van Linge Guitars |
With so many guitars already out there in need of my brace work (I have yet to meet one I could not greatly improve) I did not decide to try my hand at building until I thought I could contribute something new. Having spent a few thousand nights sitting on a barstool trying to get comfortable with my D-28, I decided to design a new body shape: a dreadnought size box comfortable to hold over the right leg while sitting. And so, in 1999, I designed and built my first pinchnought--with a narrower and lower waist, upper hips about a half inch in on each side to make an inch less guitar between your torso and leg, and a full 16 inch pear shaped lower bout. The new shape balances perfectly over the right leg, orienting the neck parallel to the floor. It's effect on the sound is to give the bass a cleaner, less muddy sound than most dreadnoughts, rich mids and crisp highs.
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Pinchnought™ |
Part of creating a totally new guitar meant designing my own bridge. I started reshaping the surface contours of bridges in l997, both to reduce mass for a quicker response and more headroom, and to remove corners and ridges, which absorb energy before it can get into the soundbox. In this case, simple is best many times over. The job of the bridge includes transferring energy to the guitar body as directly as possible, and the points, curves and catchy design features of most bridges trap energy at a physical, vibrational level. Much as automobiles are designed in wind tunnels, the graceful, physical shapes of my braces and bridge vibrate with the strings' energy, not in opposition. (for a detailed discussion, link to my article on the bridge)
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A critical part of any guitar is the neck joint. I have seen many guitars in need of a neck reset, and most are due to a relaxing of the angle between the neck heel and the fingerboard, often creating a slight dip around the 12th fret. I addressed this problem by fashioning a steel support bracket to reinforce this angle. Many modern bolt on necks are flush mounted, with no mortise and tenon at all, much less one strengthened with steel. Dovetail joints are both intellectually satisfying and difficult to adjust, but do not address this problem, which is why so many Martins need neck resets.
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I originally designed the headstock to follow the parabolic theme, and to compliment the shape of the bridge. The curve follows the arc of your hand as you reach for the top tuners, keeping the tuner shafts aligned with your fingers. However, many thought the design too unusual, and I later designed a more traditional looking headstock, which I like better on alternate days. Both options are available.
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I have added two other models to the line: a grand auditorium, and an OM model of my own design--graceful, not boxy. This 'southwest sunrise' is a fnish option on all models. I am also willing to work out new body designs, such as small jumbo or jumbo boxes.
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Grand Auditorium: |
OM: |
All van Linge guitars come with curly maple binding on box, fingerboard and headstock standard. I use sitka spruce for tops and bracewood, and find it more stable with humidity than other spruces. Standard back and sides options are east Indian rosewood or beeswing mahogany. Other options available at additional cost. Nut width and string scale are easily changed upon ordering to suit your preferences. My preference is for the 24 3/4'' scale, and with my exclusive bridge and brace design/shaping, the volume easily equals, and often exceeds that of other boxes with longer scales (Shorter string length means less tension to bring string up to pitch, resulting in easier chording, bending notes, but less punch. Frets are a bit closer together for less finger stretching.) I use brass to make the nut because ultra-light bracing results in a noticeable difference in tone between open and fretted notes, and brass eliminates that difference.
Current prices: $4000 US, for standard box, $400 extra, for cutaway model.
Van Linge guitars are guaranteed to be free of defects of materials and workmanship. Since bracing is designed to allow full potential, soundboxes are not to be left in conditions of low humidity without humidifiers. Cracking due to such neglect will be repaired at owner cost. Neck or action adjustments, while unlikely, are warranted; normal wear to frets or finish are not.
