The Ovation Fan Club
The Ovation Fan Club
Forum Search | Statistics | User Listing Forums | Calendars | Albums | Language
Your are viewing as a Guest. ( logon | register )

Random quote: "There are more love songs than anything else. If songs could make you do something we'd all love one another." -Frank Zappa



Jump to page : 1
Now viewing page 1 [25 messages per page]
Is it really a positive in some cases to have bellying on a guitar?

View previous thread :: View next thread
   Member Communities -> Bottom Feeding Luthiery GuildMessage format
 
Explorer
Posted 2016-01-09 6:48 PM (#520094)
Subject: Is it really a positive in some cases to have bellying on a guitar?


Joined:
December 2015
Posts: 41

I've talked with a few people whose guitars have major bellying.

They tell me that bellying is designed into the guitar, but I have no idea how a builder could design in a specific amount of bellying, and the changes in string geometry, and to know that the instrument will shift just that much, and no more. .

Could someone shed some light on whether there is some control over the process, assuming that it's actually planned, and how the limits get enforced while it happens?

Or is this some kind of justification, with no factual basis?
Top of the page Bottom of the page
seesquare
Posted 2016-01-10 1:42 PM (#520108 - in reply to #520094)
Subject: Re: Is it really a positive in some cases to have bellying on a guitar?


Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 3598

Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire
"Assuming that it's actually planned,".........not. Nobody's crystal ball, or reading of tea leaves, is that good. If you're lucky, it doesn't get so bad, it can't be compensated for.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
DanSavage
Posted 2016-01-10 8:00 PM (#520113 - in reply to #520094)
Subject: Re: Is it really a positive in some cases to have bellying on a guitar?



Joined:
June 2012
Posts: 2303

Location: Lake Forest, CA
What your friend might be referring to is that some guitars, such as Martin, are built a 'bulge' in the soundboard.

While they are called 'flat-top' guitars, most of the time they aren't really flat. Instead they are built with a radius 'bulge'. In the case of Martins, they have a 28' radius 'bulge' built into the soundboard.

Ovation guitars are one of the few, truly flat, 'flat-top' guitars.

To my knowledge, no guitar is designed for instances where the belly will rise to the point where the neck/string geometry is perfect. That's why a lot of manufacturers design the neck joint so that it can be (somewhat) easily removed to allow the neck geometry to be reset to compensate for the bellying that inevitably occurs.
Top of the page Bottom of the page
Jump to page : 1
Now viewing page 1 [25 messages per page]
Jump to forum :
Search this forum
Printer friendly version
E-mail a link to this thread

This message board and website is not sponsored or affiliated with Ovation® Guitars in any way.
Registered to: The Ovation Fanclubâ„¢ Copyright (c) 2001
free counters
(Delete all cookies set by this site)