To make a neck pocket sound and look good on an acoustic requires ultra-precise woodworking. This technology also lets you control a guitar's feel by exploring the relationship between neck pitch and saddle height. Given the same action and string gauge, you can alter string tension. According to Taylor, a backward neck pitch and higher saddle yield easier fretting, but make your guitar more susceptible to string rattle. By contrast, a forward pitch and lower saddle create a stiffer feel that's less prone to rattle.
Player can find their sweet spot based on technique and music style.
All that's required are a few shims and saddles. In an effort to beat the top American luthiers at their game, Yamaha debuted a line of handmade flat-tops. Both instruments are made of solid woods, and have a graceful, rounded shape that suggests an OM body without being derivative. Each features a book-matched sitka spruce top, but the LS400 has a mahogany back and sides, while the LS500's back and sides are Indian rosewood. The build quality, materials, and finish are exceptional for an instrument in this price range.