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Brace wood (Sitka top)
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=20846		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  dpm99 [ Tue Feb 03, 2009 8:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Brace wood (Sitka top)
I'm trying to figure out what type of brace wood will be most helpful for what I'm trying to do. I'm working with a sitka top, but am considering using WRC brace wood. I do a good bit of finger picking, but like to do some heavy strumming too. I guess I'm hoping I can have the best of both worlds, but I'm too inexperienced to know if it will work, or if it's even a good idea. Are there rules, guidelines, or general recommendations?

Kindest thanks.
Author:  WendyW [ Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace wood (Sitka top)
I'm really interested in the answer to this as well. I'm trying to build a couple of classicals using materials I already have in the shop. One of the tops is bearclaw Sitka and I have WRC bracewood. What kind of effect will this have? thanks,Wendy
Author:  Zach Ehley [ Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace wood (Sitka top)
Use sitka or Adi or some other spruce. I use Adi for all bracing regardless of top material.
Author:  Shane Neifer [ Tue Feb 03, 2009 11:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace wood (Sitka top)
I wouldn't use WRC to brace a top. I am supplying one of my high end customers with WRC for back braces, but he has just started to do that. He still uses Lutz Spruce for the top braces. WRC is too fragile for top braces in my opinion. Your braces are shaved quite small and cedar can split very easily so will have little shear strength. Stick with spruce, at least until you have built enough to have a good handle on what forces these braces are used to counter act. Then you can make more educated decisions.

Good luck with the build!

Shane
Author:  dpm99 [ Tue Feb 03, 2009 11:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace wood (Sitka top)
Good enough for me. Thanks guys!
Author:  jfmckenna [ Wed Feb 04, 2009 2:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace wood (Sitka top)
I built several WRC spanish guitars with Torres fan bracing with the 3 centre braces in spruce and the outer fans in WRC. The fan braces in WRC I got just from the guitar tops before they were thicknessed. I haven't been able to get tops that thick any more though so I use WRC brace stock split and quarter sawn. All other braces were in spruce. I did this in thinking that it would be analogous to thinning the perimeter of the top. I have no idea if this works any magic but so far I have had no problems with top deformation and I have guitars about ten years old in this fashion.
Author:  Ken Grunst [ Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace wood (Sitka top)
I got a brochure from Taylor Guitars late last year, and in it Bob Taylor says that they brace their sitka spruce tops with Adi. He claims they get 95% of the Adi tone by just bracing their tops with it. I read this just after I braced my four guitars underway now, but I'll be giving it a try on the next one.

Ken Grunst
Author:  Laurent Brondel [ Wed Feb 11, 2009 5:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace wood (Sitka top)
Ken, are you sure that is what Bob Taylor claims?
Bracing is such a small component in terms of volume and weight on a top, I am highly skeptical.
I use mostly red spruce, but have used sitka for bracing.
No difference whatsoever to my ears.
I never use sitka for tops though…
Author:  TonyKarol [ Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace wood (Sitka top)
Yep .. BobT pretty much says that, although I dont think they are bracing all tops wth Adi .. only some of the LTDs.
Author:  Howard Klepper [ Wed Feb 11, 2009 2:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Brace wood (Sitka top)
What Shane said re bracing with WRC.

My opinion of Bob T. just declined a bit (still pretty high, though).
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