Everyone knows that Spain is the country where born, has been creating and marketing the so-called Spanish guitar. However, the acoustic guitar, direct heir to the Spanish both in form and pitch, has its greatest creators in their own natural market: the USA.Although all the acoustic guitars are, by definition, that term is used because of an incorrect translation of the English, and comes to be merely a point of differentiation between the classical and Spanish guitar that will always fitted with nylon strings and acoustics that will be equipped with metal strings.
Obviously, when talking about an instrument that has become universal and extremely popular, everyone wants to point a little about their origins, and there are battles and there revindicativas on the different contributions made famous non-Spanish luthiers of the world Guitar. However, it is clear historically that the classical guitar as we know it today, comes in both construction and tuning of the many luthiers settled in Spain. Stauffer part deserves mention was the master of CF Martin who later emigrated to USA and set up his famous factory and remains one of the strongest market in terms of relating to noise. But the greatest classical guitar builders continue to reside in Spain, and have been exported from here to infinity instruments.
Throughout the years, the building guitars has been improving and have developed different techniques for the creation and assembly to try to comment, although we will focus exclusively on what are the acoustic guitars currently available.
The method called dovetail which is very similar to that used to build a guitar reference on our website, such as the Gibson Les Paul. This method totally traditional Gibson, has been used in the construction of high-end guitars with neck sizing, whether electrical, electro-acoustic or acoustic.
It is worth noting that following this technique in the construction of the current acoustic guitars and / or electric, we can deduce that, in fact, are built on one side and the neck by another body. Both pieces are known and only joined in the final stage, after move and in some cases, maybe even semi-finished. Simply join the two pieces, and finally eliminate any defects which have been produced with the union board. With this technique, process automation is great, because one loose mast handled with great ease and the body too. Of course it is obvious that it is always easier to handle the two parts rather than together.
With this technique, when it comes to assembling guitars with arched tops or Les Paul type complex acoustic and jazz, despite being at a relatively fast and comfortable, it will always be a need for final polishing of both parts and finished everything that is final are beyond the assembly processes.
The method of Tang (or spikes) is simpler and has been used much at present to assemble all types of guitars, which is cheaper due to its use.
Basically consists of a few holes in the mast and put them in a wooden spikes that are typically used for the assembly of furniture. At the same time, there have been relevant perfectly aligned holes in the body. Once fully completed both parts, the only thing left to do is assembled with a bit of glue on the ears.
With enough pressure and drying time, the visual aspect of the instrument is superb, although, of course, the transmission of vibration between neck and body is not going to be much less at the same level as an assembly in a dovetail.
The advantage of this technique is obvious to the manufacturer, allowing you to completely finish both pieces separately and assembled after completion, which results in a significant lowering of costs.
The disadvantage to the user / customer is also evident: The perfect union between the two parts is completely invisible and escamotea reality, he may think that a guitar is assembled in dovetail without actually knowing that some will never join the two pieces spikes. This process, as I said before, has no purpose to cut costs at the expense of a good union resonant.
