[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Dale O

What are your thoughts on Florentine vs Venetian? I like the looks of the Florentine, but is it more fragile? Will a Florentine have less volume, it seems to make for a slightly smaller body so I wonder if it will affect volume? This question applies to a Grand Auditorium size body. What look do you prefer?

Hi Dale...
I'm sorry, I read the title with more attention than your post. I'll answer some questions...

No a properly made Florentine is not more fragile than a well made Venetian. Both can withstand normal treatment and a minor amount of mistreatment (we all have little mishaps).

No it won't have more or less volume either way...not discernible anyway. Just tap a non-cutaway guitar in the region the cutaway is cut away from and you'll see it's not a major volume producing area of the guitar's top contrasted with the area surrounding and below the bridge. Once I realized how little sound comes from there, I never really concerned myself about cutaways and sound any further.

Some builders compensate for cutaways with depth, most don't. And almost everyone acknowledges a cutaway ''must'' make some difference in the sound, but the builders and players who have and build them cannot really produce a ''scientific'' example of more or less. If it were proven scientifically to change the sound by 5%, I'd still own a cutaway for those songs that need it.

Most of us who play cutaways because we need cutaways take that into account and buy guitars which sound really good with the cutaway.

I like the elegance of the sharp point in contrast to the smooth outline of the guitar rather than something that looks like it is melting or flowing. But if you saw the way I dress, you might not put much stock in what my eye sees.