Official Luthiers Forum!

hi guys
I have yet another laminate guitar thats heavily braced with really dull sound and
i was wondering ........ does anyone shave down the braces without removing the top or back
with an ibex finger plane or another method ?

another question about bridge depth (just laminate tops)
ive noticed... from a mistake when i was chiseling out the saddle
i ended up going down too deep so i ended up with the saddle resting on the top
i strung it up anyway and the guitar volume increased
will it end up damaging the top .....
if so what about a wider saddle ?

any sort of link at all would be much appreicated
sorry, once again for boring ye askin about firewood
thanks again
tomas

This guy charges to re-carve braces through the soundhole: http://www.vanlingeguitars.com/parabolicbraceworks/index.html

I don't know if you want to try it, though...according to that webpage:

"there is no one else, anywhere, who can perform the miracles I do" -Scott van Linge

Can't hurt to try, though, even if you're someone else, somewhere else!

As for the bridge thing, I'll wait for one of the repair guys to come say exactly what kind of disaster might befall you

_________________
Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

I tried it out before Retopping my Esteban guitar.

Basically, it didn't do much because the Top was already so stiff, thick, and HEAVY.
You could hear a difference before vs after shaving braces... but the difference between Laminate top and Real top was GIANT.

The braced laminated top that came out (No bridge) weighed 1 lb (16 oz)
The braced Spruce top that went in weighed 7-oz.

I tore off several lamanations to see what was inside..... I found voids, knots, glue slathered everywhere, mismatched wood veneer strips, grain running every which way, etc.

It may be different with a "Quality" laminated top like the old Yamaha laminated Spruce tops.

If you really want to hear a difference in Tone without modifying the guitar... Install a bone nut and saddle. Then level and recrown the frets... It will be a completely different instrument.... Then, if you are feeling particularly crazy and have to change something -- Remove the bridge bolts and listen to the new found Tone.

Good luck

John