Hello from Lisbon Portugal

[Christian Schwengeler]

Hi all,

Hi everybody,

My name is Christian Schwengeler. I'm a classical guitar builder in Lisbon Portugal. I'm always interested to exchange some information about building parameters and this kind of stuff. I'm also a guitar player and still make some progress after 35 years. I have made some interesting investigations. Last year I have build an 8 String - guitar with 2 supplementary bases (7º H and 8º G). 8º string has a longer scale 73 cm with 2 more frets, and a special capo for one string only, so you can change fast the tuning during a concert without worry.. The result is very fat and powerful basses and of course some more harmonics. The goal was to build an instrument which permits to play a lot of compositions in its original key .They player, Mateus Dela Fonte, is happy with the instrument. On the other hand I have also built a laboratory guitar which I can disassemble and test different soundboards on it. This has the vantage that the body and neck parameters are always exactly the same and I can check what's the real influence of a certain configuration of the soundboard on the final sound. I have also built guitars with a kind of Stauffer style neck and I come to the conclusion that the sacro-saint body neck connection has not such an important influence on sound as many of the traditional builder think.You can see a few pictures of my work in my blogue http://segredodaguitarra.blogspot.com text is all in Portuguese. Actually I build 2 regular models, one in the hernandez y aguado Style and an other with a private bracing system which has interesting sound characteristics.

Greetings for all

Christian

[Jim McConkey]

Welcome to the Forum, Christian!

[Simon Magennis]

Hi Christian,

Nice to see you here. Good luck with your refinish project. You could always tell the guy its the new fashion - the "pre-distressed" look.

Simon

[Christian Schwengeler]

Hi Simon, absolutly. I also like more the instruments which wispers: please touch me, don't be afraid. The point is that we become much concerned about scratches as the clients are so concerned about even if I do not care. On the other hand french polish gives really no protection and you make a scratch even beeing carefull.