Official Luthiers Forum!

Ok,

Based on the feedback I received, I will build with solid wood.

I just received my Beard plans, and have a couple of questions.
This is for a roundneck.

What does it do to the sound if I move the sound holes up higher in the upper bout.
Aesthetically, I think It would look better.

I am also thinking of going with more of a J185 shape, and placing the resonator more in the center of the radius of the
lower bout. How will a larger body effect the sound?

Last, the plans call for a wedge between the end of the fret board, and the top of the guitar to take up the space from the neck angle.
How does one make such a tiny wedge? Do you builders use such a wedge?
If not, how do you deal with the space/angle issue?
It also calls for a neck angle of 1/2 degree. Does that seem right? For some reason, (i'm not sure why) that seems a little low.

From the previous thread, you said you have the Beard round neck and square neck plans and were building a biscuit bridge reso, correct? If you have the Beard plans for a wood body round neck, that is for a spider bridge isn't it? I'm not sure how much difference the sound hole placement makes, but if you are building a biscuit bridge, you may want to look at some National examples or take a glance at the Beard metal body plans. The sound holes are usually higher and are traditionally long f holes, though there are variations. That said, there's nothing wrong with a spider bridge round neck. I have Nationals, but a friend of mine has a Beard round neck and it is excellent. Just a different sound.
I have built several round necks, but have generally stuck close to traditional on the sound holes, though I did make one square neck with a bracing that forced me to move the sound holes a little higher. It is my best sounding one to date, but I'm not sure why, as I used identical hardware for all of my square necks, Beard with Quarterman cones. That one used Baltic birch plywood for the body so maybe it's the ply.
I don't use a wedge in my round necks. I sand the angle in the top on the upper bout to get my neck angle and it looks like that is what National does. Not sure if it's 1/2 degree, but that seems low. I think it may be closer to 1 1/2. If I lay a straight edge across the top of my National El Trovador, it drops off a little more than 1/8" from the cover plate to the top. Your bridge height is limited by the cover plate and cover plates vary, so I would measure the cover plate and figure how high the strings need to be to fit under it. Then you can make a full size drawing to figure the neck angle you need to get the strings at the right height.
Have fun
Kent