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| Top Doming Up http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=29349 |
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| Author: | Pat Hawley [ Tue Oct 05, 2010 11:02 am ] |
| Post subject: | Top Doming Up |
All the guitars I've built so far (eleven) have had the top dome up a couple of millimeters over the first year or so. Is this normal? I was suspecting the problem was due to humidity during the summer months but they don't seem to go down in the drier winter months so I'm not sure that is the cause. I must admit, I'm not aware that anyone that has one of my guitars has done a good job of keeping it in ideal relative humidity conditions. In all the guitars to date, I've used the standard Martin "X" bracing pattern. I scallop them a little but much less than what it appears most people do based on the pictures I've seen here. So I don't think I've lightened them up too much. Of course, with the doming comes higher action. So far, I've been able to get the action lowered again by reducing the height of the saddle. On one of the guitars, I'm at the limit of what I can do with the saddle and the next step would be to reset the neck. With the guitar I am building now, I intend to start off with a fairly tall saddle in anticipation of needing to lower it later on. Do others do this? Again, I'm not sure if it's a construction problem or a maintenance problem and would be interested in opinions. I am also interested in recommendations for bracing patterns that are less prone to having the top dome up over time. Thanks, Pat |
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| Author: | bluescreek [ Tue Oct 05, 2010 11:06 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Top Doming Up |
yes this is normal. |
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| Author: | Mike Collins [ Tue Oct 05, 2010 12:58 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Top Doming Up |
How high is your saddle off from the top? How thick is the bridge ? Go to the behind the bridgeplate brace post here on the OLF and you'll find some great advise ! Mike |
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| Author: | Pat Hawley [ Wed Oct 06, 2010 10:27 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Top Doming Up |
I make my bridges between 8 to 10 mm thick. I leave 3 mm of bridge wood under the saddle. I don't believe that much doming is occurring right around the bridge but out more to the sides. Therefore, I don't see what a brace right behind the bridge plate would do to mitigate against this. Pat |
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| Author: | Hupaand [ Wed Oct 06, 2010 11:06 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Top Doming Up |
Quote: Extreme distortion is problematic, but a merely visible amount of it is absolutely normal and even desirable; in fact, guitars which are so overbuilt (through thicknessing, doming, bracing, etc.) or understrung that this distortion of the wood is prevented will never manage to have the developed sound every player wants. Here's a quote from Somogyi |
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