Official Luthiers Forum!

I've searched the OLF-SJ plans six times and can't find anything about the recommended thickness for the top and back. Did I just miss them?
Help!!

Probability not. It all depends on what type of wood it is and the properties of that particular piece of wood.

I might add you won't find things like binding and purfling dimensions either. When Michael drew the plans he left that to the discretion of the builder. Top and back thicknesses are different for every piece of wood. If you search around here, you'll find many posts giving a range of numbers to start with depending on wood types.

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Rob

Perhaps if you post what kind of top you are using, folks here can give you some input on thickness.

Ken

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http://www.casperguitar.com

0.110-0.125" is the usual starting point most books recommend. Remember that you will lose a few thou. during finish sanding. Very common to thin out the edges of the bottom lower bout a bit after the body is assembled with the idea of increasing bass responsiveness, or something like that.

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It's not the miles ahead, it's the stone in your shoe


In Markham,Virginia

As has been noted when feels right. I do my rosette about .125 or little thicker, leaving it recessed in the channel and then do top to flush. If things feel good at that point may use less grit on abrasive and then finish it out. Most times turn it over and do back until proper but most tops end up in an average about .118 or little thinner (don't want rosette to thin.) This also depends on your bracing which I do at thickest .270 and that is X rest .250. I work for builder who goes really thin and works out with very good sounding and sturdy guitars, but works that out different ways. Long way to say no set rule, it is the feel of the top, along with the bracing how it may sound tapping. Word experince comes to mind, and after a few it seems to fall in place. Little thicker also allows for sanding with ors when assembled particularly at the edges.

Robbie O'Brian has a good video on top thicknessing on YouTube. In it he gives "average" target
thicknesses of 0.105-0.115" for Spruce, and 0.110-0.120" for Cedar. I personally go a bit thinner
than these values, but I'm purposely trying to build very light. I also use light strings. As stated,
the optimum thickness is different for each individual top, but using Robbie's values will get you
in the ballpark. Make sure and tap the top and flex it as you thickness it. As you build more
guitars, you'll come to recognize when a top is near optimum thickness.

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Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

When I drew the OLF plans they were intended as Luthiers plans, Each luthier build plates differently. I intently left plate thickness off. As others have mentioned the individual plates you are working with will determine their required thickness. .100-.125 is the general range a given top will fall in. but to say exactly what thickness I felt would miss lead new builder into thinking that was the exact thickness they should build to.