Yamaki 331s top replacement?

[Stray Feathers]

I removed the top on this guitar today, which went without incident (phew). The x-brace, as I suspected, is barely 3/8" deep at the x-joint, which may hav contributed to the bridge belly. You can see the economies of commercial production inside, r.g the end blocks have grain perpendicular to the sides rather than parallel, but then, the sides are laminated so it may not matter.There are a couple of braces that were loose. I was concerned that the headblock might be loose but it seems okay, except there is a gap where the back sits on it. I may glue in a tapered shim there. Two of the back braces look really clunky and I wonder if it is worth trimming them some. There is a piece on top of the neck block that runs under the fretboard extension; it seems solid so I don't know if there is any point changing that. Kerfing may be a little thin so I will have to watch what binding I use. I don't know what glue was used - it seems to have dried white. But this guitar is not worth deconstructing and regluing so I guess I will take my chances. Next step: make a new top . . . Bruce W.

[phavriluk]

This project can stimulate any number of suggestions, so here's one from me: The kerfing looks triangular, so that triangular kerfing can be attached to the existing topside kerfing upside down, which will give the effect of reversed kerfing, i.e., the connecting strip will be the first part of the kerfing that can be seen, and that will go a very long way to stiffening the rim and it will remove any doubt about the kerfing's contribution to top installation and will support just about any choice of top purfling.

Just a thought...