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Im getting ready to tweek an old Yamaha dred's braces. I have noticed that not only are they not scalloped, but the finger braces are not attached to the X braces. It has a 'ply top as far as I can tell, is this why they got away with it? I will have before and after recordings of this. Should be fun and entertaining.

When you say "not attached" do you mean that the finger braces are not inlet into the X-braces?

I never inlet mine either instead just butting them together and paring/feathering the finger brace ends to nearly nothing.  I don't think that what you are seeing has anything to do with a ply top.

The intersection of the finger braces and the X legs is a place where I want to see some flex in the top and not inletting them helps me with this desired end (pardon the pun....).

Just for the record, I dont inlet My finger braces either. It sounds like I pretty much do it the same way Hesh does.

Given the stiffness of plywood, I could see where it may not even be necessary for the finger braces to even touch the x- brace at all. For that matter, they may not even be necessary.

A day spent at a guitar store looking at how different companies handle bracing would be an educational thing to do. I have noticed that some builders (like myself) sand everything inside the box smooth and have a really clean appearance while others more or less leave everything rough. Sometimes these rough guitars sound pretty good too.

I think it was Charles Martin that coined the phrase " the best sounding guitars are the ones that are on the verge of self destruction."  This applies to the bracing as well.

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Reguards,

Ken H

Its funny how different approaches lead to great sounding guitars.
I butt my finger braces right up tight to the X brace, I use to even inlet them, as well as the tone bars. I try to use the braces as a highway for energy derived from the bridge, a way to deliver that energy to all the places on the top plate. By braking this join, the energy would stop at the break. OR so it seams.
I'm not saying that this is a bad thing, Heck not at all, I have played most of Heshs guitars and they rock! Especially that black topped sweetie! " But I am saying that
its very interesting how we approach it with a different philosophy and end up at the same destination!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

I use to inlet everything but I have been butting everything for the past 3 years.

I think Blackheart means there is separation between the fingers and the X-brace. while I assume there would be some loss in energy transfer thorough the fingers I doubt that it would make whole lot of difference structurally.