i know i have read some topics on here about cole clark guitars. i own i think it sounds great. my question is does anybody here do something similar with their soundboard and bracing? if you are unfamiliar with their guitars they route out a channel for the bracing to sit in. also they do not do the typical x bracing. there is actually 2 x braces and part of one of the braces is the pickup. would it sound good if you made the soundboard thicker then routed out channels down to ''normal'' thickness. then maybe you could use lighter bracing . sorry about the odd question. im really bored, too much time to think about things. heres a link to their website

http://www.coleclark-america.com/

Hmmm.  I think the most significant part of this soundboard is the oval channel routed around the perimeter of the top. I first saw one of these on an X braced Taylor acoustic guitar.  I don't think their tops are as thick though.  It reminds me of an arch top complete with tonebars, but it's flat.  Come to think of it, it also reminds me of a Taylor T-5 top.

I wouldn't attempt to replicate this one partly because you would probably have to go through a few prototypes before getting it right, and I noticed there were some luke-warm comments about it in some previous posts.  Better to stick with X bracing for steel string.

Here's the photo I was referring to:

http://www.coleclark-america.com/images/products/thumbsBig/F aceBig2.jpg

This is what Taylor's doing:

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/features/bracing/Overvi ew.aspx

I'm focusing on the thinning of the plate around perimeter, Talyor actually has a patended it.

While not an X pattern, T-5's have a thicker flat top with tone bars  somewhat similar to what's shown in the Cole Clark photo.