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Ok....I lost my cedar top to a glitch in my thickness sander last week and had a E. Spruce that I decided to use to replace it. Maybe Engelman isn't a good choice for a SS......but I took it down to .127-.128 and I got a good wobble sound. I then set in my new Cucumber Magnolia rosettes and after sanding down .122-.125 the rosettes/top flush/I ended up with no wobble sound. It has a good tap tone below and on each side of where the bridge placement will be. It has good horizontal strength but side to side is pretty weak as E. Spuce usually is. I'll leave bracing a bit on the hefty side near the bridge.
BIG QUESTION: Does the soundhole(s) cut in and rosette(s) eliminate the wobble sound top thickness test. I knew I needed to keep the top a little thicker for this OM compared to a Hauser top.....but now I wonder if I'm still OK. No bracing yet.....so I can possibly change this experimental top to a classical and make it a bit thinner if need be.
I seem destined to not put a top on this OM.
Kent

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Wood Creations by Kent A. Bailey
EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

http://www.kabart.com

Bailey -when a top is thicknessed & A- s.h. is cut in it -the tapping responce will change to a loose(dead) ring.
Go ahead as planned and use that top.
It's a great learning experience also.
Mike

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Mike Collins

I'll move forward....Top Bracing will go in tomorrow. I need to get this OM out of the form soon before it starts growing around it.
We'll see how the sound hole experiment goes. I had to make very some minor changes in bracing location. I have 2 other recent OM builds to compare it to.
Kent

Thanks for the replies.....I was hesitant to continue.

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Wood Creations by Kent A. Bailey
EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

http://www.kabart.com

WTF is a "wobble sound?"

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Crack a bottle, let your body wobble............

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

I think the " wobble" sound comes from a reference to the Kent Everrette voicing dvd, where he says you thin the top till it wobbles like sheet metal when you grab it by the corner and shake it...

Yea.....the sheet metal wobble sound thingy! Robbie does it too......on his top thickness video.
and yes.....I'm just waiting to give it just a tid bit too much wobble test and (CRACK!)... frizbie the sucker over the neighbors house.
Seems tops can thin from .80-.130 depending on the wood and the type guitar and bracing. Still seem to be a crap shoot for me..
I'm so bad a tapping too....Can't hear anymore anyway! The dog thinks someones knocking at the door and it takes me 10 minutes to figure out what he's barking at.
Guess I need to go back and read the link on hanging an old pipe wrench off the top and watch her snap that way.
Great getting old!

KB

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Wood Creations by Kent A. Bailey
EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

http://www.kabart.com

Thanks for asking the question Howard. I was feeling inadequate, like I was the only one who didn't know about the sheet metal sound wobble sound thingy.

At those thicknesses, you've GOT to have plenty of meat to work with. Yeah, I know, every top is different, but still....

Go for it - put the braces on, and see what she sounds like for tapping.

Enjoy. It's certainly an odyssey.

Kent, Don't know who told you that Englemann wouldn't make a good SS. You might want to ask around a little more. And, FWIW you darn well better carve a great big happy face into the bridge you put on that. It does look cool.

Cheers,
Danny