Official Luthiers Forum!

Got it Mike!
I'll watch it tonight. I have to finish putting an exit door into the 93 years old neighbor's trailor right now.

Still waiting.

Pretty cool video. Lot's of info in there other then simply tuning the plate that's nice to know. So now I need a tone generator and some glitter.

re glitter, I recall someone saying that tablesawdust (can that really be a word??) is perfect...... bandsawdust too coarse. FWIW

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Dave
Milton, ON

I think originally it was tea leaves. As far as table saw or bandsaw I would think it might depend on the blade you use. But I wouldn't get concerned about the dust. Use what ever works. Tea, coffee, Saw dust, glitter or what ever. But I'm going to use the glidder as it is pretty cheep and won't absorb water and Alan seems to like it and he's been doing this for years. I believe he states in the artical below that he doesn't use the plastic glitter. I didn't even realize there was plastic glitter. I'll stop and get some the next time I'm in Walmart .
http://www.mimf.com/library/plate_tuning.htm

Also waiting in Boston.

Also waiting outside of Boston (Norwood).

Chris,

You'll likely only find plastic glitter at WM, and it's awful to use, sticks to everything with static cling and flies everywhere. Good craft stores have the heavier (aluminum?) stuff.

I like the glitter because it shows up well in photos.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

The mailman has brought no love to me in Charlotte, NC either.


Bob

Good news, the DVD arrived in yesterday's mail. All is well with the world.

No love here in South Carolina yet either...

I got a build waiting on these

Thanks

John

My DVD arrived very quickly. I ordered on July 25th and it arrived in yesterday's mail.

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GregH
Fot Wuth

June 7, nothing yet.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

What really sucks is I have mine and I've got so much going on that I haven't been able to sit down and watch it

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Mine arrived on Wednesday. Hope to watch it soon.

Is there any place where I can print out a copy of the different patterns that Alan uses or do I have to copy them by hand from the DVD? Here is a link I found with some patterns. Perhaps Alan could list the names for some of these shapes as to their Freq.? ie. ring and a half 221hz. Or possibly put a link up on his site of the patterns used in the DVD and a copy of the neat sheet he uses to record the patterns so we can print them out.
http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~jw/guitar/ ... _engl.html

Nothing in Boston 8/7. I was sent a tracking number on July 28th but the Canada Post website seems to imply that they have yet to receive the package.

I was wondering the same things, even a list of location of available background info on the patterns and their meanings would certainly help my understanding. Alan's info has got me started but there is at least for me a desire to know more.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Fred , This is the site where I got the link from that looks like it has some info as I haven't gotten around to reading it yet.
http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~jw/guitar/ ... _engl.html
And here's a link that Alan gave out over at MIMF. You should surf there also as the library and links page has some good info even though the library is way way behind. You are doing yourself a big disservice by not visiting there.
http://www.speech.kth.se/music/acviguit4/
It deals with acoustics.
I've have them in my favorites.

My wife told me it showed up in the mail today



I am tied up this weekend... and it will drive me nuts.

Thanks

The one thing i also got from it is to work off the 1 1/2 ring because if you get the ring closed around the lower bout then it isn't too stiff anywhere in the middle jus at the rimn and below the lower bout so it's free to vibrate like a speaker which makes sense. And that it should be at around 230-250hz. And the higher the Hz then the higher the over all top stiffness thus the example of the 12 string top. I think I'm getting it right ??? Is that how the rest of you are seeing it?
Maybe we should start another discussion on this for those who have watched it already.

Mike - Received mine this week (Illinois) - like Steve, haven't had time to watch it yet, but can't wait!
Thanks

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John Ressler

The problem with trying to list all of the possible mode shapes and give them names is that there are so many. It reminds me of the 'Peanuts' strip where Charlie Brown is writing a book about the ant hill in his back yard. Two million very friendly ants live there, and their names are...... In the UNSW link, for example, he shows three patterns that look like the same mode to me, with, perhaps, the supports in the wrong places on at least a couple of them. I don't see why he put in so many pictures, and would certainly not grace each of them with its own name. Which one's 'Fred'? You will see 'extra' modes, or there will be modes 'missing', from time to time depending on the brace pattern, wood stiffness, and so on.

ALSO, there seem to be two or three different things that can become the 'ring+' mode, again, depending on circumstances. This is one reason I gave such a range of frequencies for that mode: it all depends on which one you've gotten to close on this top.

If this is confusing, I apologize, but I think it's inevitable. One reason for making such a long video on the restricted subject of steel string guitar tops is that there are so many ways things can sort out, and I wanted to get at least a decent subset of them in so that people would have some basis to start figuring out what they're seeing on their own tops when they get started. I bet you'll all see things that are not on the DVD, and probably some things that I've never seen before.

The constant is the ring+ mode and the 'open' X mode that is it's counterpart. Somehow, some way, you'll see something (maybe several things!) that looks like them, and once you do you can home in on getting them to work 'better'. My experience is that when you do, the guitars will also sound better. Maybe the one has nothing to do with the other, but it seems to work for me.

And, yes, as I'm pretty sure I said someplace on the video; the frequency of the modes is an indicator of the ratio of stiffness to mass of the top. Assuming you've got a top that's in a 'normal' weight range, then the frequency of the 'ring+' mode should also be within some usual range. Everybody makes their tops a little differently, and has a little bit different idea of what the stiffness 'should' be, and where it should be. The numbers I gave are the ones that work for me, to get the sound I like, and seem to hold up pretty well over time. YMMV. Again, think of the video as a starting point for your own exploration of how to get the results you like with this technique. As with anything else having to do with lutherie, there is no gospel.

I got my DVD yesterday and spent the day watching Professor Carruth work his magic.
Unfortunately, this student has a long way to go, but I am going to try to get the gear together so that I can try my hands at this black art.

Got to watch part of mine yesterday. Al, I've been reading your posts since 99 (wow that's a whole decade) and just watching the first 30 minutes really helped clear up some of the ideas. Can't wait to watch the rest.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"