'll let mine go at a discount. Viewed twice.

Doug, I watched last night. He covers assessing the guitar, truss-rod setup, setting the nut, action, and intonation. Lots of talking and small things in between.

Just recieved mine in the mail today. Can't wait to see them (voicing and set-up). Thanks for all the responses. Sounds like the investment is well worth it. I will report in also when I'm done. Also, thanks to Kent Everett and John Mayes as well for taking so much time to produce these things. They are more helpful than you can imagine.

A question for thosethat have purchased the set up DVD... how involved does kent get with talking about intonation ? thanks Jody

I have just finished the voicing dvd and wanted to give some feedback from a beginners perspective. First of all, the production on this thing is top notch. It flows well, gives subtitles where you might not hear the audience's questions, cuts out all the chaff and in general is a pleasure to watch - (I know this was you, Robbie ---thanks for your hard work and great job )

One of the things that has to be overcome in starting to build a guitar is the constant feeling of being lost or not knowing exactly where to go next. Most of you probably know what I'm talking about and maybe still feel a bit of this. In the voicing process, all of this is amplified. I have felt mostly that the decisions I make, I can't justify with much that's real. In the dvd, Kent did a fabulous job of laying out steps that build the responsiveness of a guitar. This idea of building a tone is huge for me. First do this and listen for this, when you get there, stop. Next step do this, listen for these things and then stop. If you go to these approximate measurements and still don't get the sounds stop anyway and try to take care of opening up the sound in this way.

This idea of voicing by building the tone step by step has really turned around the feeling of being lost in a wilderness with no direction. Even though this was a true gem to me there was so much more as well.

I know that developing these concepts and the feel to execute them will take time but I feel, that at least I won't be wasting time getting up to the point where I realize that there are ways to order your thinking. Probably cut years off of thrashing in the shop.
Big thanks to Kent and Robbie. By the way, I was never in on the threads that probably happened with John Mayes videos but the same thin happened there. Huge thanks to you too, John.

I found it odd that he doesn't cap his X brace and leaves his top braces squared in cross section. Two things that mostly everyone seems to do.

I just ordered the setup DVD as that's what I'm getting ready to work on soon. I'll probably order the set on voicing next month - sounds like it's well worth the money. I've already been through John Mayes voicing DVDs and learned a lot but would like to know more.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Chris - I recently got a chance to get my second guitar back from it's owner. He wanted me to put shoulder strap buttons on it. If you recall I wasn't happy at all with the sound of the second guitar.

Le'me tell ya I didn't wait one second. I took it inside the house....off came the strings....and into the box I went with my little Ibex. The first area I re-worked was the X-brace patch. It was way to thick. This idea came to me after reading an article that Ervin Somogyi wrote. After getting that X-brace patch settled where I wanted it I worked on the tone bars and finger braces.

I wish you could have heard the difference between when it left the house and when I put the strings back on it after re-voicing. It was night and day. It suddenly had volume and clarity...it didn't have that before.

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