PATCH

[SnowManSnow]

so I should probably know this..
But whats the deal with putting a patch on the X brace? cloth? how do i do it?

Thanks,
B

[ruby@magpage.com]

Lots of ways to do it. The reason is to strengthen the brace at a critical location where it has been reduced in height. One of the braces has its gap glued down to the back of the top so is not a problem, but the other has its gap open.

I have a 1933 Gibson L-00 that sounds about as good as a guitar can sound and it has a 1" diameter piece of loose-weave muslin cloth glued over the area with what looks like hide glue. I have seen others cover the gap with a small piece of spruce and even saw a thin strip of carbon fiber glued over it.

I have used the cloth idea glued with Titebond - a piece of T-shirt works well. On my current guitar, I will match the color of the patch to the side reinforcements made of bias tape.

Ed

[MaineGeezer]

I use a thin strip of brace material glued across the top, extending maybe an inch to either side of the gap.

[yellowesty]

The joint Maine Geezer describes, the "capped" X-brace joint, is what Ervin Somogyi recommends in his first book,"The Responsive Guitar," on page 48. Interestingly, in his companion book, "Making the Responsive Guitar," I can't find any examples of a "capped" X-brace joint, and his pictures detailing the joint (page 44) show a nicely fitted X-brace without any cap, cloth or wood. FWIW