Performers of flamenco music quite naturally want a custom guitar, one which matches their particular touch and which sounds best to their ear. Selecting the various elements of the custom flamenco guitar or the classical guitar is no simple task.
The flamenco Gypsy guitar is similar to the classical guitar, but also differs in several ways. The Gypsy guitar is more lightly constructed, weighing almost nothing. The top on the flamenco guitar is generally thinner, and there may be differences in the bracing patterns used. The thin top gives the flamenco guitar its characteristic snare drum like rasp when strummed. As well, because the top is thinner, flamenco guitars have less sustain than their classical counterparts.
The strings of a flamenco guitar are also set much lower than on a classical instrument. This makes for a much faster action. Usually flamenco guitars come with tap plates to protect the top. As well, traditionally (although seldom today) they used tuning pegs rather than machines.
For a luthier or custom guitar maker, the main difference is in the wood used to create the characteristic sounds of each. Thus, a classical guitar is usually made with rosewood back and sides, spruce or cedar tops. A flamenco guitar, on the other hand uses cypress for back and sides and spruce for the top.
Recently, the two have been joined in the “flamenca negra,” a guitar which has its back and sides made of rosewood, but is otherwise built like a flamenco guitar.
The choice of wood type, though,is merely the start of the choices as each type of rosewood, spruce, cypress and cedar has its pros and cons. For instance, German spruce (Picea abies) has a very rich, bright, and clear tone. Its noble, focused voice and rich overtones offers a wide range of color. It has a woody sound that ages into a very powerful tone. Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) has a bright, neutral tonal quality. Because of its strong fundamental, it has less tonal complexity and a narrower range of color than either German or Englemann spruce. Consulting with the luthier, the purchaser must make his choice for his custom guitar.
Besides the wood of the custom guitar, the most important component, other elements are also important to the performer. The finish, for instance, is it to be French polish or lacquer?
Traditionally, French polish was thought to be superior as more conducive to sound,but that is debatable. More important, how hard and thick is the finish, especially on the top. Although thick, hard finishes will dampen sound, lacquer may be applied just as thinly as French polish, and if properly applied seems to work just as well. French polish is notoriously delicate-- scratches easily, and does not tolerate heat well. This is an issue for the purchaser to decide.
Another issue for the purchaser concerns the strings. Strings of a classical or flamenco guitar are always trebles of clear nylon and basses of nylon thread with metal wrap. But, the performer will most likely have string preferences and must clarify with the luthier exactly which type of string to be placed on the custom guitar.
The flamenco Gypsy guitar is similar to the classical guitar, but also differs in several ways. The Gypsy guitar is more lightly constructed, weighing almost nothing. The top on the flamenco guitar is generally thinner, and there may be differences in the bracing patterns used. The thin top gives the flamenco guitar its characteristic snare drum like rasp when strummed. As well, because the top is thinner, flamenco guitars have less sustain than their classical counterparts.
The strings of a flamenco guitar are also set much lower than on a classical instrument. This makes for a much faster action. Usually flamenco guitars come with tap plates to protect the top. As well, traditionally (although seldom today) they used tuning pegs rather than machines.
For a luthier or custom guitar maker, the main difference is in the wood used to create the characteristic sounds of each. Thus, a classical guitar is usually made with rosewood back and sides, spruce or cedar tops. A flamenco guitar, on the other hand uses cypress for back and sides and spruce for the top.
Recently, the two have been joined in the “flamenca negra,” a guitar which has its back and sides made of rosewood, but is otherwise built like a flamenco guitar.
The choice of wood type, though,is merely the start of the choices as each type of rosewood, spruce, cypress and cedar has its pros and cons. For instance, German spruce (Picea abies) has a very rich, bright, and clear tone. Its noble, focused voice and rich overtones offers a wide range of color. It has a woody sound that ages into a very powerful tone. Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) has a bright, neutral tonal quality. Because of its strong fundamental, it has less tonal complexity and a narrower range of color than either German or Englemann spruce. Consulting with the luthier, the purchaser must make his choice for his custom guitar.
Besides the wood of the custom guitar, the most important component, other elements are also important to the performer. The finish, for instance, is it to be French polish or lacquer?
Traditionally, French polish was thought to be superior as more conducive to sound,but that is debatable. More important, how hard and thick is the finish, especially on the top. Although thick, hard finishes will dampen sound, lacquer may be applied just as thinly as French polish, and if properly applied seems to work just as well. French polish is notoriously delicate-- scratches easily, and does not tolerate heat well. This is an issue for the purchaser to decide.
Another issue for the purchaser concerns the strings. Strings of a classical or flamenco guitar are always trebles of clear nylon and basses of nylon thread with metal wrap. But, the performer will most likely have string preferences and must clarify with the luthier exactly which type of string to be placed on the custom guitar.
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