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Ok here is a picture of my soundboard..... I think i know what u guys are going to say.... But the guitar is sounding better everyday. The thickness of the top is probably inconsistent due to sanding out spots and dents.

I hope that the guitar continues to improve with age.

If you decide to build another guitar, there are tons of pictures of braced tops in the archives that should help you with the brace carving on your next one.

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Reguards,

Ken H

One thing I'm seeing is that you scallopped the forward end of the X-braces (in the upper bout). I did the same thing on my first guitar and was councelled about my error. However, even though you did take a lot of wood off of these braces, if you keep very light strings on it you may still have a guitar that you can be very happy with.
- Justin

I only see a top that is not attached to a guitar. So how do you know that it sounds terrible? Also the word "terrible" really does not tell us anything in terms of what the symptoms are.

Looking at the top I see a number of things that I would have done differently or that look problematic to me. If the top is not attached to the guitar yet perhaps build a new top now and more closely mirror examples of other tops as suggested above?

This top has probably been a good learning experience for you so if you learn from it before mating it to a guitar the effort was still very valuable.

Is the sound you speak of from a finished guitar or just the tap tone of the top?
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Like i said the guitar is sounding better and better. I have been comparing the sound to a 314 taylor that i own. The bass on my build is great but the trebles and mids don't project like my taylor. Yes the top is on the guitar, it is finished. The tap tone is a major issue with me.This is the first one so i don't know what im listening for. The O' brien Dvd says to take material off until you have a certain tone . I feel as though i removed to much material, am i right about that or is it all in your tap tone?

Well all I can say is that I have built 25 with conventional Martin style scalloped bracing, decent tone, and happy owners, but I still feel that I have not even scraped the surface on understanding tap tones. I don't think there's any short cut. You just have to build a lot of guitars, write down what you hear, your brace dimensions, and if possible go see a master and have them demonstrate what they look for. I do little mods frequently based on what I have learned but nothing radical.
If you thickness the top to fairly standard specs for the wood type, and use conventional brace dimensions and scalloping patterns, (pictures of which are all over the net and in books), you'll get a decent sounding guitar. Then start doing little tweaks and keep building building building. Stick to accepted specs and branch out slowly from there.
Good Luck
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Ike....I built my first two guitars as close to the plans as I could get....The resulting sound was not to far away from the guitars I now tap tune....My two cents worth....Do the same ,then you have a building block to work from....Larry

keep it, play it. Like Hesh see a few things "I" would do different, but then again, others may disagree.

1. wouldn't scallop upper legs of the X. But for sure that is me and personal. I know others will really disagree and maybe right. Has just worked best for me.

2. Maybe think of putting more of a pyramid look and point on the scallop

3. braces just look thick and you could take material off the sides with fixing the scallops.

Again my opinion and sure others may disagree. One thing hear a lot "there are many ways to do things" true, also many ways not to do them. I would suggest getting a plan and building to those plans totally until get more builds. They are based on things tried and pretty much true.

I learned a valued lesson from my boss (don't work with him now, but he is still the boss to me) He strongly (not mildly and well maybe more than strongly) that before go off and do things, my just want to get the real big basics down before go off and try to do other things. Mostly stating to do what he did/does and other really exerienced builder do. Like he said, doing his and guys he really respects way has been proven and pretty #%^good ways.

I didn't listen on one and well as he said "good luck with that" Well he was right and I was wrong. Hate to admit, that as I have a pretty strong sense of being right in my own mind most of the time. The guitar was really pretty one, but wouldn't let my dog lay it. For tone, volume etc. it sucked, and wouldn't ever give it to the kid it was built for. Lucky for me, it has been broke during several recent moves and excuse to retop it. Guess who's advice I am going to take. I will go by a plan and one proven to work. Sometimes when saying get a plan and go by it, doesn't after awhile mean buying one or doing from blueprints out there, but in time, really think of what you want to do and what going for. Have it in your head and then maybe on paper and then stick with it. If you start changing that plan as you go and start "shooting from the hip" as you go, one will find out it may and probably will not turn out to well.

Don't get discouraged and again keep this one as it sounds as if working out for you. But for sure would keep building. The more you build the better you will get. Keep record of it, ask for suggestions as you go and look at what proven builders do. Once have the basics and getting consistent sound you like, but want to try other things (takes a bunch of guitars for that) Change some things up, but remember some things are done for a reason and shouldn't be changed.

Once heard my best guitar is my best. That may be true, but bet there have been many the next one was their worse. Happend to me as noted. Back to the basics and then change things up.

To me at first glance of the scalloping, it looks very sever! Though the width of the X braces seems a bit wide it is really hard to get a perspective due to the sever scalloping. My fist impression is that this top will sound muddy, looks far to loose to have good clear treble and I suspect the bass would be pretty dead and floppy sounding. The X brace joint looks strange as well to me. Top looks flat but that is ok a lot of good guitars are built with true flat tops. Next time use taller narrower bracing 5/16 for the X and ¼” for fingers and tone bars. Carve them to triangular or parabolic shape before adding any scalloping. As others have said top tuning is a learned skill. There is no preset formula that will work the same each time. Avoid sharp or quick fall offs in your scalloping. Personally I think it is better for new builders to over build a bit in the beginning and slowly develop a sense of ear and feel for top tuning and stiffness.

Not meaning to be cruel but rather on the point in what I see.

I love the info, and i started the next this past monday. I will do the bracing much more to traditional specs. No one is harder on me than me and i thank you all. I will take pictures of my next top for you guys to critique before i glue it on.

Okay, I'll weigh in here with my two cents.

Yes, the scalloping is a little aggressive for somebody who doesn't have experience. But the main problem I see is from the X forward. That area needs to be as strong as possible. That's where guitars fold in half and you have tops buckling.

But here's my thought on guitars. You're saying that the guitar is starting to sound better day by day. Nobody has discussed your finish work. What kind of finish is it? And, if it is too thick, that will kill the sound of the guitar. But, as a finish cures more and gets harder, the guitar will start sounding better. And usually, if a guitar starts opening up like you're telling us it is, I would suspect that the finish changing. It's really easy to screw up the sound of a guitar with too thick a finish.

One other thing. What is the humidity like there? If it's too high when you got the guitar done, and now as the humidity drops and the guitar dries out, that can change the way the guitar sounds also. Trust me. I know about finishing a waterlogged guitar only to find out a week after the rains stopped that the guitar sounded great.

Lance

http://www.mccollumguitars.com