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I was wondering if there was any reason not to use Spanish cedar or poplar for bracing. As always, your response is much appreciated.
Paul

Yes.

Thanks,
that clears it up.
Paul

I don't care who you are, thats funny!

Mike
White Oak, Texas

This will go down as the best.

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Wisdom is justified by her children

The reason would be that it is a little too heavy for the stiffness it offers. That being said, I heard some classical makers do use spanish cedar for fan braces, while making the transverses from it is common practice. Maybe they select low density stock.
Myself if I'd want to use a heavier brace material, I'd look at cypress.

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Build log

Paul,

There has been centuries of experimentation that has lead to the use of the "traditional" woods used in musical instruments. Certainly the use of some woods in some parts of instruments may have evolved from what was locally available but there is indeed a reason why spruce is used. Spruce is amongst the woods that has highest strength to weight ratios of almost anything on the planet (spiderwebs might beat it though....not sure .). Another unique characteristic of spruce is that it has a very long stringy fibre, making it a tough wood. These properties are good for guitar tops. They allow you to make the the top light, thin and supple enough (when thinned and braced properly) to fulfill the acoustic responses that result in the sounds we here from quality guitars while withstanding the forces palced on them by the pull of the strings and attack of the palyer. You can indeed use other woods, but the results will be guitars that will likely have less "potential" than ones that are braced with spruce.

Good Luck!

Shane

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Canada

First: most of the weight of the completed top is in the top, not the bracing. Often the bridge weighs as much as _all_ of the other bracing put together. Small differences in the density and stiffness of brace wood are probably nearly meaningless most of the time.

That said, I'd think most poplar would be denser than I'd want to use on a top. I have not measured the density and stiffness of a lot of cedro, but some of it could well be in the ball park with spruce.

Toughness is a biggie, though, and it's hard to beat good spuce for that. I use spuce for top bracing even on redwood and cedar tops, just because I don't like the splittiness of those woods as brace stock.

Hey Alan,
That explanation was far too simple, far too short and not a bit over my head. Are you felling alright buddy

Funny, I was thinking of asking the same question. For me its the scent of SC that attracts me (shoot me, I love cigars). Perhaps, based on the afformentioned comments, the best place for it is in the back and sides bracing.

Mike

Something else spruce has going for it is speed of sound transmission .. around 5000 ft/sec. With the duration of the strings excitation phase so short, you want a wood that transmits vibrations oto the entire soundboard area fast, to get sound moving.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

OK, bump. I am still interested in getting input regarding spanish cedar for back braces.