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I am on my 3rd build, a IRW OM w/ WRC top. I noticed on the "Show us your Tops" thread that many folks do not tuck the lower X brace legs. Whats the prevailing opinion - tuck the lower legs or not?

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

I think it is a personal thing with varied builders. This falls into the preference thing IMHO.

I am sure there will be all the different thoughts of the therory of tucking them or not. I worked at a shop that does tuck them another doesn't. I have done both, however, for most part I tuck them as it helps keep the top locked in place.

I won't get into the sound, volume, tone arguments. I bet you could take several guitars some with the tucks and some without and know one would know which one is which just based on that one isolated part of the build and every thing else the same as much as is possible. This is one of those what works for you deals.

I don't tuck the other braces on lower bout and not sure many do these days. Didn't ask the question about that, but probably would come up.

no

I don't tuck these days but I used to and my impression is that the guitar that I didn't tuck sound more open. But then again I'm nuts so YMMV.

Hesh - I'm glad you followed up on your 1st response... I seems to make sense to not tuck. The pressure of the strings pulling must be for the most part on the upper x-brace legs and the transverse brace. And not tucking would facilitate the freer movement of the top... I wasn't sure whether the type of wood would make a difference. ...maybe, that WRC might need more support than spruce...

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

What about the other braces, particularly on the upper bout? Are there builders who are totally tuckless?
What the tuck!?! Do you have a tucking opinion? Who gives a tuck?

Tucking the brace ends is not a response to the static loading, but rather a precaution against future damage from impacts. If the end of the brace is stiffer in bending than the part of the top it's glued to, and there is a blow to the top over the brace, the end can start to peel up. I fixed too many of these back when I did more repairs to want to see it on one of my own.

The rule of thumb is that if, for structural or acoustic reasons, you can't shave the end of the brace down to nothing, or nearly nothing, before it meets the liner, you should inlet it.

I do not tuck my braces; they are feathered to nothing before they meet the rim. I try to keep the edge of the rim as free as is practical to allow more top movement, which moves more air and I think gives a better bass response.

Alan pointed out a critical point - and something that particularly applies to my bracing design. The lower x-brace ends fall short of the rims by a fair margin. These ends are feathered to nothing. Structurally, these ends will be "pushed" into the top because the top arches in the lower bout. I apply the same thinking to my finger braces - they taper to zero height. However, in my opinion it is very foolish to not inlet the upper face brace or upper x-brace ends -- these forces on the top want to make the upper bout concave.

And as Alan mentioned, the tapering to zero height is to make sure the whole system can have enough flexibility to withstand a jarring force. In other words, make sure your bracing designs don't cause stress risers.

By the way, good question.

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Simon