Classical Guitar making???????????????

[William F.Eden]

What is the reason for inserting the sides into the neck block of the Classical guitar.Bill.'''''''''''''''''

[Tim Mace]

I've wondered also and decided it's traditional, cosmetic, but I think mostly it's due to the trad. spanish heel which is a thru the body one piece that you have to build around.

[Tim Mace]

It's more of a foot thru body..

[Jeff Highland]

It works well for the traditional method of building which is face down on a workboard.
You brace the top face down, glue on the neck and tailblock then fit the sides into the slots and onto the tailblock and use small individual blocks to glue to the soudboard.
As long as you get the alignment and angle of the neck right it works well

[William F.Eden]

Thanks a lot for your help I have one to build for a customer but he wants the fret board like a steel string guitar with a 1 5/8" nut so I guess i will just build it as i would a steel string guitar of corse with different bracing..Can you think of anything i should do different as far as the neck angel go's.??? I read on one of these threads that the neck angel should be 90 degrese to the body./?? Thanks for any help you can give me as this is my first Classical.Bill.'''''''''''''''

[Jeff Highland]

Well a classical guitar generally has higher 12th fret action than a steel string so the neck angle is generally neutral or forward of the body plane.
I buit two earlier this year a flamenco and a classical.
Both had slots at 90 degrees the neck angle was adjusted by shimming the nut end before gluing on the back.
I used a solera (dished workboard) with a 3mm drop off to the nut.
Gotta go now but feel free to ask more.
Jeff

[Howard Klepper]

I backset the neck 1.25º for a steel string with fretboard on the top (I often build with an elevated fretboard, which is a different geometry).

Fleta made dovetailed neck joints acceptable for classicals. Before him it was all joined sides.

[Jeff Highland]

With a Nylon strung guitar, the looser strings mean you need hgher action
2.5mm high e to 3.0 low E on Flamenco (where a little buzz on hard playing is acceptable
3.5 to 4.0 classical
Desired string height at the bridge can range from around 8.0 to around 11 on a classical
All this implies you need a more forward neck angle than with a steel string regardles of how you mount the neck.
Basically you need to take into acount the variables of
-top doming
-string height at bridge
-action reqd at 12th fret
-fretboard thickness and fret height
and these will determine your neck angle
draw a diagram and it will help you work it out

[William F.Eden]

Thanks to each one for the all the help.P.S. i build all my guitrs with a bolt on neck mortis and tenet. Thank you Jeff for going into detail so much. If i run into any trouble I will sure get back to such a fine bunch of friends Thanks again Bill.''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

[Frank Ford]

A number of classical guitar builders have wised up to the reality that the neck angle can change with time and are using bolted mortise, dovetail and other removable neck joints.

While it's no where near as pervasive an issue as with steel string guitars, we frequently see old Ramirez and other classical guitars iclearly in need of neck resetting. . .