Compliancy comes about mainly due to the bracing of the instrument. The soundboard, shape of the instrument, back and sides all have a say in the final out come, but the bracing is the major player.
Sound boards & Bracing
Tone-wood and the Soundboard.
I always look for certain qualities such as the efficiency and brightness of timber. Regarding a solid body instrument like a bass or an electric guitar, to a certain degree the choice of timber/ tone wood not only effects the instruments tone but what you might call : the attack, sustain and decay. Each aspect of an instrument has a regime of dynamics that responds to other corresponding parts and their dynamics.
Acoustic instruments.
To get the top end and good extension, how the instrument handles notes across the octaves, so they are even and true is much more difficult to obtain than a large bass sound. With an acoustic instrument the bass end is achieved by compliance, the bracing and air cushion coupling together ... if your interested click on the two video's to learn more.
Flat top Guitar : X bracing, with single brace in the upper bout.
Spanish/ Classical : Upper bout double brace, lower bout fan bracing.
I shape the back and front before I work on the cutaway.
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