A guitar configuration that has improved playability without requiring a raised
fret or fingerboards or a neck that extends through the resonance chamber all the
way to the sound hole is disclosed. The particular construction of the present
invention includes a soundboard with a partially curved portion that provides additional
clearance for the guitarist's hand thereby allowing the guitarist to play the higher
fret positions without changing the position of the fretting hand. The tapered
construction of the soundboard is achieved while maintaining the structural integrity
of the guitar construction while eliminating the need for extending the neck of
the guitar through the sound chamber up to the sound hole in the sounding board.
