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Does anyone have any clue about how Matsuda's classical neck joints work? They are all like works of art and I can't for the life of me understand what's going on! I know they're supposed to be adjustable some how, and those blocks at the back are called 'external neck blocks' in the Dream guitars description, so I'm guessing there's not much of a block inside. The top looks like it's only supported by the glued-on fretboard extension. If it is glued on, wouldn't that defeat the purpose of having an adjustable neck?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/matsudagu ... 391941191/

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

Those look more like art to me but I'm sure they sound great as well. Personally I can't imagine playing up the neck on those guitars pictured though. Looks like it might get painful if you move your hand to fast to the wrong place. Some of his commissions I have seen look a bit more traditional/playable.

I realise they're not to everyone's taste and probably not very practical for actually playing, but I'm intrigued as to how they work. I just love the way his mind works! It seems like every time you think that something can't be changed, he comes up with a way to make it different.

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

Different is not always better.

I know. But different is different! Where would the world be if everything always stayed the same? I'm not saying it is better, I just think they look incredible and would like to know how they work.

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

His craftsmanship and creativity are top notch. I like his work a lot. I wouldn't want to duplicate his artisan pieces though, it's just not practical for me since I like to play too much.

Because you can, does not necessarily mean you should do something.

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

Yes I know, we've been through that. Like I said, I totally understand that lots of people don't like them. I was simply hoping for a useful discussion on how they might work - not because I want to duplicate them, but because I want to understand his thought process behind them.

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_________________
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

On most of those guitars the top of the heel is around the 12th fret, where on the typical classical it is around the 9th or 10th fret. With the cutaway they might be even easier to access the upper fret positions. I think they look cool!
If the neck angle is adjustable I am also at a loss to see how it is done. Like Fred Carlson, Matsuda builds instruments that I find inspirational because they are a little outside the box.

Looks like the fretboard is NOT glued to the top. Maybe the neck/fretboard assembly rotates in its vertical plane near the body join. Also, it appears that there is some means of adjustment at the base of the heel. I have no clue how it might work, though.

Max

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Max Bishop
Brighton, Michigan

Yeah I think you're right about the fretboard. He probably has some carbon rods or something under it to stiffen it. Some of them have what looks to be a wedge sticking out the back. I wonder if that has anything to do with setting the angle...

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_________________
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

The only way to really know what Matsuda is doing is to either ask him or someone who has demoed or owns one of those guitars. I never have to any of the above.

This is only my theory and I believe there is more to these joints than can be seen.

My guess though, and only a guess, is that the neck is somewhat of a cantilevered hybrid design because of the recess cut in the top in the last photo, that hinges at the body joint. So the extension is probably not glued to the top.

On the first guitar it appears there is some sort of a lever underneath, along with access slots, and two screws in the heel cap. What you see of the heel cap I believe is not glued onto the neck but is part of the bottom block and works together with the lever to adjust and lock the guitar in place. The dark lamination in the neck block provides a race that an adjustment can slide over or around. The concept looks even clearer on the maple guitar which has a tab showing on the back of the heel and the block appears to taper or spiral from side to side. Moving the lever side to side would raise and lower the action as it rotates over that tapered heel block. This in a commonly engineered adjustment feature, particularly on tools that need to be moved out of the way. The bottom guitar has what appears to be a wedge design for adjustment. There appears to be a lot hidden on that one and I have no clue as to what the A frame blocks are attaching to.

Are they done this way? I have no idea but it sounds good to me.
Me? I think I'll still struggle to find the time to make the perfect conventional guitar before moving on to something else.
I think Matsudas work is not only creative, but very well executed.

Tim

I have no idea how Matsuda's neck joints work, but I think his craftsmanship is sublime.

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George :-)

That sounds like a very good theory! I totally missed the lever on the first guitar and was wondering what those slots were for. I hadn't considered side to side motion either. Even more to think about now!

_________________
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

If it weren't for people pushing boundaries, we'd all be making Martin clones.

I figure half the joy in this undertaking is going "gee, I wonder what'll happen if I do this."

"Nothing good" is also a perfectly reasonable result/response.