What Impacts Playability?

In our newest video, GSI President David Collett discusses one of the more subtle yet crucial aspects of guitar design — playability. To provide an example, David brought in his personal instrument: a 1971 Miguel Rodriguez with a 668 mm scale length and a 53 mm nut width.

At first glance, these dimensions might suggest a challenging guitar to handle. Yet when Tomasz Fechner, Juri Yun, and Cody Noriega each tried the instrument, all agreed that it felt remarkably comfortable and effortless to play.

So how is that possible? David suggests that one of the most important — and often overlooked — factors is the lateral tautness of the top. This characteristic, rarely discussed even among builders, can have a profound effect on how the strings respond to the player’s touch and how the guitar feels under the fingers.

Watch the full video below.