Ovation used a spruce-carbon laminated top..flat not arched...
Ovation used a spruce-carbon laminated top..flat not arched...
writing about music
is like dancing,
about architecture
Hi Peter - thanks for sharing. Is the approach you have outlined here the approach you have taken with the Classical Flattop Specials listed for sale on your website? Can you tell me if you put much of a radius in the soundboard (and back)? Or does the extra stiffness of the carbon fibre allow you to maintain a truly flat soundboard?
The soundboards and backs have an induced arch of 15ft diameter. The arch is there mostly to provide some degree of safety against problems with changes in humidity, but does help the soundboard resist the downwards force of the bridge. When humidity is low the arch will flatten, and reverse when humidity is high. No arch and the wood would be under stress and is likely to split in low humidity. No, the classical flattop specials on my web site are all X braced but the flattop mandola #297 and Pancake mandolin #299 are fan braced. The new fan brace classical flattop has not been offered for sale yet, i want to make another one so I can be sure it is not a fluke, but I am very confident it is not a fluke because it is significantly better sounding and louder than any of my X braced flat top mandolins. Plus the fan braced mandola and pancake mandolin are also the best sounding of that type I have made to date. I am working on the second right now, and it will be my milestone #300. One instrument proves nothing, they need to be consistent.
Last edited by peter.coombe; Dec-24-2022 at 6:01am.
Peter Coombe - mandolins, mandolas and guitars
http://www.petercoombe.com
Thanks Peter - I’ll be keen to hear how you go with #300 - a solid milestone! And best wishes for the festive season!
Bookmarks