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Here's a couple of pics of the top bracing for the redwood bloodwood 000 12 fretter I'm working on. Cannot say why I like this bracing style or why I so dislike the very idea of 'tone bars' that stretch across the sound board, but anyway here's this, also a before and after.

Still haven't figured out how to finish those last 2 braces that go from the transverse brace to the top/heel block of the guitar. I'll have to look around a bit at a few different styles.

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Looking cool Larry!

I like the little brace behind the bridgeplate. What do you do that for? Nice clean work when you are done. Keep up the good work.

Blake

cool dude! I don't see why it would not sound good, but ya just never know! Be sure to let us know how it turns out.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

[QUOTE=Homeboy] Looking cool Larry!

I like the little brace behind the bridgeplate. What do you do that for? Nice clean work when you are done. Keep up the good work.

Blake[/QUOTE]

Blake,

I did a similar bracing scheme on a Martin kit guitar and did NOT put that brace in. I think the top had a difficult time keeping the dome without that brace so one purpose is to keep the 25' radius intact since there are no lateral tone bars to help the top keep its shape. I even epoxied that little rascal in to help keep the dome.

ALSO, and this is no small also, a LOT of the guys are doing it and the credit MIGHT go to Mario who has an actual name for it. I'm pretty much faking it and going on intuition with LOTS of help and feedback and inspiration from this board.

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Jean Larrivee uses a similar brace behind the bridge plate. His bracing pattern, symetrical, was developed in the sixties and early seventies. Both he and Grit Laskin and others of us who use a similar pattern have been using and improving it over the years.

[QUOTE=Ron Belanger] Jean Larrivee uses a similar brace behind the bridge plate. His bracing pattern, symetrical, was developed in the sixties and early seventies. Both he and Grit Laskin and others of us who use a similar pattern have been using and improving it over the years.[/QUOTE]

Ron, I hope it didn't read like I had invented some new bracing system cause I know there are so many more folks who have so much more experience and knowledge than I but after saying that I would LOVE to see the bracing system you are referring to. Is there a link I might try to check some of those deigns?

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Nice bracing!! Redwood and bloodwood is a nice team..

I have Canadian redwood doors in my house (leftovers from when the chaps came over from Canadee I-O to help us in the war effort meaning WW2, and they sold the rest to builders before they returned home!), I know how nice that wood is. Sam Price39109.7599537037

Larry, I really like the photo of the finished bracing, with the back light
from the window. It really shows off the nice job you did shaping the
braces. Good work!

longBob Long39109.7565046296

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"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” -Heraclitus of Ephesus

Nice job Larry! How does that top respond to tapping now my friend? Great pic, clean work!

[QUOTE=Serge Poirier]How does that top respond to tapping now my friend? [/QUOTE]

Tap tone is not all that special Serge. Deeper than the back with a bit of sustain. I'll post an mp3 if I can find time.

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Thanks Larry, looking forward to it, it might just be that it will take a bit of time to open up with tension from the strings once the guitar is completed. I think you'll get a better feel of what's happening then, hard to tell in the meantime i'd say.