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I have a OOO guitar that I'm building a new body for. I want this one to have a cutaway, but I don't know how to properly brace the top for it. Logic would indicate that I simply build the top as normal and just shorten the braces where the top ends, but logic has gotten me in trouble more times than I can count. Are there any "rules of thumb" for adapting a regular guitar plan to one for a cutaway top? Any differences in the head block, say?

you have to shape the Popsicle brace all the bracing is the same

I've never tried a cutaway, but when I was researching Larrivée style symmetrical X-bracing, I came across this in American Lutherie, about Grit Laskin (who worked for Larrivée) using it. To your point, though, the example is a cutaway in which the upper braces are angled, so just another way to do it. Scroll down to find the photo:

https://luth.org/journal/american-luthe ... fall-2015/

Here's one of my 1st builds. The braces didn't need to change. I did mildly curve the head block to the shape of the cut-away. Not sure if that is common.

You can see I was under the false impression to ditch the popsicle brace. Someone should go find the internet post that makes everyone think that's a good idea and delete it. That said, I hear that the tops will crack along the extension eventually no matter what you do so oh well.

The popsicle is the only brace on J read he didn't use one.
its all good

FWIW, here's a picture of what I did. I make no claim that it's a good way to do it.

https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/d ... &mode=view

MaineGeezer wrote: ↑Wed Apr 27, 2022 8:16 am FWIW, here's a picture of what I did. I make no claim that it's a good way to do it.

https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/d ... &mode=view

That's an interesting shape for the bridge plate! How did you arrive at it?

JLT wrote: ↑Wed Apr 27, 2022 3:55 pm

MaineGeezer wrote: ↑Wed Apr 27, 2022 8:16 am FWIW, here's a picture of what I did. I make no claim that it's a good way to do it.

https://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/d ... &mode=view

That's an interesting shape for the bridge plate! How did you arrive at it?

Cosmic inspiration? I just made it up. The only theory that went into it was to curve the back edge so it wouldn't create a straight line of stress across the top. I also (for no particular reason) tend to favor large-ish bridge plates.