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I have 5 3/4" pcs. That will leave 2 3/4" "wings" for my back. Should they be larger? I like the look with the 5 3/4", but I could steal an inch or so and add it to the smaller wings. Or should they be closer to being the same width? Clinton

Clinton, i've never done it but i suppose that it would look better if you had equal widths on each side. Others would probably advise to go with it though, let's wait and see!

Or you could do a three piece back. Here's mine:
http://luthiersforum.3element.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID= 4386&KW=klhoush#forumTop

I just strung her up and everything is still stretching. Photos soon.

Kurt

Clinton,

It all depends on how it looks with the various grain patterns. The glue joints should be invisible. Plus with the narrower outer wings you will only need extra joins on the lower bout - waist an upper bout will be a 2 piece back as per normal. I prefer the 4 piece to 3 piece as you can get the bookmatch better.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

I prefer to have the 4 pieces roughly the same width. Makes no difference to the sound, and like Dave says, take a look at the grain and see what calls out to you!!

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The grain lines up perfectly with 4 pc. Dave,you are correct,he "wings" are short of the waist and exist only in the lower bout. The only concern I had was their width at the widest point being only 2 3/4". I can put on a graft?? Clinton

Crich,

No harm in putting on grafts like the centre re-enforcing strip - they won't be that visible through the sound hole. Also the outer edges are held by the linings so it is pretty robust.

Lance recently did a 4 piece cocobolo back and on the pics he has shown it didn't look as though he used re-enforcing strips on the outer 2 joints. Maybe he will chip in.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

I've never reinforced the outer grafts.

3 mandos, 4 guitars, no problems!!

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My soundclick xx luthier blog xx luthier soundclick

Nope, no reinforcements.
I used West Systems epoxy to join them. After they were thinned and cut out, I then tried to break the off cuts at the join and in every instance they broke (off the join) so I concluded that the joint was stronger than the wood around it and decided against the extra bracing and went ahead and braced it as a normal two piece back.

I hope this dont come back to haunt me later

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com