Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi everybody,

please check out this video posting on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajn0TmhvwCU
The late Benno Streu demonstrates how to find flaws in the tuning of the soundboard of an existing guitar (he was pretty famous in Europe in bringing historic classical guitars back to life - collapsed soundboards etc.).

There is a big controversy among European luthiers if Streu is up to something or if this is somewhat of a hoax.

His demonstration is very easy to understand and the "flaws" are easy to hear on this video. I would be interested what the opinions among the luthiers on this forum are about this matter. It supposedly works on steel string guitars as well as on lutes or mandolins etc.

In the middle of the video clip is a live performance of the famous "La Leona" of Torres. Feel free to skip, if this is to lengthy. The stills at the beginning and at the end of this clip are taken of the actual "La Leona" of Torres.

I appreciate your time and consideration. I am currently working on an extensive video project about fine guitar making.

Cheers,
Holger

I am a relatively young builder and therefore maybe a little niave. I've done much research on the different modes and nodal points on guitars and what he talks about certainly falls within my understanding of how a top vibrates. And I also feel that you are able to hear the change in tone as you pass over those modes. I've never done any tuning of plates like this, but I think in theory it makes sense. I also like his point about there being no mic that can substitute for the human ear. Sound is just too complex for anything to pick it up. I am somewhat of a traditionalist when it comes to building, but I believe it true that music by a human can't be made as well with a computer. Same applies at the root of music...The instrument. To many variables to take into account. Which is why I disagree with CNC machines...Yeah they can cut your time considerably, but I'm willing to go through the grunt work to get a more personal guitar. I got a little off topic there, sorry. Thanks for posting this. I do think that the intro was maybe a little over done though.