The shape and the sound of guitar.

[nigella]

I always wanted to know about the relationship between the shape and the sound.
In case of solid electric guitar, Is it really related?
In recent days, I suddenly had a thought it isn't closely related.
Because it seems to me that makers doesn't care that much except the looks of their design.
Their design is so free.
Flying V, Exploder and guitar looks like X which the late Dimebag used.

That's not because I know well about this field.
Forgive me, I don't know much.

But I did a little study.
Scientificly, when the chamber of hollow guitar works
the sound gets bigger but the duration of sound gets shorter,
and vice versa is also true.
The loudness of the sound made by guitar itself without the amp isn't that important, because we can use the aid of the amp.
Most of us just want long duration of sound
and maybe timbre also matters.
And I believe that's the way how do the makers wanted to make.
I believe they don't want other parts of the guitar to vibrate.
So I think the shape and the sound isn't that related.

I did study the Chladni pattern thing a little bit
but I really don't understand much (the fault is mine)
and sometimes feels like maybe I'm barking at the wrong bush.
could you folks help me?
book recommendation will be welcomed by me.

[GuitarMan5000]

The shape of an electric guitar doesn't seem to make a difference in the sound it produces. What does, however, is the mass and resonance of the materials used to make the instrument. Mass allows the instrument to absorb the vibrational energy from the strings and helps to increase sustain. This energy is then transferred throughout the instrument. This energy, in turn, is being transferred back into the strings. The stiffness of the materials helps determine what frequencies are emphasized.

A great book that explains a lot of the physics of both acoustic and electric guitars is An Introduction to Scientific Guitar Design by Donald Brosnac. Another interesting book is The Encyclopedia of Wood. It has charts that quantify average characteristics of many different wood species. I find it useful for finding other potential "tone" woods that have similar properties as traditional woods I'm familiar with.

On a slight side note, the way vibrational energy is transferred through a guitar has made me very conscious of the ability for parts to be able to transfer energy. When I design an instrument that is my main goal. Throwing some decent pickups into a classic tone wood will sound good but designing an instrument that utilizes as much of the energy you are putting into it will sound great.

[nigella]

Thank you indeed.
And god bless your guitar you're making.

I always wanted the Brosnac's book but It was out of stock.
But now I got to really try to buy secondhand one.

The Encyclopedia of Wood... there's a few books named so.
Maybe you're refering the recent one I think, is that so?

And also I'd like to use not only wood but other things too.
plastic, metal or else.
You know banjo isn't guitar but it's made of different matters.

[GuitarMan5000]

I didn't realize they stopped publishing Scientific Guitar Design. That's a shame, it's one of my favorite references. It talks about alternatives to wood for acoustics and electrics rather in depth. The Encyclopedia of Wood that I own was published by Facts on File with a copyright of 1989 to Quarto Inc.

Are you planning on building a guitar in the near future?

[thesjkexperienc]

I thought I remember reading on Tom Anderson's site that if you keep everything constant a Strat shape and a Tele shape sound different due to the distribution of mass of the top horn verses the rounded bout. I think hardware may have a greater impact than body shape because the US Tele with a 6 saddle bridge, a nocaster with 3 saddles and a version with a TOM and stop bar will sound different all other things equal.

[IPLAYLOUD]

It doesn't matter...I can make them all sound lousy.

[GuitarMan5000]

Actually the upper bout mass does seem to have some effect. A lot of bass builders are making instruments with the upper bout and neck joint at the 12th fret. From what i was told this extra mass here helps to reduce dead notes that can be a common problem with bass. Coupling between the parts of an instrument has a big impact on the tone of the instrument in my opinion. Ideally the string contact points should be able to transfer the most energy possible into the instrument. The guitar should then be able to resonate and transfer energy between all the parts through well made joints. These are the things that I've noticed to have the greatest role on the instruments physical role on tone.

[mslugano]

I think Grosh feels pretty strongly that an ElectrJet VT sounds considerably different than a regular Tele (given equal hardware and pickups) due to the larger upper bout.

[IGuitUpIGuitDown]

Depends on the hat.

[GuitarMan5000]

I feel the coupling of the body mass to the neck has an impact. More mass directly coupled will give more potential for energy transfer. Not to mention that I'm sure Grosh has an excellent neck joint to transfer that energy.

[nigella]

Yes GuitarMan5000.
I want to make my own guitar.
not in this year but soon I think.

[dantedayjob]

There seems to be a pretty distinct sound to Vs... sort of tight and focused

[anyone]

Originally Posted by IGuitUpIGuitDown

Depends on the hat.

SRV?

[K-Line]

Originally Posted by IPLAYLOUD

It doesn't matter...I can make them all sound lousy.

[chase]

I think the Strat vs Tele difference (given same bridge, body and neck woods, etc) has more to do with the neck joint than the actual shape of the body - in other words, it's not the fact that there's mass in the upper bout so much as where on the neck that mass attaches. A Strat neck will vibrate more freely than a Tele neck, which will affect the sound in certain ways. Adding lead weights inside the upper horn of a Strat won't do all that much to make it sound more like a Tele.

(A standard Les Paul vs a double-cut is an even better example. Or the example where this was first pointed out to me, a Reverend Roundhouse vs Sensei.)