Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi to all,

I've been reading your posts for a while and now, as my radius dishes are done (see in tutorial parts), I need real help for the braces for I want to prepare the brace wood from Lmii I got.

I've just order some wood from Lmii so as to make a copy of the famous Gibs J185 (or should I say a Steinegger in fact).
Got the plan and some books too to help with the guitar making technology.
As you can see, I'm not following the Gibs plan closely cause the Steinegger's shape is a little bit different.

Giving it a try

The mold on its way


First with pinewood for the middle of the mold


Then with same kind of "plywood"


From Lmii, I got










My back with the backstripe



Well, I've read on your OLF site that Mr Antes braces are too strong (on almost all his plans). So, when you write that he overbraces everything, is it the same for the back braces?
My problem is that having read that, I dunno what to do with my own guitar. I've searched the web and found one or two other jumbo plan and none has the same size for braces. I'm planning to begin with the back braces. Mr antes says that they are two 3/4x3/4" (19mm) and two 5/16x5/8" (8x16mm). Too strong? All the others plans I've seen use smaller ones (6x17mm for instance)...
Could you help me please? And explain the difference (for the sound maybe) in all these different size back braces? I mean, the different top braces, a difference in sound for sure. Is it the same for the back?

If you know anything about the "best" jumbo braces (top and back), that'd be great letting me know.
Thanks.
Regards