The double top with the 9 braces
Hauser fan, was developed and introduced by Master Luthier Manuel
Contreras the II at the end of the 70s and reached its peak in the 80s.
In this Variation of the Double top, a second top is located halfway between
the main top and the back. It is held in place by means of little Mahogany
bridges located above and below the second top along the inner part of
the sides (frames 1 & 3). The second top rests on the upper bridges
and once it is glued on each little bridge (frame 2), a second bridge is
glued on top of the preceding corresponding bridge below the second top
(frame 3). This second top vibrates a fraction of a second after the first
one creating an immense sustain and punch using the air moving inside the
sound box and thus creating a multiplying effect of the sonorous waves.
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Italian Alpine Spruce is
the highest growing tree on the planet. It grows at or above 1,800 meters
where the oxygen is rarefied. This makes the grain much tighter resulting
in a strong reverberating tone wood. This is the species Stradivarius used
for his legendary violins.
Radiused or flat fingerboard?
The radiused fingerboard has been
around the acoustic and the electric guitar since day one. The same is
true for most instruments of the Stringed family of instruments (violas,
violins cellos, bass). Radiusing (image above) makes barre and left hand
stopping A LOT easier. The only drawback is that you will NEVER want to
play a flat fingerboard after that. If you are having your custom
guitar built, I am all pro radiusing the fingerboard. The standard
fingerboard is flat.
650 mm
or 640 mm?
Keep the following
rule at hand: If the distance between the tip of your thumb and the tip
of your little finger is equal or less than 9 in. when fully stretched,
use 640 mm
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