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I'm waiting for a couple coats of clear on the 13" archtop to dry, so I can smooth it up, and re-do the thin plastic binding. I marked and scraped the area where the binding goes, and fixed the spots where CA wicked under the tape.

I finished the cello, but I have a couple historic instruments started. Not a 50's telecaster; a Vihuela from before 1600 and a tiny Voboam that was actually a DOUBLE NECK instrument from France in the 1700's. Let's talk about the Vihuela. Walnut, red spruce. Ironwood saddle. Spanish cedar neck. Minimal bracing. I will probably put some curve on the back in both directions. Why? Why not? Flat seems dumb to me. Other than that, it will be like the plan.



The viheula has 7 courses. D, G, C, f, a, d, g. The high g is a single string. The 3rd step is a string early on a vihuela, just as on a lute. We just had a post about 12 string nuts, so I was thinking.

I posted the link to the British guy doing the 12 string Rickenbacker. He tackled the nut an interesting way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AicQCAG8FXs
Another guy did it a similar way, but with math:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjuC2NpXB9U&t=313s

The Vihuela has a twist: the single high g string. I have the "dreaded" Stew Mac string spacer so I went to work.

I think by writing notes, and drawing pictures. Here they are:





Leave the nut a little tall and a little long.
Mark out the SPACING between the string pairs; at the center of the spacing of the pairs.
Use a file the width of your actual air space. I want .056"
File string slots for each string in the pair on either side of the spacer.
You are done.
Easy peasy.
Yes. You will have to trim the length, but doing so will put the nut right where you want it.
Yes. You will have to trim the top of the nut, but you will have to do that anyway at set up.

The .056 spacing seems reasonable looking at the drawing. Their spacing could be even wider. The .028 spacing that I saw would probably not work for low tension gut strings.
The actual string spacing of pairs on center is from .077" to .114". The strings are .017" to .075" but the lowest 2 strings will be Aquila red loaded strings, and I don't know their actual diameter. They are somewhat smaller, but not small like on a steel wound string. You can get straight gut strings that size, but the get expensive, and the red ones play nice, and sound good.

The bridge is very low on the body. You tie a loop on the end of the string, and slip it under the bridge from the neck side. the string goes over the bridge and through the loop. The stop is at the loop, not on the bridge. You have adjustment of the action.

Back before 1600.



The plan shows even spacing of slots, even though we know the actual spacing is different. And we know the top string was a single string. I think it would look better with the strings right up against the notches, and not with random gaps. Yeah. As long as I put them in the right spots.

You can use the exact same system as on the nut, but instead of slotting the with the nut file scribe a faint line on the edge of the file, and cut inside the line. Polish it up, and at set up, you can make the slots wider if you need to.

It should be a fast build. I already have the solara and the original form with a dish made. The dish will be used to shape, and glue on the bridge before flipping the belly over on the solara to clue the neck and sides on. Yes the bridge is glued on first. You have movable frets; so east west placement, and not having it angled is all you need.

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Why be normal?

That's big thinking, Ken.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince