Official Luthiers Forum!

... does the bridge plate shift up with it, or do you just make it bigger by the amount of the shift so that its back edge is in the same place as it would have been if the x-braces weren't shifted?

Or am I overthinking it?

thanks!

adam

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"Everyone wants to BE something, but nobody wants to BECOME something" - William Cumpiano

Adam,

The bridge plate stays in the same place with respect to the bridge. No need to change its size because of shifted braces.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Pat is right on... except... when you say make the bridge plate bigger do you mean a little wider to Extend to forward shifted braces? Yes, you will want to do that. Just make sure it stays put under the bridge.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Hi, yes, thats what I was wondering - since the bridge plate is supposed to contact the x-brace - if you move the x-brace up, then simply scoot the bridge plate up with it... you might end up putting the back edge of the plate too far forward with not enough wood to support the pins.

So what you are saying is make it a little wider so that it can still contact the braces, yet line up with its original front and back markings on the top? Makes sense!

I'll also check out that stewmac article when I get a second. Thanks!

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"Everyone wants to BE something, but nobody wants to BECOME something" - William Cumpiano

Yes, That is right. You still want to have the bridge plate reach the x-braces but you want to maintain the position relative to the bridge. (front and back edge stay the same place)

Joe

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Adam,

As others have noted here in other postings, the two things that you want to figure out first when you're laying out a plan for a top are 1) bridge placement, and 2) soundhole position. Those should be decided and fixed (i.e., non-variables), especially the bridge (or saddle) location, which your scale length will pretty much determine. Then you play around with the X-brace placement, and the bridge reinforcement patch. It will come out to meet your X-brace, wherever you decide to put it, which will depend on how much forward or backward you want to shift it, and how wide you want to splay the ends. If you shift the braces forward, check to see that they won't pass too close to your soundhole - you don't want them to be TOO visible through the soundhole. You'll probable want the bridge reinforcement plate to extend a good 1/4" in front and in back of the bridge footprint. But it won't shift forward - it stays put, under the bridge footprint. But yes, it will have to be a little wider, to reach your x-braces in their new location.

You can sketch it all out on paper, then on the back of your top, so it all makes sense before you start cutting wood. A few basic math or drafting tools are all you need, a ruler, a protractor (to keep everthing squared to the center line), etc.

Good luck!

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Ken Mitchell
Durham, NC

Thanks all! Great info, nice to know where something may just be a matter of idle curiosity or peaked interest for me has in so many cases been thoroughly thought out and documented and explained!!

You guys rock!!

adam

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"Everyone wants to BE something, but nobody wants to BECOME something" - William Cumpiano