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So I braced up 2 different J 185 backs and started shaping them, and I can't get over how big the lower 2 are in the lower bout. The IRW back is ready to glue up other than the fact that the 2 braces are way too big in my oppinion, I can't accept gluing it up like that.

The blueprints I have from LMI I believe has 3/4"x3/4" for the lower 2 braces and they look like monsters. I can't accept the fact that my dreads bracing is so much shorter and the 185 needs an additional 1/4" or so.

What's the recommended height for a j185 or j200 for back braces? the waist and upper bought look fine, but 3/4" seems far too tall for me.

-Dan

It depends on the brace scheme you want to use . 3/4 high by 3/8 should be enough . on the lower bouts.

the 3/4 wide looked fine to me, it looked just like the bracing I've done in dreads, but the 3/4 height looks a bit ridiculous where as how the height in my dreads is maybe 1/2".

Dan Bombliss wrote:the 3/4 wide looked fine to me, it looked just like the bracing I've done in dreads, but the 3/4 height looks a bit ridiculous where as how the height in my dreads is maybe 1/2".

I know very little about Gibson Jumbos, but I agree that 3/4" x 3/4" seems a bit much to me.

on the wider bodies the support of the braces will be more important. Stiffness is a cube root to the height so the higher the stiffer. I would do with a higher brace on this one.

3/4" X 3/4" seems way to large and stiff to me. If you want a rigid, reflective back it should work fine but if you want a responsive back it seems too stiff. I doubt it will move at all. Wish I had the Gibson brace dimensions but I don't.

There's a number of errors on those Gibson drawings -- I've yet to receive a response from any of the publishers. 5/16" x 3/4" tall is what we supply in our KMG J185 kits.

I decided I'm going to meet in the middle a bit on that. I'm going to go 1/2" to be on the safe side. Seeing as how the 185 is only 1" or so wider than a dread I can't see doubling the height of both braces being necessary.

Thanks for input

-Dan

J45 and J200 back braces are only 1/4" wide -- no worries

By the way, I never mentioned both back have braces glued, meaning the width is set in stone. It's a bit ridiculous that a company like LMII can sell plans with bracing that's so far off from what they should be, but compared to dread bracing and like I said with J185 not being too much wider, I'll be comfortable with 3/4"wide by 1/2" tall.

-Dan