Anatomy, Tuning and Playing Setup

The Brahms Guitar extends the classical guitar in two directions at once. Its eight strings, fan-fretted fingerboard and flexible playing setups create a wider register while preserving the central tuning and technique of the six-string instrument.

The design is recognisable, but not completely standardised: dimensions and construction details vary between makers and individual instruments.

Tuning

The most commonly documented tuning, from lowest to highest, is:

B₁ – E₂ – A₂ – D₃ – G₃ – B₃ – E₄ – A₄

The inner six strings retain standard guitar tuning. A low B extends the bass and a high A extends the treble, allowing players to adapt familiar technique while reconsidering fingering, resonance and voice distribution. Some instruments, particularly the earlier Rubio guitars, benefit from tuning the entire instrument lower—by a semitone or, in some cases, a whole tone—in order to bring out their natural tonal qualities.

Fan-Fretted Fingerboard

The frets spread in a fan across the fingerboard because the bass and treble strings use different effective scale lengths. The longer bass side, usually around 65 cm in string length, supports tension and definition in the low register; the shorter treble side (approximately 61.5–58.5 cm) helps the high A remain workable and responsive.

Body, Bridge and Tailpiece

The first Rubio instrument established the core concept within the language of the classical guitar. Later instruments developed different structural details. Many Martin Woodhouse examples use a separate tailpiece, transferring string tension differently from a conventional wooden bridge.

Construction should therefore be documented instrument by instrument. A feature found on one maker’s model should not automatically be treated as universal.

Vertical Setup

In Paul Galbraith’s characteristic setup, the guitar is supported vertically by an endpin. The endpin can rest on a resonance box placed beneath the instrument, creating a physical and acoustic connection with the floor. Galbraith had already developed this vertical playing approach on the six-string guitar before later applying it to the Brahms Guitar.

This position changes the orientation of both hands and can support a balanced torso, equal freedom for both hands and freer access to the fan-fretted neck. The resonance box is part of Galbraith’s performance system, but it is not required for every Brahms Guitar or every player. The instrument can also be played in a more horizontal and traditional position, using a footstool or support.

Musical Consequences

The low B can preserve bass lines that would otherwise require octave displacement, while the high A can keep melodic material in a brighter register. Together they permit wider spacing, sustained pedal tones, clearer inner voices and alternative solutions in transcription.

These possibilities are not automatic advantages. They require new choices of fingering, damping, balance and notation, and they may create additional technical and ergonomic demands.

Sources and Notes

This account synthesises guitar-maker documentation, public interviews, scores, recordings and practice-based doctoral research. Measurements, string gauges and construction specifications should be verified for the individual instrument concerned.