Laminated bracing - What do you think?

[KyleColdren]

Hey anybody ever used laminated bracing. I met a luthier that swore by it. He said to look at how McPherson was using them. That they are stronger and lighter and you don't have to worry so much about grain and run off. What does everybody think?

[tippie53]

It is a proven concept . One thing to remember is to keep a minimum of 1/4 inch width . The laminated braces will make for a stiffer structure. Many builders are using them . At Woodstock I had seen one builder with them .
Guitar sounded nice . JJ Donahue . John Sebastion had a good time playing it.

[KyleColdren]

John, do you shape the bracing the same way? Have you tried it?

Thanks for the 1/4" tip. I think I want to try using them.

[Jim_H]

What materials are you going to laminate?

What is your goal in using them? Tonal ? Structural? Volume? Durability?

[KyleColdren]

I believe the common application is spruce laminated with rosewood. Look at McPherson's web site. The goal is same as any bracing - strength, tone, appearance, etc.

[Oval Soundhole]

The larsons started the laminated bracing thing btw.....

[Darryl Young]

If it were spruce laminated on both sides of carbon fiber, I would be for it. Not sure what you could gain adding heavier wood (rosewood etc.) that has a lower stiffness to weight ratio. It can achieve the same stiffness with a taller spruce brace and keep the top lighter.

[Jim_H]

I believe the common application is spruce laminated with rosewood. Look at McPherson's web site. The goal is same as any bracing - strength, tone, appearance, etc.

I guess I didn't ask a very good question.

Is there something specific about your existing guitars you are trying to improve or change?

[tippie53]

any lamination is stronger using spruce on spruce is stronger. I didn't do it but the braces were shaped nice and in what I would call a standard scalloped pattern.

[KyleColdren]

Jim,
I come from a more of a furniture woodworking background and am always looking to improve on the strength of what I build. Like I said in a earlier post, a luthier friend of mine has been swearing by them and pointed me to the McPherson site. I just wandered if anyone else had any experience with them and whether there was any noticeable change in sound or strength. That's all!