Fitting top to rim

[Shawnbrock]

My good people, I'm building a Martin kit and have a question/ problem. I'm to the stage of gluing the top on and am afraid I have ran into a problem. I have the shoulder brace fitting the lining well (am using reverse kerf lining) and that's the only brace which will go into the lining. I have tapered the other braces to stop at the lining. The lining has been sanded down flush with the sides, and by all accounts it should be time to glue this thing up! The problem is that the top is domed behind the soundhole. When looking at the top in the taleblock area, the gap between top and rim is sizable. If I apply pressure to the top it will conform to the rim, but it seems to me that I shouldn't bee seeing a gap there? The top is flush everywhere except for the taleblock and lower bout. This is my first, and I may be over reacting and this may be normal, but I thought I would ask before gluing. And yes, when gluing the braces with the gobar deck, I did make sure to accommodate the radius.

[johnnparchem]

Did you sand the lower bout rims to the same radius\dome that you made the top? If not the gap is to be expected. I sand the rims to the radius, but I have heard other that do not. Instead they sand a slight angle into the upper bout to match the expected neck angle. In that case I would expect a bit of a gap that would require clamping pressure to close. I also radius the back rims but the back is only laterally radiused with the back braces. In that case there is also a gap that needs to be closed with clamping pressure. The clamping pressure may be OK to close the top. If you have pictures it would help .

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I second what John has said. I do it the same way, but see how you could have this situation if you sanded that "ramp" to the sides from the neck block to the waist area. Show us a picture if you can.

Kevin

[Shawnbrock]

Thanks Guys! I was working with a combination of a flat shoulder brace, radius X brace, and a rim that wasn't flush with the workboard. I don't know how many times I checked that rim, and am ashamed to admit it, but, I was able to snug it down a little, and get the top glued up. Aw... The oversights of a first-timer... I was pretty proud to get to the point of gluing up the top before having any questions/ problems though. I'm sure plenty more questions are ahead... For a first, it is going pretty well I guess. I even elected to make my own heel cap, tail wedge and back strip out of Padauk. I know, that's not anything to brag about, but its something to do.

[Danny]

Good job on making some of the parts yourself. i'm also on my first and have been trying to make a few things that should be simple myself (like the rosette) and i have found that these simple things are not so simple after all!

Danny

[songman101]

Hello Guys

I also am on my first guitar and am finding it all quite interesting. For one thing just considering the building materials and knowing if they will marry each other to give me the voice I need in an instrument. I have tapped the top and have nice response and tremble and mid tone as well as base .What did you guys do for this very important step.

The new newbie Stephen

[johnnparchem]

Hello Guys

I also am on my first guitar and am finding it all quite interesting. For one thing just considering the building materials and knowing if they will marry each other to give me the voice I need in an instrument. I have tapped the top and have nice response and tremble and mid tone as well as base .What did you guys do for this very important step.

The new newbie Stephen

Not sure what you are asking relative to this post. I think the important thing here was what to do before this step to establish the correct geometry and shape on the rims so that the top would fit.