Flat 'flat-top'

[penndan]

I'm building a flat flattop right now. I'm 'student-ing' with Todd Lunneborg in the Minneapolis area to learn his style of building. He does real flat tops.

His guitars sound great. So I expect mine to sound pretty good, too.
I think there are a lot of other makers doing 'flat' tops.

And if you're interested, you can see my build log here:
http://www.luthiercom.org/phpBB3/viewto ... 109&t=2141

[deadedith]

Kencierp -Thanks, you make some interesting points. Most of us just do not have the degree of control that a Bob Taylor has. I'd like to visit his 'shop' sometime.
Dave
B

[Darryl Young]

Even springing a radiused top onto a flat rim give it an "older" sound per Huss & Dalton. That is the only difference between their "traditional" dreadnaught and the more modern version they build.

I know of one builder in Arkansas, John Martin, that builds a truly flat, flat-top. He has sent them all over and old time bluegrassers love them. He told me he has had a couple come back with a crack.

It makes sense to me that a radiused top won't move as easily as a non-radiused top. It's easy to test. Have a friend hold a loose top and you tap it. Then have him slowly add arch while you tap it and listen to the difference in tap tone. I opted to put a 28ft radius in the top for my first build (an OM) but I left the rim/lining flat and clamped the radiused top to the flat rim. (ok, it wasn't perfectly flat......there is a 1.5 deg slope from the top of the sound hole to the neck block.....but you know what I meant <smile>).