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I've been thinking about my second build, and I would like to make a steel string requinto guitar (5 semi-tones higher than standard). Unfortunately there is hardly any information about them on the web. Would you use standard x bracing? The string tension would be the same as a standard guitar but over a shorter distance - does this mean you can't scale down the size of the braces and need a truss rod?
Also, how big should the body be to get decent volume?


Peter

_________________
"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

I've built a requinto but for nylon strings so I built with fan bracing. You are right to let tension dictate the bracing. For a smaller guitar with the same tension you can lighten up just a bit but not very much. If I were to build a steel string version I might keep the bracing close to the same size as a normal guitar but only use one finger brace per side and a single lower transverse brace. The top can be slightly thinner but again not by much; I might reduce by a max of 10% if at all.

I believe a standard requinto (for Mexican Mariachi) is about 1-1/4" more narrow at the lower bout, and about 2" shorter from heel to butt than a standard classical guitar, but they are about the same depth; I would likely use the same difference. Of course this is JMO and I have limited experience but using these guidelines made a pretty nice sounding instrument for me.

GAL has a plan:

Plan #54 Mexican Requinto
$18 members / $25 nonmembers
Drawn by Fred Casey. One sheet 24" x 42". Article and reduced plan appears in American Lutherie #89.

It's fan braced, so I assume the design is for nylon strings.

Thanks for the info. I'll look into it.
How about using a truss rod? Could I just put a carbon rod in instead?

_________________
"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