Official Luthiers Forum!

Currently building #'s 3 and 4 with my dad.

1 and 2 were built without a raduis dish, and #1 is a canon, #2 is mellower (but #1 was a Dred, and #2 was an 0-18).

We are going to build a gobar deck for the next ones to simplify the bracing.

Is there anything inherently wrong with building without a radius dish?

These are going to be twin Dreds with bubinga backs and sides.

Thanks. ad

I think we need some more information to answer your question. Were the first 2 guitars built with flat tops and/or backs? If not what method did you use to get a radius onto the braces and glue them to the top? And if you did use radiused braces did you translate any radius to the linings before you glued the top and back on?

There are many systems used to give a radius to the top and back and you do not need a dish to do it but the dish is an excellent tool towards repeatability and clean tight joints.

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Burton
http://www.legeytinstruments.com
Brookline, MA.

As a new builder, I let radius dishes keep me from building for a long time (Too cheap to buy one; too lazy to make one). I assumed I needed the dish to build correctly, so things did not progress very well. Finally constructed radius boards out of 3x3x24 wood. Used these to clean up brace bottoms after planing the braces to radius and also to "freehand" sand the radius onto the side edges and blocks. I was nervous about it but it worked great. I use cam clamps instead of a go bar deck, and this works well for me too.

the tops and backs were built flat, no radius on the bracing.

I doubt you'll see any or much difference in tone, but I fear the guitars will be very sensitive to humidity changes. ALOT of builders use flat tops but I don't know of anyone who uses flat backs.

FWIW, I'm no expert. I DO KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT that there's more than one way to build a great guitar.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

I have a fully equipped woodworking shop so making a radius dish is no problem in my shop.

However, if you're not equipped to do so, or you prefer an alternative method to a radius dish,
Kenneth Michael has posted a page on his site that offers a simple method with 3x5 card stock.

Here's the link: http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/contourtool.html

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Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!

I bought two dishes w/sandpaper from Tracy at Luthier Suppliers, backed them with 3/4 ply, then sealed by spraying a coat of shellac. They've made bracing, profiling the rim, and gluing the top and back to the rims so much easier. So much easier. I know they're pricy, but along with my handplanes, they're easily my best investment so far.

I made mine and it wasn't too bad and I'm glad I've got them. But, if I need more I'll probably just buy them as long as I can afford it.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I built my radius dishes with a table saw and a router. I have to say it for as stressed as I was about the whole thing before I started, it was one of the most fun projects to date. It sounds like you and your dad are going to keep building, so why not think about a radius dish project?