Ervin Somogyi Apprenticeship – Silverman Guitars OM Build

[Jeff Silverman]

Originally Posted by KevinH

Enjoying reading along in your blog Jeff!

Thanks Kevin, I'm happy to hear that!

[mhw48]

Fascinating seeing the process unfold. I was checking your blog as well, which adds even more of the steps. The laminated linings (in the blog photos) look quite substantial. Is that to add to the stiffness of the laminated sides? In a more "traditional" build style, the linings are kerfed, I assume, to reduce mass and weight.

[Jeff Silverman]

Originally Posted by mhw48

Fascinating seeing the process unfold. I was checking your blog as well, which adds even more of the steps. The laminated linings (in the blog photos) look quite substantial. Is that to add to the stiffness of the laminated sides? In a more "traditional" build style, the linings are kerfed, I assume, to reduce mass and weight.

The laminated linings are to add stiffness, the idea being that more of the vibrational energy will go into the top and back, rather than being lost to the sides, resulting in more sound. Kerfed linings will be a little bit lighter, but not sure the amount of wood lost to the kerfs adds up to much weight. The main advantage of kerfed linings is that they are less work.

[mhw48]

I read your interesting blog post of tone wood choice based on the particular use and sound desired. I wondered what guided you in the choice of the woods for your own build?

[Jeff Silverman]

Originally Posted by mhw48

I read your interesting blog post of tone wood choice based on the particular use and sound desired. I wondered what guided you in the choice of the woods for your own build?

I started working on that top very shortly after arriving, before going over the tonewood selection with Ervin. I chose it from a few that the other apprentice Louis Manteau had. Some of the things that guided the choice were a good stiffness to weight, pleasing tap tone, even colour, and I thought European Spruce would be a good choice for an OM, for a balanced and responsive instrument.

[Jeff Silverman]

Making some progress on my build.



Fitting the back to the rim.



Fitting the top to the rim.



Glueing on the top.



After trimming the top flush with the rim.

The next step is voicing the top, something I’ve been looking forwards to learning from Ervin. Will keep you posted on how that goes.

[mhw48]

Very interesting -- so the shaping of the top braces takes place after the top is attached, and not before? If so, I assume that happens before the back is fitted to the rim.

[jmagill]

Originally Posted by Jeff Silverman

I've never seen Ervin in a hat before. Or a beard. Is this him? Someone else? You?
.

[Jeff Silverman]

Originally Posted by mhw48

Very interesting -- so the shaping of the top braces takes place after the top is attached, and not before? If so, I assume that happens before the back is fitted to the rim.

Ervin's process is to do the final voicing after the top is glued onto the rim, before the back is attached. The reason being that glueing to the rim drastically changes how the top responds. The normal process is to do some "pre voicing" before glueing on the top, which involves removing safe wood which is easier to do at that stage than after its on the rim. For this build, Ervin recommended that I leave all the braces full height so I could learn more about how the response of the top changes as wood is removed from the braces.

[Jeff Silverman]

Originally Posted by jmagill

I've never seen Ervin in a hat before. Or a beard. Is this him? Someone else? You?
.

That's Ervin, with hat and beard.

[mhw48]

Originally Posted by Jeff Silverman

Ervin's process is to do the final voicing after the top is glued onto the rim, before the back is attached. The reason being that glueing to the rim drastically changes how the top responds. The normal process is to do some "pre voicing" before glueing on the top, which involves removing safe wood which is easier to do at that stage than after its on the rim. For this build, Ervin recommended that I leave all the braces full height so I could learn more about how the response of the top changes as wood is removed from the braces.

I am looking forward to hearing about how that process goes.