Ever try to run a 100-yard dash in a pair of flip flops? It takes lots of effort and you still get poor results. In the same way ordinary factory-produced guitars make you, the performer, work harder while producing less sound with lower quality. Today's new materials, applied physics, computer programs and ready access to past master knowledge makes it possible to create guitars unmatched in history.
If you're a performer, why are you working so hard to get lower-quality tone on an outdated instrument?
1. Dead Chord/Note Positions
Ever wonder why certain chords on your guitar ring nicely, but others are just dull? There are a number of interconnected reasons, the first of which is assembled parts that are not totally compatible. Instead of amplifying one another, they fight and cancel one another. This makes the player work harder to get quality sound and SPL (loudness) out of the guitar.
Realistically, factories are under tremendous pressure to produce guitars quickly, efficiently to increase shareholder profit. They aren't particularly concerned about quality sound or playability - only what makes them money! Components are quickly selected for size, fit, finish and form, not compatibility or tone quality.
The finest custom makers like Jim Olson, Tom Bills and Mario Beauregard take time to tap-tune each brace, bridge and component. Each is sanded and shaped to adjust for intonation before assembly. This assures no dead frequencies or lost overtones. Why this effort? The guitar has their name on it. Their reputation and future sales depend upon perfection.
2. Difficult to Play Necks
Little is more frustrating than neck adjustment problems. These include the following:
- Instrument is never quite in tune and not easily adjusted
- Strings buzz on frets instead of notes playing crisply, and
- Super-human strength is required to play chords cleanly.
There are a number of causes, but poor "adjustability" is the main reason. (How in the world are kids supposed to learn on these guitars if even professionals can't play them well?)
Almost all boutique guitars and better factory-made guitars have a double carbon-fiber neck reinforced with a stainless-steel, double-action, truss rod for lightweight strength, enhanced tonal quality and increased sustain. Together, they make micro neck adjustment possible, creating exceptional action and playability.
3. Splitting & Cracking Tops and Backs
Changes in humidity expand and contract wood. Factory models don't allow for shrinkage, trusting the coating and bracing for body integrity. So, tops and backs can crack and split due to wood movement. Factories figure "What does the customer expect for only 0?"
Custom guitar builders often make the top and back sound boards slightly domed, allowing the wood to expand and contract as humidity varies. This produces a stronger, lighter guitar that is less susceptible to cracking and splitting.
4. Poor Sustain & Tuning Problems
A. One-piece Head Stock
A factory-produced guitar has a single piece of wood holding the tuners. Don't be fooled by fancy mother-of-pearl inlays. It still has a resonance point, which lessens string vibration.
Head stock on Fine Custom Guitars have as many as 4-pieces of exotic wood veneers laminated to the front and 4 to the back with epoxy to hold the string rock solid. The same laminate epoxy is used in masts of sailing yachts. The result is incredible strength, durability and natural beauty. Washers should be countersunk so the finish doesn't scratch, staying beautiful for generations.
B. Cheap Tuners
Inexpensive tuning pegs allow movement. Instead, each vibrates imperceptibly creating oscillating wave lengths that interfere with natural string motion. They also make it more difficult to hold pitch. Even a nearly imperceptible movement makes it more difficult to sustain.
Secondly, lubrication wears off cheap tuning pegs relatively soon, pitting metal against metal requiring super-human strength to turn.
Thirdly, cheap mass-produced plastic bridges on nut and saddle are imprecise. More expensive guitars use bleached bone. But bleached bone is less dense and wastes energy.
Experienced custom guitar makers (luthiers) use tuning pegs from Gohto or other boutique producers with polymer-lubricated gears with minimal backlash. By using rare and beautiful Fossilized Walrus Ivory, custom instruments direct more string energy to the top sound board, resulting in a richer tone.
By drilling 3 holes to exactly lock the pegs in place. The tuners' rock-solid fit creates anchor points, producing richer tone - more volume - more sustain and better tuning stability. Countersinking the washer in the headstock allows finishes to remain beautiful for generations.
5. Low Sound Output
Strings on guitars create 130+ lbs. pressure on the bridge. Round sound holes in the middle of acoustic guitars front face require strong bracing to maintain integrity. This bracing combined with symmetrical bridges, while an effective strengthener, has unintended consequences. These include loss of warmth, richness, fullness and fundamental; since only ½ of its entire top (front) can resonant effectively.
Tom Bills Guitars are a unique design, moving the hole to the side (facing up toward ears).The top sound board is stiffened allowing the entire top to freely resonate. This, increases sound output, allowing production of the lowest fundamentals, all in a body only 14-½" wide. Instead of traditional braces that deaden, "flying braces" are used. Truly an engineering feat, it enables the producer to deaden only targeted places, while still providing the necessary strength.
6. Uncomfortable 16-17" thick dreadnaught bodies are required to produce full bass tones.
To achieve deeper bass common guitars need a 16-17" wide body. It's very uncomfortable to hold.
The Tom Bills ergonomic guitar design with no top sound hole is only 14-1/2" thick, produces equal depth, but with a richer, fuller tone without sacrificing comfort. An additional benefit is the tone hole faces up toward your ears. It also is easier for you hear and picks up well on your vocal microphone.
7. Average Tone Quality
Most factory-produced flattops have uniform thickness tops and backs. But in reality, no two pieces of wood have the same characteristics. Therefore, factory-produced instruments produce fewer harmonics resulting in "flatter" tone and require more energy to play. Additionally, ordinary wood that has been dried only a couple of years.
Custom guitar builders use exotic woods passed down through generations by wood collectors, who keep only the wood with the best character. These are rare, expensive, and thoroughly dried for 25-100 years. Tops and backs of the finest custom guitars are hand sanded, then "tap tuned" to determine the exact wood thickness for compatibility and exceptional tone. This takes longer, but the end product is a masterpiece and well worth the time.
8. Synthetic Finishes - Poison the Environment and Inhibit Wood Vibration
The most efficient way to finish a guitar is with thick environmentally unfriendly, synthetic coatings that inhibit tonal quality and poison the environment.
Master craftsmen hand-apply specially formulated organic French polish finish technique handed down from generation by violin craftsmen for hundreds of years. The result is uninhibited tonal quality, no damage to the environment and unmatched beauty.
9. Cheap Floppy Guitar Cases
Most companies and music stores fit factory guitars into mass produced factory cases. Some give the illusion of protecting the instrument, but only protect from the most superficial damage. Since it is possible to replace most guitars inexpensively, this is probably enough protection.
As one-of-a-kind irreplaceable masterpieces, fine instruments must be protected since repairing them is costly, if possible at all. Therefore, each deserves nothing less than to be nestled in a custom-fit deluxe flight cases such as those made by Calton and others. Costing more than many guitars, they feature crushed velour over foam, a rugged exterior made with an extra layer of Fiberglass, locks on all catches, a shoulder strap and other extras.
Conclusion
There is little doubt that factories employ experienced, talented and resourceful guitar makers. But, they don't have the time, materials, quality parts or experience to produce a world class guitar. Mismatched components fight one another - cancelling overtones. The final result is decreased tone quality, lack of warmth, occasional dull notes/chords and lower sound output while more susceptible to damage.
Also see http://www.olsonguitars.com/ and http://tbguitars.com/
Formula One race car professionals choose the most advanced designs instead of driving collector-edition cars. They choose the top performing car they can get engineered by the best in the business. They know their livelihood depends upon their performance. Of course anything done well costs extra, but the results are worth it. Isn't it time you give your audience the best and stop working so hard to get less?
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