Characteristics and types of guitar deck

When choosing a certain guitar model for yourself, it is very important to pay attention to all the components of its design. It's not just the body or neck, but the soundboard as well. This component is one of the most significant and largest such instruments in the device. In this article, we will learn about the characteristics of the decks, as well as their variations.

First of all, you need to understand what exactly the deck is. Here it is worth digressing into physical laws, because it is to them that the sound of a string instrument obeys. In accordance with these laws, the soundboard is an amplifier for the sound of vibrating strings. It works very simply: you touch the string, after which it begins to vibrate. Its movements are sent to the body of the instrument, and then certainly come out back through a special resonator hole. In this case, the movements are intensified several times.

Let's consider in detail what are the main components of a string instrument, and what roles the soundboards play. There is a top deck in the construction of the guitar. This is the main element that has a great influence on the sonority of the instrument. Usually, a board made of spruce or cedar with a thickness of 2.5-4 mm plays its role. This part is glued along a longitudinal line of 2 halves. Its outline has a pair of convex parts: upper and lower. They are separated by a characteristic concave section. A little higher from the center of the deck is a rosette represented by a round hole with a diameter of 8.5 cm.

It is the top part that is considered the most important structural element. It is the link between extracting sound from strings and transmitting their vibrations.The best topsides are those constructed from a single piece of wood.

There is also a backboard in the construction of the guitar. Very often it is harvested from such popular materials as rosewood, cypress or mahogany. This part of the structure is made up of halves, the dimensions and contours of which repeat the top deck.

The lower component is also called the back. It represents the reverse side of a musical instrument. Usually, the fullness of the sound depends on the wood from which the given structural part is made. The back is one of the load-bearing parts.

In addition to the decks, there is a neck in the device of guitars. Most often it is made from cedar when it comes to a classic instrument. In addition to the neck, the design provides for a shell. It consists of two strips of a certain width. These strips connect the decks to each other and also form the sidewalls of the guitar body.

There are different types of guitar decks. Each of them has its own characteristics and characteristics. First of all, these parts are divided into different types based on the materials that were used in their production. Let's consider what kind of materials we are talking about.

• Top Guitar Elements in most cases, they are collected from high-quality hardwood. Practical rosewood or very good ebony is also often used. In different instruments, these elements are made from different raw materials.
• Regarding the backboard in guitar construction, then ordinary plywood is most often used for its assembly, which is based on such woody varieties: rosewood, cypress, amaranth, mahogany.

The most sensitive are the decks that are made of high quality rosewood. They are capable of producing very bright and clear sound almost instantly.

Most often, models of guitars go on sale, the decks of which are made of solid natural wood, but you can also find copies where there is a plastic or carbon fiber part. Typically, these materials are used to build guitar lower decks.

A laminated deck may also be present in the string instrument device. Such a part is a structure consisting of several layers. A thick and dense veneer is provided at the top and bottom. Between these components, there are characteristic cuts of small thickness. Typically, decks of this type tend to produce a less full and surround sound.

However, laminated parts are not without some significant advantages.

• These components are very inexpensive. Due to this, the cost of the guitar as a whole turns out to be democratic.
• It becomes possible to add unique cuts of exotic wood species as top veneer. Such components will not greatly raise the cost of a musical instrument, but will give its appearance a special chic and aristocratic.
• The laminated decks, which are present in the construction of the guitar, are characterized by greater resistance to changes in humidity and temperature. This indicates the durability of such components.

Exotic woods are often used in the production of quality decks. They have a very effective appearance, and also give a special zest to the sound of the guitar. Let's consider what kind of breeds we are talking about.

• Hawaiian koa. This breed has a rather quirky but lovable appearance. By itself, this material is dense and hard. If you carefully treat such a tree and properly care for it, then it will demonstrate an excellent expansion of the frequency range towards low frequencies.
• Macassar. This breed is also dense.Demonstrates very bright, clear and loud sound. In addition, Macassar decks are very well balanced at low frequencies. At the same time, the middle falls slightly.

Decks in stringed instruments are narrow, and they can have more impressive thickness. Different models have different parameters. For example, in the design of classical guitars, a double deck is most often present. So, the top part most often has a thickness that ranges from 2.5 to 4 mm. The widest part of this element is its bottom, on which there is a special stand.

The soundboard is a very important part of any guitar. As mentioned above, it is she who serves as the necessary sound amplifier. This element of a musical instrument is designed to transmit the vibrations of the strings.