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I'm working on my first guitar and I chose the 37 Hauser plans from R.E. Brune that were done in 2003. In the booklet it says that he didn't see any curvature of the bracing on either the back or the soundboard other than the 1.5 mm arch in the bottom of the bridge.

I was wondering if most people who have built this guitar build it with a flat back? Is this regarded as a standard characteristic of this instrument or do most builders curve the back?

Thanks
Jeff

It is common for classicals to be built flat plated. That said most modern adaptation of the 37 Hauser have the typical belly thinning in the tops lower bout center section. As you likely know, the tension of gut or nylon stings does not need the amount of structural reinforcement that drove the development of domed tops. in regards to the back here again flat is not unusual on a classical. but some like the domed back for comfort.

It's rare for a Classical to have flat plates, in fact it's very rare. Hauser arched the underside of the bridge and forced the top into submission.

The Hauser copies I've seen had domed backs. Jeff, you might want to try asking this question on the Delcamp luthiers' forum. I think there is a higher proportion of classical builders browsing there.

The plan shows the braces flat at the ends. Lots of builders, however, are fast and loose with the plan. Most of the Hauser copies are only Hauseresque!

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Waddy

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Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Wood shrinks and moves too so it's hard to say if the back of that Hauser was built flat back at 1937. A little dome(like 1/16"~2mm) won't hurt, IMHO.

Jeff;
you may want to check out the Hauser plan that Jeffrey Elliott did of the same guitar.
It's available from www.luth.org
Mike

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Mike Collins