Acoustic Guitar Design

This book is for experienced luthiers and guitar designers in the  industry, novice builders wishing to improve their designs, and guitar  owners interested in knowing more about their instruments. It includes  the most important technical information gathered from many sources,  including the academic literature and the author’s own work, presented  here in a clear, actionable form with a minimum of mathematics. The book  begins with a historical survey on how important features of the  acoustic guitar evolved over centuries. The review leads up to a chapter  focusing on three iconic instruments that represent the most important  types of acoustic guitars: classical, steel string flat top and  archtop.  As the guitar market is so strongly conditioned by familiar,  traditional instruments, a successful builder must have a thorough  working understanding of the most important designs to underpin their  own work. Through this volume, Professor French lays out the entire  design process and collects detailed information in one convenient  source. Luthiers quite often compile notebooks of measurements, part  numbers, specific design features and other details they routinely need.  This book organizes much of that information, with tables of  dimensions, material properties, and other details in one essential  final chapter. The book also features concise side bar contributions by  top guitar designers and builders including Tim Shaw, Chief Engineer at  Fender Music; Bob Taylor, Co-Founder of Taylor Guitars; and Andy  Powers, Master Guitar Designer and Partner.