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I’m contemplating making a crossover instrument. Basically a nylon string guitar w specs of a steel string.
I had a Taylor crossover years ago and loved it.
Thought maybe I’d make one now:)
What’s different? How does one determine brace stiffness and such.?
Just looking for a start


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Think of it as a classical guitar with a narrow neck and narrow string spacing at bridge. Brace it like a classical guitar.

That’s where I’ll need to research. I’ve never braced a classical before


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I’m doing my first crossover. Box is based on Rameriz, neck is typical steel string - dovetail, 16” radius. I made the nut 1 7/8”.

Tried to post a photo with Tapatalk but it it failed twice.

Finally

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Brandon, don’t you have the Gore/Gilet books? There should be all the info you need in them including a bracing layout, or at least a good start anyway…

You can search google images for classical guitar bracing. The Torres pattern is probably the simplest (Torres is to classical fan bracing what Martin is to the x-brace in steel strings). If you go the route that jfmckenna mentioned, a classical with a narrow neck, it might be worthwhile to get a plan. luth.org has a good one in the Torres SE114 plan. Bear in mind that the lower tension in nylon strings means that the strings deflect a lot more when struck, making it more of a challenge to keep the left fingers from interfering. There's also the larger diameters of the treble strings, compared to the equivalents in steel strings.

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Indeed I do. Thanks for the reminder


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I think there’s even a classical plan…

I did one with a L-00 body (but anything of similar size would do), falcate bracing from the G&G books, fairly light construction, bolt-on and bolt-down neck, slotted headstock. Very happy with it.

The older Taylor crossover guitars were a 5 bar fan with a slanted lower transverse brace and a spruce bridge plate.
I built one similar, 14 fret OLF Small Jumbo shape, may still have drawings/bracing template.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.