Edward Powell - 2-4-2011 at 08:53 AM
Hi Folks....
I got a sudden burst on inspiration to build the next version of my ragmakamtar.... this time I took what was a triple-neck instrument and turned it
into a triple-neck with just one neck 
I am assuming that this is going to sound way better than previous versions and also have much better playability. Sure, it will not turn as many
heads with it's appearance, but I don't care about that. I want a great sounding axe with great playability, and something that will not be a huge
bummer to lug around.
I posted pics viewable by everyone, on FB. Sorry about this, but it is just WAY easier than uploading to my web-server etc etc etc...
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=498501149638&id=75520963...
My feeling is that for best sound you gotta stick with just one bridge and it should be more or less in the center of the SB. Furthermore I am going
for very very stiff sides, and a light responsive back made of Spruce.
The way I managed to get all onto one neck: - well, this is a morph between an oud and a sarod. Sarod only has 4 playing strings/ plus chikari
(rhythmic drone strings), and originally ouds only had 5 courses. --so I squeezed all of these 10 courses onto one neck. The 12 sympathetic strings
will simply be attached to the side of the body.
Building has gone pretty fast, just 10 days of work so far. . . now I am about to tackel the SB bracing. . . will go for lattice, but need to
meditate on this and think it out really carefully. What I like about switching the oud to the top and having the sarod on the bottom is that this way
there is a natural gradiant from deep warm bass (the lowest oud string), to very high metalic treble, the highest sarod string.... so this way I can
make the upper half of the soundboard (SB) very open and flexible, and the lower half more firm and substantial. ---but all the edges will be very
light so the entire SB will pump some bass.
I am hoping that the back will be nice and responsive --- I am thinking about going with 2.5mm spruce, and standard to light guitar back bracing....
any comments here much appreciated.
Anyway, best to start off a bit bulky, then test the sound, and trim down if necessary.... I can always just directly sand down the back, and/or
reach inside the soundport to trim the bracing down.