Archtop Spanish Heel

[mac007]

Hi

I am working on my first Benedetto style 17" carved archtop.

Is it worth looking at a Spanish Heel neck/body join? They work really well in flat top designs to get a nice join if mortice and tenon is too challenging.
Or is the neck angle too steep for this type of construction?

Rod or anyone?

cheers

Mac007

[56nortondomy]

Not too sure if a Spanish heel would be suitable for an archtop. I think the mortise and tenon is a much better option I’ve used it on 4 archtops with good results. Wayne

[Mark McLean]

I would think that if you want to play with an unconventional neck joint for an archtop it would be good to look at something adjustable like the Doolin design or Smallman, or what Trevor Gore has been doing, or even Ken Parker. This is because archtops, with their more extreme soundboard profile, are more prone (than flat-tops) to alterations in string action in response to humidity change. This is the reason why traditional archtops have height-adjustable bridges. But those bridge designs are necessarily heavy which has its disadvantages. Adjusting neck angle (or height in the method of Parker) allows you to have adjustable action without needing to build the necessary machinery into the bridge.
I confess that I am saying this without ever having actually built one. I am planning to do one for my next build, and I have been thinking and researching it a lot - but it is all theory and no practical experience at the moment. So I would also love to hear from Rod or other experienced archtop builders about their neck joint ideas.