Official Luthiers Forum!

How about bracing a back with thinner (maybe 3/16" or just a hair more) braces...keeping the braces 5/8" or so tall? I normally would go 1/4" or just a hair over in thickness, but am just wondering what effect the thinner ones may yeild tonally/acoustically? The only practical issue I'm thinking of now is that the braces may be hard to go-bar! Any ideas/comments/wisdom?

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

Larry: You can go a bit thinner on small bodies like parlors or O's but anything larger will need more mass & strength to hold the radius of the back. I went too thin on some back braces and when the guitar was strung up initially it was fine. However, after the guitar experienced a severe drying out the braces began to flatten and the back lost it's arch as there wasn't enough strength in the braces. I humidified it and the braces swelled back out but this taught me a valuable lesson.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

Cool Tim! I have a GC and an OM that I'll experiment with, and go the regular thickness on the SJ...speaking of drying out...I went to pet the cat today and thought I'd torched him with static electricity! He's only just now walking straight and upright!

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http://www.presnallguitars.com