Designed a new guitar, follow the build. Alpine Spruce, Brazilian RW GF

[Joost Assink]

Did you know that only 5 percent of your string energy is converted to sound? That's why I designed of a new steel string guitar specialised in Fingerstyle together with Febo Waanders. Inspired by Somogyi, Ryan, Casimi and Lowden this build combines all our best features and experience of the past decade in building to make the ultimate guitar.

The build has started! Please tell me what you think?

Master grade Alpine Spruce with master grade 200 year old brazilian rosewood, perfectly quarter sawn. With Macassar Ebony and flamed maple accents.

[TomB'sox]

Looks really interesting and the woods look fantastic. I can definitely see the Casimi influence there.

I am sorry for my ignorance, but by what name does company go by, I can not make it out on the headstock?

[Glennwillow]

This guitar looks like it would be really lovely, Joost!

I'd be interested to hear how you are going to convert more of the string energy to sound with the new guitar design. It sounds intriguing!

Best of luck with this project!

- Glenn

[SJ VanSandt]

What Glen said. I look forward to following this thread.

[Joost Assink]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

I am sorry for my ignorance, but by what name does company go by, I can not make it out on the headstock?

Waanders Guitars. A famous Dutch prize winning Luthier.

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

This guitar looks like it would be really lovely, Joost!

I'd be interested to hear how you are going to convert more of the string energy to sound with the new guitar design. It sounds intriguing!

Best of luck with this project!

- Glenn

Thanks Glenn, Here is the design philosophy:

So only 5% of the string's energy is converted to sound, right? OK, so if you're on a limited budget, what do you do? You make every little thing count. Inspired by hyper car design with smart construction that makes good use of energy, stiffness and strength-to-weight ratio, we set upon incorporating that into an acoustic guitar design.

The basic principle is that you need to make sure the energy goes where you want it to go and make it stay there. That means it has to travel most freely (without loss) and that acoustic impedance makes sure it doesn't go into parts that don't contribute to the sound.

So, with the string attached to a bridge and a nut, you need to make sure you don't lose anything at the nut end. That means you need a very stiff neck that doesn't absorb energy, like many of the 'softer' less vitrious neck woods, like spanish cedar and some mahoganies.

That is why we are using solid Rosewood and maple for the neck, perfectly quarter sawn, in a five piece neck configuration. Our experience is that this is the best for stability and sustain. If a neck can make a very audible difference on an electric guitar, both in tone and sustain, it will also matter on an acoustic guitar.

Another part of the guitar that can drain energy is the sides, so we are using a double sides construction with two pieces of solid Rosewood as well a solid Rosewood lining. This will make for a much stiffer (and thus more efficient) construction and using rosewood for the linings and end block will balance the weight of the slightly heavier neck. This increases the acoustic impedance making sure any energy that moves to the sides is reflected back into the top.

Furthermore, we need to shed weight in the structure of the top and back that create stiffness. It is quite easy to increased stiffness while reducing weight if you start using architectural construction theory.

Using a pinless design we can also shed weight underneath the bridge because there is no need for bridge plate that can withstand the pressure of ball ends. So instead of using a solid (and heavy) piece of maple or rosewood, we can redesign the bridge plate to be just as stiff and strong but lighter.

Furthermore, we want to do away with the necessary for a neck reset it. That is why we are using carbon fiber flying buttresses going from the neck to the sides and laminating the upper transverse brace with carbon fiber while supporting it with firm columns attached to the sides the guitar. None of this changes the sound, but greatly increases stability and rigidity. Enough to give a lifetime warrantee to the owner against neck resets.

Studying a lot of guitar physics and measurements, I have learned that rim of the guitar is very important and that the upper transverse brace is the edge of the top vibration. So, using a standard (scalloped) brace there is like a support beam with no solid connection to the walls. This is a place that needs to be completely strong and stiff, where no energy should leak out. Our design make sure energy is contained where we need it. A very strong Upper Transverse brace also helps the flying buttresses to keep the neck from rotating.

