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I've started an OM-body 12 string and in my musings have decided to brace it like the Larrivee dreadnought I have owned for thirty years. So I wanted a better look inside, and took a series of photos. I tried several camera and lighting options, and a remote release, but in the end what worked best was a small point-and-shoot camera (actually waterproof) set on "macro" and using the built-in flash. I thought I would be able to splice the images together as a panorama using Affinity Photo, my preferred software. It works beautifully on landscapes, but not so well here. Because of the very wide angle used at a very short distance, there was enough distortion in the bracing that the software often couldn't splice it. So the attached crude photo is cobbled together from some panorama bits and other images. The result is that the braces look twisted and distorted, and the lighting is very uneven. But it served my purpose of seeing how the bracing goes together. I was a bit surprised to see that the lower cross brace (tone bar?) actually does not connect to the X-brace. I believe it is different on other Larrivee models, but still low on the X-brace. An image of a Grit Laskin Larrivee-influenced guitar has the lower brace much closer to the upper. Not sure yet where I will put that lower brace, especially on a 12-string, but I can get started at least. And there is room for improvement in the photography process too . . . Bruce W.

That stitched photo was a lot work. Thanks for sharing, I found the bracing facinating.

That Larrivee picture...One finger brace per side?

Nice to see a brace scheme as a functional component and not an art form.

Interesting to see the squared portions of the bracing and where the shaping occurred

After joining this forum I was impressed with the care builders took when carving and finishing braces - and tried to emulate that. So I was quite surprised to see how utilitarian the braces were on a higher-end instrument, with bits of glue squeeze-out etc. I did post images of the bracing I put in the OM 12-string I am making here: viewtopic.php?f=48&t=9207 . I think some of you have been there already. A lot easier to photograph before the box is closed! I later found another image of L'arrivée tops and backs that seems to show more refined bracing. Bruce W.

Gibson made some of the best sounding guitars ever (YMMV) in the 30's and those guitars had pre-shaped braces that you can still see the circular saw blade marks on.

Peter, I forgot to answer your question - there are two finger braces per side, and they are flat. Also, I should have remembered that I have a photo that's easier to read just to get a sense of how the bracing was done - thirty-one years ago now. Bruce W.

I've been over to Sergei De Jonge's shop a number of times. Sergei was one of the original Larravee crew in the Toronto shop. I was surprised a little bit with his steel string philosophy. Larravee taught all his apprentices: Structure First. He doesn't build 'heavy', but the guitars are not super light either. His guitars sound very good new, but sound exceptional after two to three years. These guitars need time to 'open up' and will last for generations if taken care of. I know my Larrravee OM sounded great when I bought it ten years ago to replace a 1970's Martin D-35, and I wouldn't trade it back. My 40 year old son is so in love with it, I make sure there's no pillows around if I take an afternoon nap.

Brent