Construction & Materials

Wood preparation is vital and most important in being able to control the response and tonal characteristics for guitar construction, so each instrument can achieve the full vibrance capacity the wood can  offer.

The construction, although conventional in traditional styling of all guitars, some have an innovative design that are different from the main stream of guitar makers.  (see Speciality Guitars Whacker).

About 90% of all hardwood we receive comes green in large slabs that are cut to the desired lengths and thickness of one to two inches. 

Woods are air dried for three months then stacked in the solar kiln up to eight and twelve months that bring the moisture content down to 6 and 8% at a controlled temperature of 40% and 40% moisture content so not to case harden or split the timber, which are then sliced to desired thickness, stacked in workshop environment ready for the construction process to achieve the tone, sound, and stability for the completed instrument.

Acoustic Construction

I am a firm believer in arched construction of the acoustic guitar that has many advantages and superior to the flat top guitar.  The RADII helps to maximise strength and holds a more sustained resonance factor and for the projection of sound.

Because of humidity and temperature changes this type of structure responds to expansion and contraction as well as string tension without deforming the instrument as to the cupping in front and bulging at the back of the bridge which is associated with the flat top guitar.  Therefore you have a guitar that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye with minimum weight to strength ratio and a much longer service life.

Double Compound Radius

A bit of simple technical detail about my Breva acoustic guitars.  As you may know, most acoustic guitars have either;
A. Flat top and arched radius back or ,
B. single radius top and single radius back.

Single radius meaning that you may have say a 38ft radius for the sound board and 20ft radius for the back resulting in the sound board has roughly about a 2mm dish from bout to bout (lower bout) and around 6 to 8mm dish for the back.  Eg. making it a uniformed dish of the entire guitar.

With my Breva Acoustics I have what I call Double Compound Radius, meaning that the radius widthwise is a different radius to the length of the guitar, and most importantly the highest point of the radii is located at the centre of the bridge position eg;

The bracing's on all acoustics as with the Jazz Arch Tops and Backs are hand carved and tuned for optimum voicing.  Also the Jazz Arch Tops have a side taper of about 25mm instead of the parallel sides that are, not only more comfortable, but projects the sound much clearer and louder.

Neck Shape

Berketa Guitars are specially noted for their neck design and ease of playability.

Materials

Material selection is mainly the customers choice and interchanged with whatever species of wood and specific model of guitar for tone appearance and colour etc.

Sound Boards

Spruce, Redwood, Western Red Cedar, King Billy Pine

Back, Sides and Neck

Tasmanian Blackwood , Figured Tasmanian Blackwood, Maple, Queensland Maple, Walnut, Brazilian Mahogany and other species when available.