Need lots of help

[Luis G. Bianchini]

Hi... I am about to build a classical guitar minimal knoledge !!Please.. one and all may guide me.
First question is : in a" Houser style" plans, I want to have a 635, or, a 640mm scale. My hands are small, and, not as nimble as earlier in life!!
If I fret hte " fret board "accordingly, and measure the bridge appropriatly, do I need to be concerned about changing the sound hole?
Thank you all in advance for your help .
Luis

[Donald A. Fortune]

Hi Louis- First off, if you do not have plans for the classical that you want to make then LMII has very comprehensive
set of plans for the "Houser style"... I my self went with the Remerez plan, but that was a personal choice
Peace,
Donald

[Luis G. Bianchini]

Thank you Donald for your time and imput. I have a set of 1937Houser plans.,I want to devieate from them only in smaller scale to 135 or 140 mm ! only due to smaller hands.
Having stated that, it is totally a capricious choice, as yours for the Ramirez.
My Ignorant concern was, how much impact wiould it have If I do not change any thing else?.. that is in the musical responce of the instrument. I do not have any background in musical theory to answer muy question!
I will reduce the " nut" size to either 48 or 49 mm at the nut and the appropriate size at the 12 fret.
At the End of the day, I want to do it correctly.....hopfully with nice people's advice like you.
Respecfully .
Luis

[Gary Nutt]

Hello,
I have made some steel string guitars, but never a classical guitar, so I cannot really provide any very worthwhile info to you (or this thread). However I am inspired to write because when I started building, I read the book by Cumpiano and Natelson (as most people on this forum have done). In this book Mr. Cumpiano describes the details of building a steel string guitar, and Mr. Natelson describes the design and construction of a classical guilar. Interestingly, the discussions are intertwined. While I cannot say that I build steel string guitars as Mr. Cumpiano does, I gained many valuable insights into building guitars,. For example you might pick up considerable information about sound hole location, necks, fret layout, etc. If you like to learn from books, I would recommend this book (along with the plans such as Donald Fortune mentions). There are many other good books as well ... if you like to learn from books.

Best of luck in your pursuit,
Gary

[Luis G. Bianchini]

Thank you gary... I have read the book twice, and will read again and again.. 'tis nicely done! I am going to change the fret scale, and, the neck size of their " standard " instrument, thus the need for my peers, my friends, to offer appropriate advice ! When I measure the change from 150mm to 140 mm divide by 1/2 nut to 12 fret to saddle, it appears to me to nominal? , but, in theoretical music, does it make a significant diference? will the sound hole, if stays in the same place make a difference?
thank you for your nice advice. Please continue your imput as I blunder trough my project.
Greatfully .
Luis

[Bob Webster]

Hi, Luis. For a Hauser plan, I'd recommend Jeff Elliot's plan for the '41 Hauser that LMII and the GAL sell. It has excellent detail. The only thing that you might want to change about the soundhole is the position, but not the size. In fact, the only reason to move the soundhole up toward the 12th fret is to get about the same split of the 19th fret as you would with a standard scale length. If that's not an issue for you, then it would be better to leave it where it is. If you do move it, it is appropriate to also move the lower harmonic bar forward to be the same distance from the soundhole as indicated in the plan.

I'd also recommend not going below 640mm scale length. If you go much lower, you run the risk of placing the bridge too far forward and causing imbalance in how the bridge drives the top. Guitars with 635mm scale length and shorter really need to be significant redesigns of existing plantillas.

As for accomodating smaller hands, it is also useful to consider narrowing the neck to 50mm at the nut and 60mm at the 12th fret (relative change of -2mm). With this sort of arrangement, one would have string a string spacing at the nut of 41mm and then 56mm at the bridge. I use these dimensions on a 640mm scale length guitar that is about a Torres sized guitar. There is a huge demand for them and my wait list for them has really grown, just because they are so darned easy to play.

Best of luck with your adventure.

Bob

[Luis G. Bianchini]

Thank you Bob for your time:
I am content to accept you recomendation to not go bellow 140mm scale, seems reasonable! The question I have, is, I would like not to change any thing else; ie sound hole....... next question would be , where do I make the other change for shorter length? at the nut/ head plate juncture?, obviously the saddle needs to move forward slightly!!Pleas remember I have never , ever built a guitar!!!!!
Have a good night.
Luis