Managing expectations on the first string-up?

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rcnewcomb
Posts: 359
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2015 9:04 pm
Location: San Jose, CA, USA

Managing expectations on the first string-up?

Post by rcnewcomb »

1. How do you manage your expectations when an instrument is strung up for the first time?

2. How does tone change on an instrument after hours, days, weeks, month, and years of playing?

3. How does tone, form, and fit improve with each subsequent build?


I'd welcome input from both new builders and experienced builders.


Background:
I'm still putting the final finishing touches on my first build: a sitka/sapelle OM. I was privileged to have Kathy Matsushita allow me to use her shop and to guide me through my first build. Without her patience and knowledge I doubt I would have completed the first build. I've gotten the building bug enough that I already have materials for another kit build and a scratch build.

I am pleased with the tone of my first build. The intonation is perfect. It is a nice sounding instrument, well suited for my style of playing.

However...

After tweaking the OM, playing, adjusting, etc. I picked up my 18 year old Olson SJ Cedar/EIR. I was astonished at how live every surface of the Olson was compared to my OM build. Now, to be fair, this was my first build and the instrument had only been played for a few hours, whereas Jim had built about 800 instruments by the time he built mine, and it had been played and aged for the past 18 years.
- Randall Newcomb
10 fingers in, 10 fingers out - another good day in the shop
tippie53
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Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
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Re: Managing expectations on the first string-up?

Post by tippie53 »

be realistic and keep an open mind and pay attention to the details things will change in about a week so allow settle in time
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
Benjy
Posts: 156
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2015 8:49 pm
Location: Irmo, SC

Re: Managing expectations on the first string-up?

Post by Benjy »

I am a brand new builder. I have just started on my next build. I have completed 2 martin kits and a solid mahogany kit from John at Blues Creek (This is guitar is absolutely amazing, looks and sound!).

These guitars sounded ok when I strung them up. I used the Bulk Martin strings on them to start with and after a few days I had the nut, saddle and neck adjusted to the way I liked. I could hear that they were opening up, I then put my favorite strings on them (Martin Lifespans). I was amazed at how awesome the guitars sounded!

I think someone on here said "It is easier to build a great sounding guitar than a great looking guitar". I think that your fit and finish will keep improving with every build.

Enjoy the ride and ask questions and use the search feature here for answers!
MaineGeezer
Posts: 1711
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm

Re: Managing expectations on the first string-up?

Post by MaineGeezer »

I'm finding I'm having more trouble with my 2nd guitar than I did with the first one. According to Carter, the luthier who is teaching me, that is fairly common. For the 2nd guitar you think you should know what you're doing...but you don't yet.

I presume at some point one does begin to actually know what one is doing and things do get better.

I agree with the assessment that it's easier to build a great-sounding guitar than a great looking guitar. If you use quality wood and follow the plans, odds are it's going to sound pretty good. A master luthier might do better by having a better sense of how much to thin the top, shave the braces, etc. for optimum sounds, but just going by the numbers will get you a good guitar. To get great appearance though -- no glue drips inside, crisp smooth edges on the braces, no gaps in the binding, a perfect gloss finish, no dips or ripples in the neck contour, artistic choice of binding and purfling and rosette that complement each other and are well-proportioned -- that's hard!

A guitar will sound better after it's been played a while and the guitar has gotten used to being a guitar so it all works as a unit.
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
rcnewcomb
Posts: 359
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2015 9:04 pm
Location: San Jose, CA, USA

Re: Managing expectations on the first string-up?

Post by rcnewcomb »

The guitar has opened up nicely in the past month. It sounds better that either of the two factory built guitars that I own.

The Olson still sounds better, but this instrument still sounds good, and different from the Olson. I also expect it to sound better after it has been played for 20 years.

I’ll be interested to see how the sound of each build changes with subsequent builds using different top woods. This build was a spruce top, the next build will be redwood.

I think the French polish was a good choice. I found it relaxing and I believed that instrument sounded the best it could using that choice of finish. I’m sure with additional practice my finish details will improve. Mostly I need to focus on form and fit.

In retrospect I enjoyed the process and ended up with a decent sounding instrument. I’m looking forward to subsequent builds.
- Randall Newcomb
10 fingers in, 10 fingers out - another good day in the shop
Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3246
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Managing expectations on the first string-up?

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

It's amazing how much a guitar changes, even after only a week or month. The real secret to those pre war Martin's is age. My second build is made from very old cherry, and I can hear and feel the difference, but I know that it will continue to open up for a long time. My first build is 11 months old and is still changing. Strings make a huge difference. What works beautifully on one guitar, might not sound as good on another. I really can't compare my guitars against each other. I have a 40 year old classical, a 10 year old dread, both production guitars. My builds are an OM and a 00, each with differing scale lengths. I'm still experimenting with different strings on the builds.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
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