Making a Flamenco Blanca guitar - "El Xiprer"

The final three top braces I alluded to earlier are glued on:



The braces are carved and the top “voiced” and signed:





I said earlier that I’d try and explain the rational behind the bracing pattern, size and profile I have chosen for the top so here goes. For a flamenco guitar, the percussive nature of the sound is key and although I’m looking for fullness and balance in the sound, lush overtones and really long sustain are not the main drivers. So it’s a stiff structure from the soundhole upwards leaving the soundboard below there for the active "percussive" flamenco area where I want good stiffness front to back and flexibility side to side. For this reason the area above the soundhole is flat and the area below domed – which also helps projection.

The fan structure – centred somewhere in the middle of the fretboard, 12th fret in my case – provides this. Most flamenco guitars have either 5 or 7 fan braces – one along the centre seam with an even number either side. The inner two fans usually pass under the bridge just outside the outer strings and the next two passing under the ends of the bridge wings. I wanted to try a 6 fan design with no central fan. This is not to save weight – these braces are marginal in weight compared to the overall top mass – but to have a different driving arrangement of the strings at the bridge.

The inner two fans pass under the two outer strings and the next two under the bridge wings. This leaves the centre four strings of the bridge acting on an open area of the top rather than on two areas with a central support. The outer pair of fan braces provide part of the rigid structure from the soundhole upwards where they lock into the harmonic and upper transverse braces and into the neck block. From the soundhole back they are on the outer edges of the top so can be less tall and taper towards the tailblock end.

The torque of the bridge needs most resistance in the area just in front of the bridge (like the X brace joint on a steel string) so the fan braces need to be tallest there and taper either side. The fan braces also need to be tallest in the central area tapering as they are closer to the top’s perimeter. The three lateral braces just behind the bridge are also in an area where the torque on the bridge needs some resistance. As they go between the central four fans they will provide front to back stiffness but not hinder lateral movement so much. I’m hoping they will also provide balance across the strings as the behind the bridge plate brace I use on my steel strings seem to.

That’s the theory anyway folks – we’ll see. If nothing else the top's smiling face makes me happy The top’s thickness and profile will also be graduated once the box is closed and also again after binding.

The rim/neck assembly is then glued onto the top in the Solera using fish glue:



The side brace supports for the top braces are glued in using hot hide glue – the back side brace supports have already been glued in:

Superb Dave, Not tried building off a solera before. Certainly loks a great way to keep everything aligned during the build. Thanks for the explanation of the even number of fan struts and their shaping.
Francis

Moving along nicely and not a single hitch. Are you really less than 3 weeks in?! Looks really good.

Colin - Thanks - with my surname what else could I make



Francis - I'm glad you think so I'm a bit ambivalent about Soleras, they are great for lining up the geometry whilst things are glued but I don't like not being able to see what's going on underneath when you glue. There's a couple of little "results" that will need a bit or "artistic correction" but that's all part of the learning curve - assuming I'm going to be using jonnymosco's marvellous Solera again.

Rob - was that enough of a pause

The Coyote bindings together with black/ pear/ black purflings are taped together and bent in the Fox-Style bender:





I decided to add some decoration to the heel where the “stacked heel” join is. As the eye would be naturally drawn to the glue join there then it’s better to draw the eye to a “deliberate feature” instead - that's my philosophy anyway . A slot was cut in the heel and a piece of Coyote wood flanked by black veneers glued in using fish glue:



When the glue has dried it is sanded flush with the heel:

I had a very visible glue line in exactly the same place when joining Douglas Fir to Douglas Fir and, as is my wont, blamed the glue. It was fish glue but I see you used hide glue. Nevertheless, I suspect there's always going to be a visible line with very light woods and these wholesome glues. You should have used The Cassacamite!! Nice recovery, though.

When the glue has dried the tape is removed and it’s into the Troji to scrape down the bindings:



A Coyote Wood heel cap together with black/ pear/ black veneers to match the side purflings is glued on using hot hide glue:



The end of the fingerboard is then cut to match the soundhole using this jig: