Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Sat Aug 16, 2025 3:29 am


All times are UTC - 5 hours


Forum rules


Be nice, no cussin and enjoy!




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Really floppy top...
PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 2:13 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 5:52 pm
Posts: 299
Location: United States
First name: Bobby
Last Name: Masten
City: The Woodlands
State: TX
Zip/Postal Code: 77380
Country: United States
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
While sorting thru my wood stash yesterday I came upon a Sinker Redwood top I had put aside awhile back. The thickness is about 0.99 as I get a little carried away while hand planing before I bought my drum sander. I'm not sure I want to tackle using it at this time for the double tops I've seen constructed with the honeycomb center. Could it be used if the bracing is massive and if so what should I shoot for in target thicknesses etc? Or could it be laminated like plywood is to another piece of material using epoxy or pva glue? I've got a spruce top that is in the .105 range (good thing I bought that drum sander!) that's damaged around the rosette I've been saving for I don't know what. Would this work and if so or not, why?

The reason for this isn't just to use up some less than pristine materials. #3 is going to go to my 13 year old nephew as he's just learning to play so considering the age I'm more interested in giving him a "beater" to start with and later on if he sticks with it possibly build him a special instrument in a couple years. Plus I'm just curious why we don't see a "laminated" type top as I've described above.
Thanks!

_________________
Bobby Masten


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Really floppy top...
PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 2:42 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 12, 2005 5:46 am
Posts: 2997
Location: United States
Bobby,
You could use it as a double top skin, but you need the make the top a little thicker (thicker core) than what most people make double tops, as the stiff ness of a double top comes from the stiffness of the skins and the top thickness.

_________________
Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Really floppy top...
PostPosted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 11:31 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:16 pm
Posts: 146
You could also laminate it to another top. I believe I saw someone else do that with a curly redwood top on this forum.

Joe


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Really floppy top...
PostPosted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 3:59 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 5:52 pm
Posts: 299
Location: United States
First name: Bobby
Last Name: Masten
City: The Woodlands
State: TX
Zip/Postal Code: 77380
Country: United States
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I think I'll laminate it to the other top. Any suggestions as to glue to use etc?

_________________
Bobby Masten


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Really floppy top...
PostPosted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 7:02 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:20 am
Posts: 5968
Hi Bobby,
Have you considered using it for a beautiful little parlor guitar. It might be perfect for a size 1 Martin pattern, and this would be a great guitar for a thirteen year old, that he would never grow out of.
Most laminated (plywood) tops don't sound very good. There are exceptions.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Really floppy top...
PostPosted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 6:19 am 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 5:52 pm
Posts: 299
Location: United States
First name: Bobby
Last Name: Masten
City: The Woodlands
State: TX
Zip/Postal Code: 77380
Country: United States
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Clay S. wrote:
Hi Bobby,
Have you considered using it for a beautiful little parlor guitar. It might be perfect for a size 1 Martin pattern, and this would be a great guitar for a thirteen year old, that he would never grow out of.
Most laminated (plywood) tops don't sound very good. There are exceptions.


Would it be too thin/floppy for the size 1? If not sounds like the way to go!

_________________
Bobby Masten


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Really floppy top...
PostPosted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 9:47 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 7:32 pm
Posts: 1969
Location: United States
jmpbuffalo wrote:
You could also laminate it to another top. I believe I saw someone else do that with a curly redwood top on this forum.

Joe

That was probably me. Let me know if you need help with that. I used epoxy. It adds a lot of stiffness, so you need to know how to thin it done so that it is not too stiff.

IMO, I think you should get a nice spruce top for the kid. That sinker redwood should go to someone that can appreciate it. Sinker redwood is somewhat fragile in terms of denting and splitting.

I think that thickness would be fine for a 00 or size 1 guitar. Be careful that you do not kill the sound by over bracing it.

_________________
"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 34 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com