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hello,

I have a sitka top that I thined too far. Its pretty fine grained sitka fairly stiff along the grain but quite floppy across. About 80-85 bridge area to 70-75 perimeter of lower bout and to about 100 from the waist up. I originaly put the top aside knowing it was way too thin. I've been out of work for awhile so the funds are'nt there and I'd like to keep building but my top woods are limited. I have plenty of domestics for back and sides. So I pulled this top back out and was wondering if I could compensate with bracing mainly thinking of X with some type of lattice. The guitar would be a larger body ss 16ish lower bout. Ive been using carbon rods from the neck block to the sides to help with down pressure from the fingerboard/ neck. some of my builds have a floating fingerboard, maybe that might help? I have never tried lattice bracing so not to sure on that either.

thanks
Brent

Guess if I had to use it, I would make a parlor and use very light strings. Brent, if times are tough, I can send you a couple of Englemann A grade tops. Just pay the postage. Drop me a line...

BC Rich made some dreds with the tops as thin as .075. The bracing was a bit heavy and while not the best sounding guitar it wasn't bad .

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Brent, I used a top for a Wiess build, that sounds great,
but, i was on the telephone with a friend, tonight, and saw the guitar from across the room.
I noticed all the distortion, bridge rotating,
brace puckers.
Three years old.
How long will it last?
I'm going with thicker tops from now on.
Oh, it was at .115" thick, minus a few thou from finish sanding.
Then again, the string height is higher at the bridge than a regular geetar.
So much to figure out.

Aren't those carbon fiber rods pretty expensive too? I've seen sitka top sets for as low as $10.00 each at places like Japan woodworking, or McBeath's hardwoods in our area (but you do have to be lucky and know what to buy). I'm feeling the pinch myself and can only use my small stockpile of material. Anyone in the Bay area need a carpenter by any chance?

worth a try.

_________________
"Preoccupation with an effect gives it power and enhances the error"
from "Your Owner's Manual" by Burt Hotchkiss.

It would make a great parlor guitar top - Consider using it for a small body guitar build.... I wouldn't hesitate to use it for a guitar with a 13-14" lower bout.

Thanks

Hi,
I guess I should watch how I word my posts. I was looking more for responces on lattice braces and how and if to use the top for that purpose. I was trying to avoid hearing tose it and start over. The carbon I already have.

Brent

imo you could try lattice bracing, a double top , or turn it into a smaller guitar.. were it mine.

thin it even more and go for the double top

It's still plenty thick to use with conventional bracing on a small body guitar..... It would likely be OK on a classical as well....

Thanks