New project Terz 00-12 cutaway

[Dave Bagwill]

Laminated sides are stiffer; the chances of a side crack developing are much less; even highly-figured wood is easily bent; there is a lot less stress on the luthier (imo - most people here seem to be just fine bending solid wood sides, but then we don't hear about failures much.)

Plus, luthiers that I respect have, over time, done very well with laminated or doubled sides.

[John Link]

Thanks for the replies. Another question:

Do you find it takes less time to build a smallish guitar, such as this 14 inch Terz, compared to a larger git, such as a dread or jumbo?

Is it "easier" in any other sense than time-to-build?

[Dave Bagwill]

I haven't kept much track of time/effort, John. It 'feels' about the same to me, unless I'm trying something new - like those f-holes, which were a challenge.

[ken cierp]

I found that any guitar that is out of the normal build routine will require extra time -- even extended delays due to the unforeseen construction and tooling issues -- pretty much like taking on anything new.

A similarly adored Martin size 2 requires just as much labor as a J200

[Dave Bagwill]

Did not get much done today - I spent the morning following the pest control guy around the place, as he dealt a harsh death-blow to the carpenter ants that were trying to eat the beams in the loft.

I did unroll the 1/16" walnut veneer; I ordered a piece 16" - 19" wide in order to make some one-piece backs with no center seam.
I'll be making backs and sides for 2 guitars so I'll be cutting out:

2 backs = 4 pieces at 16" x 22"
4 sides = 8 pieces at 6" x 32"

And there will be enough left for other purposes.

[John Link]

Nice layout of the grain.

[Dave Bagwill]

Here's a question that I would put to the assembled luthier Minds of the Forum:

When I laminate the two layers of the back, I can either:

- laminate them in a radiused 15' dish or

- laminate them flat

Now either way, a center reinforcement strip will not be needed. But - I heard somewhere - I think Brian Burns related the story to me - of a famous classical guitar maker who insisted that he could not get the 'right' sound out of his guitars by bracing an already-radiused back. He could only get the sound by pressing the radiused braces onto the flat back in a dish, and imposing the radius in that manner.

If as I've read, the point of the dished back is to increase the volume of air in the box - then I don't see why either method - radius the back in a dish while laminating, or radius the laminated back in a dish via the braces - would not work.

If however a secondary reason for dishing the back is to build a little tension into the assembly, I could understand that luthier's point.

I hope that's clear. In any case, what is your take on the question?