Spanish Classical Acoustic Builds
This was inevitable in some ways, that I'd get into classical guitar building at some point. After 3 years building electric guitars, I got a commission to make a Spanish Classical guitar from the same person for whom I built the Cocobolo Telecaster. I chose the 1937 Hauser model as it stands to be one of the most revered classical guitars of all time. I use the methods of Master Luthier Pablo Raquena as my reference which are available in his online classical guitar building course. I used these same methods to help modify the design the Concert Ukulele below, which technically was my first completed acoustic build, although I worked on both projects in parallel.
1937 Hauser Spanish Classical Guitar
Spanish Classical Concert Ukulele Build
In my repair work I see a number of poorly/cheaply construct Ukuleles, mostly with neck joint issues. Most are just glued to the outside of the side wood, Not to the neck block itself. And usually done poorly - hence needing repair. I thought a ukulele build would be a good way to test the classical guitar building methods before I applied them to a customer's guitar. The Ukulele design drawings I chose had a similar approach for the attaching the neck to the body. I wanted to use the Spanish wedged neck joint since it creates a solid perfectly rigid neck to body joint. This should greatly improve sustain and tone. I also didn't like having only three fan braces. Scaling down the classical guitar design, it seemed that five fan braces was the correct number.
Spanish Classical Concert Ukulele
Spanish Classical Tenor Ukulele Build
A tenor sized Ukulele is in the works. Modelled after the Hauser Guitar Build, this instrument will have Black Limba back and sides. a European Spruce top and Spanish Cedar Neck and bracing. Just getting started on this build.
