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I am preparing for my next build, an L-00 from the Grellier plans. I have noticed in the plans and also from a modern day L-00 that I saw at Guitar Center that some of the bracing appears to be heavy... ,that is, the sound hole braces look ridiculous... they have very high points on them. The points really seem unnecessary. The x-braces and tone bars look about right for a small body guitar at about 0.20" thickness - but should they possibly be a little higher...? The plan shows the x-braces at 0.550". John Mayes seems to like a guitar this size to have x-braces about 0.600" high at the X. The upper transverse brace appears to be undersized to me... although, the plan calls for the truss rod to be adjusted at the headstock. I intend to have the truss rod adjustment at the sound hole...

So, any advise or comments are requested...

...also, I'm considering a soundport. I put one in my last build (a grand auditorium) and I loved it. I'm wondering if folks have an opinion on a soundport in a L-00 size guitar.

Thanks,
Steve

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

Good instincts.
Go with your gut. It sounds like it knows what it is telling you.

Dave

Steve, I've built many of these over the years and they're one of my favorites. I usually keep the x-braces around 6 to 6.5 mm's thick and 15 to 16 mm's at the x. I've never used the excessive bracing that you've described under the rosette. I don't see that as necessary. That being said, you're pretty close with the numbers you plan to use so give it a go. I'm sure you'll be pleased with the results.

The L-00's are popular because the originals were good guitars. So... I think it is important to look at an original to see how they built them. The braces are pretty skinny, and tall and pointy.

Kerry Char's plans were drawn from an original from a good year.

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https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008907949110

Bump... Is a soundport a bad idea...?

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

I would think a sound port would be a nice addition. I will probably add one to the L-00 I'm working on now.

Regarding bracing, on the one I'm building the bracing will be scalloped and more Martinesque because the top is being repurposed from another build (I cut out the perimeter of the upper bout too small for a 000). I figure it won't be true to the original design but should sound OK. I do love the L-00 shape.

Let me know how that turns out. I have an L-00 cutaway braced line an OM in the back of my head. I jsut did an L-00 with a cutaway and fell in love witht he shape, but was getting ready to make myself an OM. . .

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Will do, Bryan. I would think it would sound similar to a comparably braced 00 or 000 since the lower bout dims are right between them. I will let you know how mine turns out. The top will be Lutz, with tucurensis back and sides.

I was looking at the Folkway Music website and they have a 2008 Marc Beneteau Koa L-00. The description says, "The top is built with scalloped X braces and tapered tone bars, which helps capture those classic L-00 mids and round trebles." Also, I've been looking at videos of John Mayes and Robbie O'Brien. There are different styles of bracing that different folks use and it appears that it's just different way to get there... Robbie doesn't triangulate his braces... That's certainly different than what I've typically seen, but he says it works for him. I guess knowing what works comes from experience...

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

Steve I was looking at the grellier L-00 plan this morning that I had blown up at kinkos.Trust your instincts. I thought the same thing .Newbies like me tend to overbuild , as we get more experience we can thin our tops backs braces etc with more confidence.

Can't help with the soundport, but you may want to check out this thread from several months ago which includes a PDF of plans

http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=34590&hilit=+plans

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Greg Hatcher
North Carolina

Here's another Older thread discussing the sound hole bracing on the L 00 plan. Grellier drops in on this one and clarifies.

benny