Official Luthiers Forum!

I am about to begin work on an L-00 size guitar, and have a set of plans (GAL via LMI) by Char. I want to build a radius dish for the top, along with bracing templates for the router table. I am curious as to what the radius should be in order to arrive at the proper geometry for the fingerboard extension to sit right, without a nosedive or worse, upturn. According to the plans, the soundboard has a top dome side to side rise of 3/16" and peaks 1.5" behind the bridge. When putting this into the Excel program that someone so graciously posted here, and assuming (I know that's a bad thing to do, but I had to) that the measurement was taken across the lower bout, I come up with a radius of 36'.

I am curious as to whether or not any of you have built an L-00 size, and what radius you used to arrive at the proper geometry for the fb extension, etc.

I am familiar that a lot of you use the flat UTB and sand the angle into the sides before gluing on the top, and I usually do not do that (may have to ) and I was wanting to start using radius dishes for my sanding of the side/linings on future builds as well. I just wanted to get pretty close on the radiusing of this top, so I don't end up with any un-necessary surprises. I appreciate it.

Thanks

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Brad Tucker

Brad my friend the 2 L-OOs that I built had 25' radius tops, flattened upper bout and UTB, 25.4" scale, and slightly shifted X and bridge plate locations for the longer scale. With a 1.5 degree neck angle it came out close but as you know necks always need to be fitted with some flossing for that perfect fit.

Thanks Hesh. Much appreciated. I am going to do a short scale on this one, but I think the radius should work for both. I just did not want to end up with something off the wall. I'm not versed in CAD, or even MS Paint for that matter so some of my stuff is trial and error, taking notes on what does and doesn't work, etc. It just so happens that I made a radius dish, 25' about 2 days ago (outside, dust everywhere and messy as all get-out!) for some of my other builds, so that is 3 models I can use it for. Thanks for the info ol' buddy!

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Brad Tucker

I have used a 25 as well on mine. Both of mine were 14 fret 24.9 scale guitars.
I love this guitar!!!!!!

My own bracing though......

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com