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Hey,

I recently started a couple builds and decided to try lattice bracing for the back, similar to what Doerr guitars and Hatcher guitars are doing. I used quartersawn mahogany for the bracing since I have a ton of it laying around. I went about 1/4 thick by 1/2 high with 3 1/8 cells or squares- however you like to call em. I was pretty confident this bracing would be sufficient since I have so many braces. With that thought in mind I began to carve what I think may be too much off of the braces. The one back I deeply scalloped at the intersections. The other back I left a little more hefty and I think it will be ok. My concern is the back that I deeply scalloped. With the scallops, 1/4" of the brace remains at the intersections. The back is wenge and was thicknessed to about .085. For this build I am using double sides and a neck block that has a hefty tongue for the fingerboard extension. Do you think I will be ok with the heavily scalloped back? Thank you for reading.

Rob

Boy, I used lattice braced backs years ago, I didn't scallop them at all and the guitars sounded great. I also did not make the lattice as thick as you descibed and my backs were thinner than yours.......Soooo, mine were completely different, either way it is impossible to tell from here how yours will work

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Gwaltney Guitars

Thanks for the reply, Just curious what were the dimensions of the lattice that you used? What species of wood did you use for the lattice?

I use spruce lattices on 3" spacing. The braces are about 0.1" thick. They start out about 3/8" high but get tapered down around the perimeter to 1/8" high. I also place a thin veneer cap at each joint. This bracing is definitely on the small side of things, but it appears to be sufficient strength wise. My goal is an active back.

Barry and I used about the same size/style lattice, but I mostly used mahogany.

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Gwaltney Guitars