TPGC Blogs

The correct use and care of the right hand nails is one very important factor in determining tone quality. Isn’t this what playing the classical guitar is about? Producing the most beautiful tone!

Long before our time, guitarists only played in court yards, small theatres, chapels, etc., the lower volume they produced did not really mattered. So, many players did not keep nails. Today the concert guitarist must produce a sound loud enough to project to the back row of a large concert hall(1000 to 2000 people) without the aid of amplification.

In the 19th century, the dimensions of the guitars were smaller thus not as powerful as the modern guitar. Majority of the leading players used the flesh technique but D Aquado, the Spanish guitarist/composer, used his nails .The theory was that if nails were used, the tone quality could never be as pure and sweet as that produced with just the finger tips. Nail playing became established in the beginning of the 20th century through the efforts of Segovia. It is now the generally accepted way of sounding the strings. When done correctly, it produces a balanced, clear tone with a wider range of tone colors and dynamic level.

What you hear at the onset of the note is an image in sound of physical contact. A flesh contact will produce a “fleshy” tone, which certainly has it’s use as an expressive device but lacks clarity enough to be the norm of good tone. A fashionably pointed nail will produce a hard, sharp sound. Thick and thin nails tend to produce tones which are, other considerations aside, “thicker” or “thinner”, while a rough nail surface will produce a scratchy tone.

The shape and finish of the fingernails largely determine tone quality. What we frequently mean by good tone is in fact the variety of nuance made possible by different angles of nail presentation. The attack should be slightly angled to enable a smooth transition as the string moves from the finger tip on to the nail. There is a sweet spot in which the nail will produce a good clear attack, and you need to achieve this by experimentation. There are no hard and fast rules governing the length of nails and is a matter of trial and error. With the palm facing you, it should be possible to see the nails protruding over the ends of the fingers. The length of the visible part of the nails vary from each individual(1mm to 3mm).Try different length to see how they work. In general, the thumb nail should be about twice the average length of the fingernails.

Once you have the correct nail shape, the edges must be smoothened and polished with fine grade wet and dry paper(1200 to 2000).Remember to polish the inside of the tip of the nail too.

Badly maintained nails will result in a thin and scratchy tone. Make polishing your nails a daily routine and you’ll enjoy your guitar even more!

by Ernest Kwok

The best guitars come from small workshops. Sometimes a principal will oversee the work of several experienced craftsmen, occasionally there will be a collaboration and division of labor often, though, the guitar will be made by one man working alone. This pattern of craftsmanship is the key to both the individuality and quality of the handmade instrument. Two men can sit at adjoining workbenches, working on the same design, with the same timbers and following the same procedures–but the guitars they produce will sound different. 

Every maker builds something of himself - his ideas and his personality into what he makes, and every handmade guitar has a distinctive character that derives ultimately from the individuality of the man who made it. In a factory-built guitar, assembled by different workers from mass-produced pre-prepared parts, such character is impossible. 

The luthier’s traditional methods has other plus points. In developing his conception of the guitar, he can draw on his past experience and results. He is free to experiment, making slight changes from guitar to guitar in search for his ideal sound. He can tailor a guitar to the requirements of a particular customer. He has the opportunity to discuss his work with outstanding guitarists who judge his success or failure. Above all he can select, cut and season timber to his exact requirements, and control quality at all stages of development. 

These advantages have to be paid for. The best materials are costly; Hand construction is slow and laborious; and a luthier’s production is not large - about 20 to 30 guitars a year, sometimes less. Finally, the demand for good guitars has outstripped the supply and they have become subjects of investment. The price has risen accordingly.

by Ernest Kwok

How many of us remember the day we stepped into a music store and were dazzled by the vast array of glossy coloured guitars of all shapes, sizes and sounds? Accompanied, if we were lucky, by an ‘experienced’ guitarist who could play at least 3 chords, we relied on his judgement to select a good quality instrument. If we were not so lucky, the choice was determined by the amount of $$ in the pocket.

Here are some points to check on when purchasing an instrument.

The beauty of the classical guitar is in its graceful shape and the selection of woods. The front or top of the guitar is usually made of spruce or cedar, and is quite thin, between 2mm and 3mm.Underneath this top, there is a system of struts which support it and help transmit vibrations from the bridge over the whole area of the front, strengthening the sound and determine the basic tonal character of the instrument. The grain in the front should be straight and fairly even. Spruce and cedar tops have different sound characteristics, the tone of spruce tends to be clear, firm and more focused. It improves with age and playing. Spruce top guitars often continue to ‘grow’ for many years. Cedar front guitars need less playing in, and is capable of its full power almost immediately after construction. The characteristic sound of these instrument being crisp, brilliant and powerful.

Laminated fronts should be avoided if possible, as the glue joining the layers tend to dry out after some time, and the guitar’s volume and tone suffer quite markedly.

The sides and back should produce a vibrant and resonant tone chamber. While a variety of woods and even some laminates can be used, the most effective timber is rosewood, either Indian or Brazilian. The neck greatly influences the playability of the guitar. To prevent warping, a straight grain wood is needed. This type of wood should be resistant to moisture, and as rigid as possible to resist warp. Necks are generally mahogany or cedar. The fingerboard should be of ebony, although good quality rosewood is acceptable. This area is constantly being scuffed so it has to be hard, dense and wear resistant, yet smooth enough for easy playing. Check warpage by sighting along the edge of the fingerboard looking along the ends of the frets from the nut to the bridge. Make sure the bridge is not lifting away at any point. Tap the front and back of the guitar for any rattling sounds which may be a result of poor gluing of the struts.

Check to see that all joints are secure. All edges firmly glued together without gaps between the sides and the front or back. All frets should be fitted firmly into the fingerboard.

Machine heads have a critical job to do. Any inefficiency here can ruin an otherwise musical performance. The tuners must be easily adjustable and yet firmly locked when the required pitch of the respective strings are reached.

The final check is the height of the string above the frets or ‘action’ as it is called. There is an ideal height for each player(mine is 4mm at the 6th and 3mm at the 1st string 12th fret).The action can be adjusted by either lowering or raising the bridge saddle height. Too low renders the guitar useless whilst too high makes it difficult too play.

To conclude, I would like to suggest certain aspects relating to the tonal qualities, noting again that the quality of an instrument is largely governed by the price one pays. The criterion as to what constitutes a good guitar would probably not vary much from one player to another. What would be different would be the order of priority. Sound is very much a personal taste, and it is difficult to describe. Muddy to some might well be rich to others. Thin to one could be clear to another. However, there seems to be a concensus among professionals as to those properties and characteristics which are desirable, namely balance, projection, clarity and a wide range of tone colour. A balanced guitar is one in which every note come across with the same amplitude. Projection relates to loudness and the ability to be heard clearly in today’s concert halls. Tone colour can be difined as the inbuilt potential of the guitar to allow the player to express himself to the best of his ability.

Obviously there’s much more to a guitar than meets the eye. Playing and enjoying the right guitar will enable you to experience musical moments that are among the most satisfying.

So… happy shopping!

- by Ernest Kwok