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Hi.
I am currently planning my next project which will be a squareneck non-resonator guitar. I would like it to play as loud as possible. Do I make the back light and resonant to allow it to vibrate on its own, or do I make it heavy and stiff to reflect the sound waves from the top?

Good question!
I'll be watching for the answers you get.
Are you going to play it standing with a strap (like some C&W Dobro players on stage) or sit with it on your lap?

Cheers
John

Good counter-question

I will play it sitting, so most of the back will be dampened in my lap anyway

Thanks

Perhaps a good excuse to experiment with a 'double back' design with an inner 'resonant' back?

This is a question that is often debated among more experienced Luthiers and there does not seem to be any general agreement.

Nonetheless some folks believe that a heavier reflective backed guitar will project to the back of the room better where as a more flexible backed guitar with a lighter built back that can move provides a more enveloping sound for the player.

The only way to know for sure is to build two identical guitars which is not possible AND to find two identical players which is equally difficult...

In my experience of having shaved back braces after the fact and recorded, the back effects directional projection more than overall volume. A stiffer back helps a guitar project more but in a narrower range in front of the guitar. So it may sound quite loud to someone in the direct path and less so to someone off to the side. A looser back seems to help spread the projection to a wider area. A different way of saying what Hesh said. It's pretty obvious in a 16' room but I've never tried it in an auditorium.

I don't have any direct experience with your particular question but if it I wanted more forward projection for a horizontal guitar, I'd put a soundport on the bottom side of upper bout. If I wanted wider projection off the face, I'd use a larger soundhole.

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