View Full Version : Side height
P Josey
Jun-06-2005, 2:10am
The MacRostie plan gives a side height of 1 3/8" and the Siminoff calls for 1 7/16". I'm curious as to what height builders are using for a side height and what part it plays in the tone of the instrument.
sunburst
Jun-06-2005, 6:30am
The height of the sides changes the air volume inside the mandolin. Obviously, wider sides, bigger volume.
Different builders seem to get different results from slight changes in side width, but, in general, wider sides seem to tend toward a rounder mellower sound and narrower sides seem to tend toward a punchier sharper sound.
My experience with sides in the range of 1 3/8" to 1 7/16" indicates that that is such a slight difference that it doesn't make any particular difference in the sound.
Fretbear
Jun-06-2005, 3:13pm
Norman Blake has an interesting take on this subject regarding guitars; he says that the standard Dreadnaught size guitar would have to be even deeper than it already is to "properly" match the size of the top, which would be impractical. He now plays smaller body 12 fret to the body guitars after decades of playing big Martins as he says that their body depth is in relation to their tops. He also likes that the 12 fret neck moves the bridge farther back on the top, which he says changes the tone and string tension. I tune my flat-top down a 1/2 step, and it does not sound like the same instrument when it is tuned up to pitch.
Keith Newell
Jun-06-2005, 5:18pm
I believe it is only a part of the volume. You could have high side height and low arc to the plates or high arc and low side height yet the volume could remain equal.
Keith
oldwave maker
Jun-08-2005, 9:52pm
Wandered Greg Boyd's booth at wintergrass a while back with my caliper, the gils, givens and gibsons were between 1.73-1.76 inches total body depth, the czech mandos were 1.82- 1.86, we're talking f hole mandos....
sprucetop1
Jun-09-2005, 7:26am
Many classical violins taper in side height from neck to tailpiece button. Typical measurements might be 29.5 mm at the neck joint to 31mm. at the tailpiece. I guess mandolin sides could also be built with a slight taper....it would look elegant.