WAGNER: First, the tension and mass of the guitar’s nylon strings are both rather low. The force created by plucking a string is not very strong and it has only short-time momentum. There is no continuous input as you have with bowed stringed instruments. Also, the mechanical impedance of the guitar top/bridge is different from that of the strings. The bigger this difference is, the more of the applied force is reflected at the interface [top]. On an electric guitar [high impedance] this difference is much bigger than on a banjo, for example. With the electric guitar, you will have an “endless” sustain [amplified]; with the banjo [low impedance] you will get a great volume but very short notes.

The consequence is that it is important to strive for a better impedance matching of the two coupled oscillators [strings and guitar body]. Impedance matching gives a more effective transfer of energy. Thus, by having a lighter top, you will get more volume. With these tops, which are more flexible but not at the expense of resilience, you get a better modulation of volume. You have a wider dynamic range. It is easier to induce vibrations even with very low force. So you get a better pianissimo and you can also play loudly when you need to. With these tops it is much easier to get lower fundamental modes. My Helmholtz resonance [body resonance] is mostly around F or F sharp. This way I get a really sonorous bass with a great number of harmonics, and thus my guitars have a rather dark timbre.