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I am thinking about building something like a J-185, but I've only seen them from the outside. Is anyone familiar with the top bracing pattern? Was it a typical X w/ 2 tone bars. And are they 1/4" braces? I saw a pic of one that was re-braced XX, but I don't think that was original.

Thanks,
GS

The J-185 (what we call a 16" width narrow waist Gibson jumbo) appears to be the starting point for most custom builder's Small Jumbo takes, and it certainly is the basis for the guitars built to the pattern here. The original X bracing pattern used on the 1951 to late 1950's guitars is close to what we use in our version. One of our build students has copies of several J-185 and SJ plans from several sources, and the Antes plans from LMII appear to be closest to the 1953 partial measurements (brace pattern without depths, etc.) we had in a few years back for top and back bracing repairs and neck reset. The caution mentioned by the boss was that all Antes plans are overbraced - we build with bracing that is essentially 14 fret 000 weight (top areas are very close), and our SJ guitars are very happy with 1/4" x 0.550" (prior to shaping/scalloped) red spruce bracing with Euro or red tops and .600 depth with redwood or cedar.

The photo on Mr. Burkett's site appears to be one of the guitars that was retopped by Gibson, who would have used the then-current configuration (double-x bracing for so-called Norlin guitars) for a retop. Mr. Carruth has nice things to say about the double-X bracing pattern, and you might search this site and MIMF for the discussions, but most builders of small jumbos and other J-185 variants appear to have settled on more or less standard scalloped, tapered (aka, parabolic), or straight bracing for these guitars.

Other plans or templates: OLF SJ (you may have to ask around for a plans set - no longer available from Stewart MacDonald), www.cadguitarplans.com, Waldron Music (template set only).

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A constellation only takes shape when one maps the whole.
- Beth Brower

Lance is selling the OLF plans. They're in the Market Place, with the other sponsors' redirects.

Alex

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