Another important part to look at is the bridge. It has a very specific target weight, the right design and the right materials of course. First off, the standard choice of ebony is actually quite poor, because it is hard to get that correct target weight. It is a very dead wood that as a very poor strength-to-weight ratio, so any super car builder would not be using such a material and neither are we. It is is also low in vitreousness.

So, taking example from high end nylon builders, who have an even smaller energy balance to work with, we will be using Brazilian Rosewood that is perfectly quartered and has the right tap tone and weight. Then you need a design that does not lose stiffness of the edges like some wings on current bridge designs. A pyramid bridge design is an excellent example of inefficient design because the wings flex and thus do not transfer energy, and instead lose it. It has very inefficient weight distribution as well.

However, a smart bridge design with the proper weight and stiffness is not enough, You also need to perfect location with regard to the X-braces and the finger braces to get good distribution of your vibrations.

Our use of A-bracing interconnecting with the upper transverse brace and neck increases stability in the weak region of the sound hole and it helps transfer neck vibrations to the top. Finally, you need a responsive back that is free to vibrate under minimal weight, so braces with weight reduction and carbon fiber supports where they are connected to the solid linings, make for a stiff yet light construction.

All this will create a very responsive instrument with a complex voice, with great sustain and good projection.

Comfort and design are also important, so the guitar will have two bevels, one for the arm and one for the tummy. I really wanted this to be like a hyper car among steel string guitars, so I designed a look that is organic and inspired by my favourite designers.

Hope this answers your question Glenn.

[j. Kinnaird]

I'm looking forward to this thread as well. innovative designs are captivating

[Joost Assink]

Made some nice progress. The fretboards are done, I have started shaping the necks, headstock has been shaped, tuner holes have been drilled, many of the braces have been shaped. It is really moving along nicely. Next step is thicknessing the top and gluing on the bracing

[SiliconValleySJ]

Love the ideas here, should be great finished. I have a rosewood neck on one of my guitars and I love it--it's a tad heavy, but I don't mind really since it helps the tone.

Also, it might be the legal side of me, but you realize that Kevin's acoustic flutes are patented right?

[Joost Assink]

Originally Posted by ExpoTom

Love the ideas here, should be great finished. I have a rosewood neck on one of my guitars and I love it--it's a tad heavy, but I don't mind really since it helps the tone.

Also, it might be the legal side of me, but you realize that Kevin's acoustic flutes are patented right?

Thanks man! Yes I talk with Kevin quite a bit, and I got his permission to do my own version of the flutes

[redir]

It's a very cool design graphically. I like the accents around the upper bout and head stock. I have always thought that the neck plays an important part in tone. My very first few guitars used a steel bar for the truss rod. They are neck heavy but there is something about the tone of those that I could never repeat with lighter necks. I assume you have the balance figured out. That's something I didn't take into consideration when I was new to this.

[OM-42]

Gorgeous design and photos!

Joost - do you have website? I tried all the links in your signature and only the YouTube link seems to work. Thanks.

[Joost Assink]

Originally Posted by OM-42

Gorgeous design and photos!



Joost - do you have website? I tried all the links in your signature and only the YouTube link seems to work. Thanks.

It's Waandersguitars.com but still under construction

[LouieAtienza]

Joost this looks great... are your hand problems on the mend where you can play steel-string again?

Good to see you back...

[247hoopsfan]

Amazing brazilian, and the bracing is exquisite craftsmanship, as well as the
fluted bevel still to come. With the recent thread about tone woods, in my mind there is still no substitute for good aged brazilian. I have a Larrivee D10 brazilian
made of aged brazilian that Jean Larrivee had stashed for years. Incredible guitar as I'm sure yours will be.

[Joost Assink]

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. The custom cases for the pair are done. And we're making nice progress