Negative Neck Angle

(The .5 Series)

My .5 series guitars have an elevated fretboard and incorporate a negative neck angle into the instrument’s geometry. This same geometry has been a part of my nylon string and concert classical guitars for many years.

The model shown is a G1.2.5 (fanned fret/elevated fretboard). The .5 option is available on all of my steel string models. The elevated fretboard allows better access to the upper register (as on instruments in the viol family, mandolins, archtop guitars, etc.) and the negative neck angle drives the top plate in a slightly different manner than a traditional flat top guitar. While still torqueing the bridge from front to back (in the direction of the lay of the strings) and from side to side, this geometry also animates the top plate more like a harp, pulling up on the soundboard. This contributes a more “harp like” presentation to the guitar’s voice. The .5 series of guitars are very “chimey” and notes ring clearly; especially in the upper register. This makes them an excellent choice for contemporary fingerstyle guitar. They also tend to be slightly louder than standard geometry guitars; although this is not the purpose of this configuration.

Like all of my guitars, these instruments are evenly balanced from string to string, have round, solid trebles, a dynamic mid-range and a clear and articulate bass. These guitars also present with a complex overtone series, shimmering upper-partial harmonics and a solid defined fundamental.