Space between Fretboard and sound hole

[iparkforfree]

I'm curious why on some guitars the fretboards touch the soundhole versus leaving a gap. What would a builder consider in making this decision?

I noticed on the Waterloo there is a gap between the fretboard and the sound hole, while Martin/Santa Cruz has a fretboard that runs flush with the sound hole.

Does this indicate anything other than cosmetic?

[The Bard Rocks]

I am assuming you mean the plane of the fretboard (horizontal, viewed from the side) as opposed to its end (viewed from above).

There seem to be 2 schools of thought on the question on how much contact the fretboard should have with the top. As a player, I hear and feel no difference. Likely, someone will come by and explain the various theories on this. And I will read them.

[hubcapsc]

I asked the fellow who built a j-35ish guitar for me to make the fretboard
end before it got to the rosette like an old Gibson.

I didn't realize I was asking him to do extra work.

I realize now that when luthiers make the neck go to the soundhole,
they don't have to worry about making the inlay come together
perfectly to complete the circle in plain view somewhere. They
can just let the inlay come together in a jagged trainwreck if they
want, it will be covered by the fretboard.

-Mike

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by iparkforfree

I'm curious why on some guitars the fretboards touch the soundhole versus leaving a gap. What would a builder consider in making this decision?

I noticed on the Waterloo there is a gap between the fretboard and the sound hole, while Martin/Santa Cruz has a fretboard that runs flush with the sound hole.

Does this indicate anything other than cosmetic?

With Martins, that depends on the style. For styles that have inlay surrounding the fretboard (e.g., Style 42, Style 45, etc.) the fretboard extension does not extend to the soundhole:



Where borders are not a factor, looking at photos of vintage instruments, it appears that soundhole placement may be a factor. With a standard 20-fret fretboard, a more rearward shifted soundhole may expose space between the soundhole and the end of the fretboard extension.

You may want to pose this question in the build and repair section. Luthiers like John Arnold who are steeped in the history of guitar construction tend to post there more frequently than in the general discussion section, and may be able to shed more light on the subject.

[iparkforfree]

Thanks for the responses!

What about on guitars with the same specs, like the Gibson j-45 vs j-35?

It looks like the j-45 is left one fret longer.

What am I missing?

[TheGITM]

For the most part, it's just the geometry followed by aesthetics. The scale and the body shape have a lot to do with it. The placement of the sound hole can be a combination of things, including the aesthetics, but I think that it is in large part a function of available real estate and how large the sound hole will be. There are also impacts based on the bracing pattern... so I think there are variables that go into the geometry part, and then there is the aesthetic part.