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I am about to start on 3 Tim O'Brien type 00's and need to know what you guys think the ballpark range for top (Adirondack Spruce) and back (Honduran Mahogany) thickness would be with the added tension of the 25.4" scale. Would it make any difference?
Thanks,

Bill

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Formerly know as Mandodiddle.

Good questions Bill.

These are all "short scale numbers". You are going to have to gauge the stiffness of your spruce, but I like to start "messing with it" at .120" Most of the Red Spruce I used lately on 00 and 0 size guitars end up around .110" If it were super-stiff you could be at .100"

I think it does matter about scale, and I leave long scale, small guitars, thicker than their short scale bretheren.

I did a L-00 sized guitar last year that was long scale, and I made the top's ending thickness around .115". It was tight at first, still sounded good, but after a year, when It moved on from me, it had really opened up!

Mahogany backs end up around .085"

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Bill;
String tension &saddle height off from the top are the criteria
I use for top thickness to start with.
Bracing also is very important on such small guitars.
I use the same height bracing for the X on all of mine.
15mm at the X joint then taper or feather to nothing at the sides .
The top is also treated to graduation.
2.5mm under the bridge to 2mm at the edges.

This gives a loud,clear and warm sound.
Back .100
Mike

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Mike Collins

Your question can only yield non-specific answers, as everything depends on the density and stiffness of your specific plates, and the results expected. Here's my non-specific answer: on a 00 a red spruce top will be less than .115" thick, but absolutely no less than .100". The back can be anywhere between .090" and .115". Then there is how you brace them…

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

Todd,
Thanks for that data, very interesting material for thought.

And it looks like we are all in the same neighborhood about top thicknesses, which I expected.
Just my current thinking, I would much rather end up slightly thicker, than too thin, I keep remembering Manuel Valezquez saying "the tone is in the wood, leave some wood for tone"
D.

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Thanks everyone for the great info. This will help me going in the right direction. (Ah yes, the Bracing.)

Bill

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Formerly know as Mandodiddle.