Official Luthiers Forum!

Do you typically lower the height of the X brace intersection for smaller body guitars? When I was building my 000, I think folks here suggested using about 0.600" so I'm wondering if you use less for a 00 body. I think Martin uses 0.625" but I'm unsure if that height is needed on such a small body. Ultimately, I'll use the frequency of monopole mode to decide if I want to lower the height at the intersection.......just curious where you guys start.

_________________
Formerly known as Adaboy.......

I lower mine on the smaller guitars. They are also thinner. How wide is the brace in question?

Good point Mark, I should have mentioned that. My bracing is 1/4" wide and currently about 0.620" height at the X-brace intersection. I need to cap the X-brace and if the concensus is that I likely need to lower that height, I go ahead and lower it some before capping the first time. If I need to go lower later, I'll have to cut off the cap, sand lower, and re-cap.......so getting fairly close from the start might save a few iterations of this.

_________________
Formerly known as Adaboy.......

I am usually only a bit over 1/2" on my OO sized guitars. I do deflection test all my braces, so I know they are as stiff as the last time I went that short. I am also using .3 wide braces, pretty much on everything.

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

I always cap my x-braces, but i don't take into account the final height at the cap as much as the oveall brace height. I don't feel it would make much difference in sound one way or the other as the cap area isn't in a place to effect that very much.My guitars on that size have a 1/4"x 5/8" brace to start out when glued down and my cap adds 1/16" to that at the x intersection. That's with sitka spruce braces. I don't worry about frequencies. I carve and tap tune over my braces until i'm satisfyed that i'm getting a good clear tone over them as well as the bridge plate area. That's just how i do my voiceing.

On the 1930's Martin 00's, the X-braces typically measure 0.265" wide by 0.535" tall.

_________________
John

John, that's great information, thanks! Do you know what X-Brace angle was used on those '30s Martin 00s? I'm building a Norman Blake style 00 and it has a 95 deg angle.

_________________
Formerly known as Adaboy.......

Mark, I'm not including the cap in the height measurement.

_________________
Formerly known as Adaboy.......

John, on those old '30s Martins, any chance you know the distance from the X-Brace to the first peak on the upper tone bar?

_________________
Formerly known as Adaboy.......

I have a John Arnold supplied tracing of a 1938 OO (14 fret).
It has 93 degrees for the angle and its 3 inches on the base side to the first peak.
The treble look about 3-1/16

Clinchriver, I wasn't very clear but I was askinga for a measurement on the tone bar.......from the X-Brace to the first peak. Any chance you have that measurement?

_________________
Formerly known as Adaboy.......

Thanks Burton, Mark, and Todd!

_________________
Formerly known as Adaboy.......

No problem.
Top tone bar, 2-1/16 inches, Bottom, 2 inches

Thanks CR!

_________________
Formerly known as Adaboy.......

I'd say 1/2 to 9/16

_________________
Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

I would not rely on the bracing locations of a 14-fret Martin to build a Norman Blake style guitar, since the bridge is in a different place.
I would start with the X-bracing spread at the bridge and work out the rest based on that.
My preference is to have the X-braces intersect the back corners of the bridge, but YMMV.

_________________
John

I'm not John, so no worries there. I do want to know some of these measurements on a standard 00 to see how much I vary. I have the X brace laid out as Todd descibes and just like on the NB 000. I'm using a single tone bar and single finger braces.

_________________
Formerly known as Adaboy.......