Small bodied classical guitars
Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2021 4:36 pm
Elderly injured fretted-instrument fellow looking for help in finding designs, and plans if possible, for classical guitars with small bodies, along the lines of some dating from the 19th Century. Please relay any thoughts you have on sources, selections to fill this special need. .
This request is from an old is luthier now getting back into playing guitars, but who had a sports injury some months ago that did serious damage to the left arm and shoulder. It is now difficult and tiring for me to try to play a classical, with the body sitting on the left leg and the neck canted up to a playable angle. A guitar with narrow upper and lower bouts, sitting more comfortably and requiring less extension of the left arm, might fit me better. I am not overly worried about the diminished output of smaller instruments. I know that some parlor guitars and old style classicals can deliver unexpected power and sound quality. One sample of that is a performance by guitarist Brandon Acker, on You Tube. He plays Tarrega on a skinny 19th Century classical.
I am anxious to find specs for something like that, with the idea of building it for myself. (Are yes, I know I could swap over and learn to play a left handed guitar. But I am too old to switch sides.)
This request is from an old is luthier now getting back into playing guitars, but who had a sports injury some months ago that did serious damage to the left arm and shoulder. It is now difficult and tiring for me to try to play a classical, with the body sitting on the left leg and the neck canted up to a playable angle. A guitar with narrow upper and lower bouts, sitting more comfortably and requiring less extension of the left arm, might fit me better. I am not overly worried about the diminished output of smaller instruments. I know that some parlor guitars and old style classicals can deliver unexpected power and sound quality. One sample of that is a performance by guitarist Brandon Acker, on You Tube. He plays Tarrega on a skinny 19th Century classical.
I am anxious to find specs for something like that, with the idea of building it for myself. (Are yes, I know I could swap over and learn to play a left handed guitar. But I am too old to switch sides.)