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I braced this last week using plans drawn by John Hall of Blues Creek Guitars. It is pre-war bracing on .105” Sitka spruce top. Brace scalloping is designed from Stew-Macs dreadnought plans. All braces are sitka spruce and the X-braces are 5/16”. Tone bars and finger braces are ¼” . UTB is 10 mm. I didn’t take a picture of final bracing before I glued it to the rims. Here’s what I did. I scalloped the UTB down on the ends, glued in a maple bridge patch that was 46 mm wide and installed a popsicle brace. So, although it is too late to make changes I encourage everyone to critique this bracing pattern so I may make changes on my next guitar. I bought Michael P’s OM plans from the site for my next project.

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

I think the upper arms of the x-brace are too tall. Also, the x-brace joint is overly tall with makes for an unnecessarily rigid area. I like to sand the top and sides of my bracing down so there are no lumps left from the carving stage which may cause uneveness to the response. Otherwise it looks pretty good.

How tall is the X intersection ???? Looks too tall to me as well, tallest I use is .590 for a bigger guitar ... plus i would taper the upper arms a bit more as mentioned above. Not everyone does , but I dont inlet my finger braces at all .. taper them to nothing before the linings.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Looks pretty good for the most part. I like tall thin X bracing. I don't like sharp filleting on the scallops. Sharp edges add stress risers places where the paths of failure in the loading are concentrated. I would prefer to see these transitions be smother. I also noticed some tear out in the scalloping on the X brace these tear outs also cause stress risers. The X splay looks a bit too open for my taste but not overly excessive.

Also noticed one of the finger braces already has a split in it. this is not desired. but the finger brace is less isue that one of the more structural braces but non the less this should be replaced as the split is likely to continue to migrate.

Tony, the center of the X-brace is .750" Which is a bunch taller than .590". Pictures don't lie. Funny how you can lie to yourself and tell yourself it looks good while you chisel and sand.

Michael, that finger brace does look split, but it was a gouge left by tearout from my dull chisel. I will replace that indeed.

Need more critique boys, keep 'em coming

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

Needs a cap on the X intersection.

I'm working on this plan also. How did the X braces get so tall?

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

Looks pretty good to me. My X on a dred is 0.625. The scallop on yours starts pretty quickly so it may not be that big a deal. I'm into removing mass at the periphery of the lower bout and usually taper the sides of the peaks of the X , finger braces, and tone bars quite a bit more than you did. One of those little brass Sloane planes works well for that. With a .105 sitka top on a dred and the bracing shown I bet it'll be a fine sounding instrument.
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.

Terry, thanks, I hope it will sound alright. I have Michael P's plans for my next guitar. It will be an OM.

Frei, I got Stew-Macs plans for a Martin Herringbone from John Hall and he said that the braces look pretty good on there. So, I just went right off the plans. Being my first guitar I don't really how high they should be.

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

I would add a bridge plate in addition to what Tony and Barry said........

Otherwise it looks great Chuck my friend.