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A comment in another thread got me to thinking how the different combo radii on tops and backs may effect sound, and such.

LMI has 2 combinations of sanding braces; 25 top/15 back and 30 top and 12 back. So in this combo as the top flattens the back has more curve.

I was taught to build with 25 top/12 back and feel my guitars come out sounding real nice. What combos do others use and do you use different combos for different sized guitars? Different combos to achieve a desired dome to get the "correct" bridge height?

Been using flat top, 15 back. Wouldn't think there would be much difference between 12and 15 curvature. How are you setting the angle for your top?

radius has little to do with tone. Most on the top is for geometry
often 25 is classical 28 steel
I played with a lot of combos and settled in on the Martin stuff.

Here is the key on the top.
Get the matching neck angle. I have seen them from flat to 25 radius . It is all in how you as the builder establish the angles. The flatter the top the less string height at the bridge. This is what will change the tone , the energy transfer at the bridge it isn't the radius.

The back , really don't matter , 15 is the most common

Randy wrote:Been using flat top, 15 back. Wouldn't think there would be much difference between 12and 15 curvature. How are you setting the angle for your top?

I match it to the neck angle. If my neck is 88.7* then I make my neck block 91.3*. I make my bridge AFTER the neck is glued on so I get it exactly where I want it for preferred action.