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Hi folks,

I'm now building my second guitar (a StewMac OM kit), and really enjoying it. The first one turned out great IMHO, the new challenge (to me) is make things even more precisely on this one. If that makes sense...

Anyway, I'm not having any difficulty with the kit itself, my question is more of a request for advice. The plan StewMac sends with the kit doesn't show a 'popsicle' brace near the neck block, but they include one with the bracing kit anyway. Various searches on here have turned up some OM tops with the brace, others without. Anyone here care to offer advice as to whether to put one on or not? I don't think it's going to make a whole lot of difference either way, but I am curious as to your opinions.

Thanks in advance,

Andrew

I am building the same kit and had the exact same question. Was going to go to Stew Mac and see what they say but I think I will wait for a response here. In the 000 kits they still use this brace so it just might be included when they assemble the parts.

I'm also in the middle of a StewMac OM kit. If it makes any difference, mine is modeled on a 1933 Martin, which may be different than yours.

If I understand correctly, and to be sure we're talking about the same thing, a popsicle brace is attached to the top, about midway between the neckblock and sound hole. Mine does have one. In fact, it's the beefiest of all the braces, bigger in cross section than the X braces.

Red Dogg wrote: ↑Thu Mar 18, 2021 4:36 pm If I understand correctly, and to be sure we're talking about the same thing, a popsicle brace is attached to the top, about midway between the neckblock and sound hole. Mine does have one. In fact, it's the beefiest of all the braces, bigger in cross section than the X braces.

Nope, I think you definitely need the one you are describing. the 'popsicle' brace is a wide, flat thing that goes between the tall round one you are describing and the neck block. It's about an inch (?) wide but only maybe 1/8" thick. It's purpose ( I think) is to prevent cracking of the top under the section of fretboard that extends out over the top... but some folks seem to think they are worthwhile, while others leave then out.

I'm still in the novice category here, but my understanding is that the popsicle brace helps prevent cracks that might form in the top, lengthwise along the grain, at the edge of the fretboard extension. I am on my fourth OM-copy body designed by Jonathan Kinkead, and he shows one in his plans, so I put them in.

Thank You Mr. Feathers! That what I thought it was for as well.

I am in that dangerous land of being able to recite lots of stuff off of the internet, but (in reality) knowing very little via first hand experience. So pardon me for sounding like I know what's going on when I really don't, lol. In the end I just followed the StewMac plan and left it out, thinking that I bought the kit to benefit from some one else's design knowledge and that if that was the case I'd better go with what they say.

For the other two posters that joined in here, I'd just mention in passing that the 'authentic' 1930's OM's don't seem to have that brace (search on this site and you'll find nice pics of an antique top that Mr. Hall posted as proof). But whether or not it would be a good thing to include one or not is a question that only someone who understands guitar tone and longevity could answer, not I.

I think the gist of the discussion is that Martin put (heavy) steel strings on in the late 20's and it took about 10 years for them to come up with a fix for the cracks that were appearing alongside the fretboard/top join. The strings were heavy gauge.

Translate to today's guitars, and most have lighter gauge strings. Is the popsicle stick shaped popsicle brace still necessary with those lighter strings? Some seem to be comfortable without it, but since there is not much sound contribution from that area of the body, it can't hurt to include it.

the facts
this had nothing to do with the string gauge.

The neck block changed in 1939 the original neck block was 1 9/16 thick this was changed to 1 3/8 in 1939.

they also changed the transverse brace from 5/16 and 3/4 hi to 1/2 wide 5/8 high

then the fretboard was also changed from 1 3/4 2 1/4 to 1 11/16 and 2 1/8

the warranty work went through the roof . There was a false assumption that the string tension was causing this failure and tops were cracking along the fretboard . What was happening with the thinner neck block the extension was cracking the top because of the expansion differential of the spruce and the ebony.

The solution was to place the Popsicle brace as they had in the 12 frets. This helped and thus the POPSICLE was introduced into 14 fret models in 1939
so if your neck block is under 1 9/16 use the Popsicle but you only need about 4 inches of this. Use enough to support the fretboard extension with about 1 inch per side.

good information, John

yes there is more disinformation out there .