What does it mean to voice a guitar? What is involved?

[numb fingertips]

I remember reading about voicing a guitar and I think I know what it means, but not really, so I'm asking. What does it mean to voice a guitar and what is involved?

[BrunoBlack]

Here is an older, but pretty great article by Dana Bourgeois.

https://bourgeoisguitars.net/wp-cont...-Bourgeois.pdf

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by numb fingertips

I remember reading about voicing a guitar and I think I know what it means, but not really, so I'm asking. What does it mean to voice a guitar and what is involved?

It can mean several things. One is to vary bracing patterns and thickness to produce a particular "voice" to the guitar. That is one reason that Taylors sound different to Martin's sound different to Gibsons. Another is to vary the thickness of the top and bracing to account for the natural variation in any given piece of wood's stiffness and density. The latter is most common in small and solo builder guitars, as it is time-consuming and takes an acquired skill. Large-scale builders to not build this way due to the time/skill = cost element, but rather build to a spec where all the tops and bracing are of identical dimensions that average the most number of "good" guitars. This accounts for a greater variability in mass-produced instruments. Small builders, because they build to the wood, are likely to be more consistent. However, not all small and solo builders use the "voicing" method, and some build exquisite instruments.

A builder voicing an instrument also can vary the responsiveness of a guitar to a customer's needs as well. Lighter bracing and thinner top for a light touch fingerpicker, heavier, with a higher start to the dynamic range but with more headroom for a flatpicker

My eggs are ready. OMMV.

TW

[numb fingertips]

Originally Posted by Haasome

Here is an older, but pretty great article by Dana Bourgeois.

https://bourgeoisguitars.net/wp-cont...-Bourgeois.pdf

Thank you for the link.

[numb fingertips]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

It can mean several things. One is to vary bracing patterns and thickness to produce a particular "voice" to the guitar. That is one reason that Taylors sound different to Martin's sound different to Gibsons. Another is to vary the thickness of the top and bracing to account for the natural variation in any given piece of wood's stiffness and density. The latter is most common in small and solo builder guitars, as it is time-consuming and takes an acquired skill. Large-scale builders to not build this way due to the time/skill = cost element, but rather build to a spec where all the tops and bracing are of identical dimensions that average the most number of "good" guitars. This accounts for a greater variability in mass-produced instruments. Small builders, because they build to the wood, are likely to be more consistent. However, not all small and solo builders use the "voicing" method, and some build exquisite instruments.

A builder voicing an instrument also can vary the responsiveness of a guitar to a customer's needs as well. Lighter bracing and thinner top for a light touch fingerpicker, heavier, with a higher start to the dynamic range but with more headroom for a flatpicker

My eggs are ready. OMMV.

TW

Thank you. Cleared up some of my confusion.

[Kitkatjoe]

You can check out Breedlove's website, and see what goes into their guitars to achieve a voice for each guitar they build.

[jbeecham]

I just found the following video on this subject. It has probably been posted here before but just in case others have not seen it (including myself).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei5-DkVTrEE

Jerry

[Truckjohn]

It's the sum of the things builders do in the quest to achieve the tone they are after....

Most factories - including Martin, Gibson, and Taylor rely on the design, assembly, and finishing to give it what it does and that is enough.... Many small builders basically follow an established design as well...

Some smaller builders often try to tweak things one way or another to achieve something specific.... Do they hit it? Maybe... Kinda...

Are they all "voiced?" I would say Yes... Martin has it's signature sound... Taylor has theirs.. Bourgeoise has theirs. Martin doesn't do anything specific to try to push the tone one way or another past the design, assembly, and finishing - yet they sound like Martin guitars.... Bourgeoise does - and his guitars sound like his guitars.

Do they succeed? Yes.. No... Maybe... Depends on your definition of success...