Interesting. Have you got a pic of that at hand? Is it meant to lower the box resonance, like a bass reflex tube port in a vented speaker cabinet?
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Slotted Headstocks?
- Thread starter Beej
- Start date
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- slotted headstock
Dont have a pic. It's a ring of wood, maybe 3/16 thick and 3/4 wide, rounded edges. No idea whether it was that, or just reinforcing the soundhole, or what.
I knew it from these articles on the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra website
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and apparently (at a quick googlade I've just made) it's old stuff in vintage guitar luthiery. Antonio de Torres called it a tornavoz:*
Torres tornavoz - Classical Guitar
* Literally: "voice turner", it translates basically as "sound reflector"; same word is used - in Spanish, that is - for a pulpit canopy inside a church, an abat-son on a bell tower outside one, but also for cupped hands around the mouth; Torres intended it as a resonator (it's made of metal in his version), and perhaps expected a horn effect out of it. It's also coupled to the back, so it supposedly acts as a sound post of sorts. Its main effect, physically speaking, is probably that of lowering the Helmholtz resonance, which it does, in reduced proportion, even when made shallower, and regardless of the material it's made of. An example of a shorter one on a guitar by Brazilian luthier Antônio Tessarin:
Tornavoz! - Instrumentos e Acessórios - Fórum do Violão
Apologies for the OT everyone.
No problemo! As a builder, I find all of this stuff fascinating...
Lot of obvious classical guitar influences on mine. And the builder does come from that tradition.
Returning to the original issue...I cant see any functional advantage in a slotted headstock, but I dont build instruments. The adjustable saddle on mine is useful. The string through bridge is a pain...badly limits the strings I can use, especially since I use tapewounds on all of my abgs.
Returning to the original issue...I cant see any functional advantage in a slotted headstock, but I dont build instruments. The adjustable saddle on mine is useful. The string through bridge is a pain...badly limits the strings I can use, especially since I use tapewounds on all of my abgs.
Tuning keys point backwards, making them very easy to adjust.
Except for this one. They point in the worst direction possible.
Unless that's a lap guitar. Then it makes sense. Any pics of the rest of it?Except for this one. They point in the worst direction possible.
No shortage of luthiers in Rhode Island. For a small state there are quite a few. The Guild factory was formerly in Westerly.
I have a GR P-5. They are very nice Basses made by a guy named Greg Rupp in San Diego CA.
A bit old, but maybe i can also contribute - bass from 2004; during modifiying the headstock a bit.
Yes of course i stull have it. It is my 3rd attempt on DIY and actually the first bass i ever built. It is pretyy well balaced, but it took me a lot of effort get it into balance - a semi hollow V is pretty special.
Just finished my first bass.
35" fretless 5, slotted headstock.
Schaller BM-Lite tuners.
Piezo bridge pickups with custom preamp and Roland GK out.
35" fretless 5, slotted headstock.
Schaller BM-Lite tuners.
Piezo bridge pickups with custom preamp and Roland GK out.
