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 Post subject: Sycamore back bracing
PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2018 12:25 pm 
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Cocobolo
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No. 13 is going to be Sycamore back and sides from a neighbor's tree. Just wondering which wood some of you might prefer for bracing on the back. It will have a spruce top and I use spruce for top braces. I have plenty of maple and walnut, maybe one of those?

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PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2018 12:43 pm 
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Cocobolo
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Or just more sycamore for the braces?


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2018 1:01 pm 
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Contributing Member
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I like Spruce! Others can work. Spruce has the stiffest strength to weight ratio..... typically.


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2018 3:18 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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If you want a stiff and heavier reflective back (which is not a bad way to go on that size guitar) maple might not be a bad choice. I think it would look better than walnut. If your sycamore is spalted I would avoid it for braces.


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2018 5:23 pm 
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Cocobolo
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I'll avoid using any "spalted" wood for braces since the spalting is usually caused by fungi or decay, even though it looks cool. I just broke one of the spalted sycamore sides I had prepared, after bending it. I was flexing it before putting it into the mold and the upper bout broke clean across. That wasn't cool...but I didn't get mad, since I have more and I found out at an early stage that it was faulty.


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 3:21 am 
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Mahogany
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That’s going to be a nice back. I’d use spruce braces


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 8:03 am 
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Koa
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Check out the density of your spruce . They are not created equal. Sitka has the stiffest weight to density ratio IMHO


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