Official Luthiers Forum!

There are currently three build and one build/repair student in the shop, so we have some interesting discussions when everyone is crowded in to the 1600 square foot main shop. One of the things the boss mentions frequently is the issue of intent, as in whether or not a builder has a clear path to a specific goal when making decisions. In other words, changes which move away from conventional or widely accepted standards must not only be made with clear intent, but they must also appear to have been made in a purposeful manner to others.

An example might be seen in Mr. Desforge's sapwood use on the back and sides of his avatar instrument - it is very clearly intentional on his part, and no reasonable person would conclude that Mr. Desforge selected a back and side set too narrow for the job, or somehow lacked clear intent. While not to everyone's taste - after all, someone bought all those beige Fords back in the 1970s - is is just the sort of instrument that I would expect to be featured in a marque image on the home page of a skilled custom builder.

I believe that some of the reservations expressed earlier in the thread re: sapwood are likely a manifestation of ensuring this element of intent is addressed when playing with accepted design elements. In looking at the photo of the plate again, I can see why there is concern - the sapwood area is small, is lacking in symmetry, and likely is not hinted at elsewhere in the composition, which is to say that it risks looking like something done with less than clear intent.