Cutaway guitar bracing

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JLT
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Cutaway guitar bracing

Post by JLT »

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?
tippie53
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Re: Cutaway guitar bracing

Post by tippie53 »

you have to shape the Popsicle brace all the bracing is the same
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
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president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
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Stray Feathers
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Re: Cutaway guitar bracing

Post by Stray Feathers »

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/
jread
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Re: Cutaway guitar bracing

Post by jread »

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.
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tippie53
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Re: Cutaway guitar bracing

Post by tippie53 »

The popsicle is the only brace on J read he didn't use one.
its all good
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
MaineGeezer
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Re: Cutaway guitar bracing

Post by MaineGeezer »

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
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
JLT
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Re: Cutaway guitar bracing

Post by JLT »

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?
MaineGeezer
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Re: Cutaway guitar bracing

Post by MaineGeezer »

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.
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
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