Official Luthiers Forum!

I have just finished building a flat-topped mandolin as a quick project. After stringing it up, I have become a little worried about the structural integrity of the top. Around the bridge, the top is bowed in by about 2mm. I put in an extra brace more directly under the bridge, but the problem continues. Is this something I should even worry about? Would it be a good idea to put some sort of post in?


I have never done anything like this before, so any help/tips would be appreciated

Here's a picture (sorry, I didn't realize it was such low quality): http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/7414/img00003uj1.jpg.

I'm not a mandolin builder, but it were me, I would put in a brace going most of the way across the mandolin between the bridge and the sound hole. I would start with something in the range of 3/8" inch tall and 1/4" wide. This should still leave your lower bout portion of the soundboard flexable enough to resonate like it should. It should be easy enough to glue in.

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Reguards,

Ken H

This is the first instrument that I built....I wanted to do a guitar but a friend of mine convinced me to do a mandolin first for the experience......It was good advice.....Its a flat top with ladder bracing.....The top is flat ..no radius........It started to collapse also....The second one I made had X bracing....The top didn't sink in as much....The third one had the X brace and a 28' radius.....It seems to be ok so far.....Forget using a post....If you are going to use a post the way I think you are ,you will kill the sound of your mandolin....