Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Recent completion of one of my Flamenco Blanca models.
I love making these, such a fun and challenging build getting the tone right, i always have a couple flamenco builds on the go at any one time. This is blanca build number 37 since my first in 2014.

Apart from tone, one of the difficulties in these builds is getting the setup right. I aim for 2.25mm and 1.75mm action Bass/Treble. And a 7mm string height at the bridge (off the soundboard). For the more concerning flamenco players this setup is extremely important to get right.
Depending on the players technique and attack on the strings i will often vary the setup and/or supply with multiple saddles at different heights.

I string these up with high tension savarez strings including high tension carbon trebles.

Specs:
Top: Spruce
B&S: Spanish Cypress
Neck: Australian Cedar neck (with rosewood strip, and 2x ebony bars).
FB: Ebony
Scale: 650
Finish: Nitro. Finished 'off the gun'



Check out a video here:
https://youtu.be/QQTXVcMLOe8?si=syowj8iMoFLZJb8o

[youtube]https://youtu.be/QQTXVcMLOe8?si=syowj8iMoFLZJb8o[/youtube]

. . . . . .

Hi Steve, beautiful guitar.

Love that rosette.

Nice work Steve. That Spanish Cypress looks nice.

Hi, very nice build, I do like the binding detail and rosette.
Taff

A lovely guitar Steve. I really like the balance of colours and detail, but still remaining simple and elegant.
7mm height of the strings off the soundboard? That is surprisingly low (12-13 would be typical for a steel string). Is that a characteristic feature of the flamenco style (my ignorance), and what effect do you think it has on the playability or the sound? How do you achieve that - must be a very thin bridge? Is the fingerboard also thinner?

Mark McLean wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 21, 2023 6:28 am

A lovely guitar Steve. I really like the balance of colours and detail, but still remaining simple and elegant.
7mm height of the strings off the soundboard? That is surprisingly low (12-13 would be typical for a steel string). Is that a characteristic feature of the flamenco style (my ignorance), and what effect do you think it has on the playability or the sound? How do you achieve that - must be a very thin bridge? Is the fingerboard also thinner?

Thanks Mark.
The 7mm height is important for good technique with golpes (tapping).
My flamenco bridges are typically 4.5-5.0mm high at the saddle.
To get a good break angle over the saddle (and therefore retain good torque) at this height i do a 12hole bridge with the bottom of the string through hole being only 1mm from the soundboard.
See below example of retaining steep break angle.

The fingerboard starts off at 6.25mm but i level it after its glued down, so I dont know exactly where it finishes at, but i suspect around 6mm.
There is a forward angle on the neck, the nut area would be around 3mm off the plane of the upper bout if that makes sense. The underside of the fingerboard is then scraped to fit over the upper bout.

Very interesting. Thanks.

Interesting build and beautiful looking guitar with the height adjustments for Flamenco playing.

Wayne

Beautiful guitar Steve - that’s a fine sounding flamenco!