Official Luthiers Forum!

I have been generally following the Grellier OM dimensions for brace widths - 8mm (5/16) for the UTB and X-Braces, 7mm for the TB's and 6mm for the finger braces.
In some recent posts with bracing pics I noticed people using much wider UTB's.
I went back to my Cumpanio book and see he recommends a 1/2" wide UTB (or, as he calls it, the "upper face brace").

Do you think for:
- an OM size, 14-fret guitar,
- using light strings,
- with a 1/4" hole in the UTB by the soundboard for truss rod key access

That a 8mm (5/16) x 16mm (5/8)" UTB is sufficient?
(it is Lutz Spruce)

Robbie: I generally make mine 5/16" by 3/4" and never go under 3/8" when scalloping the ends.Quite often I leave a 3" section the full 3/4" and then straight taper down to 3/8" on the end to tuck into the linings.
Tom

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