love the idea about the bridge patch caul matching the radius. Simple, easy, and you can rest assured that you've got great conformity. Also, I really appreciate the guide block idea - I'll try that next time - just makes things so much easier and assures perfect placement.
Hi Kevin. I love your interesting and informative videos. Thank you so much for sharing your pragmatic luthier knowledge. You have helped me solve some vexing build issues with the guitars that I build as an amateur luthier. Keep up the great work! I really appreciate it.
Having just glued the braces on my first top, this vid really rang with me....lots of important things I can do next time. Love the little blocks, pencil lines can get lost in the smear.
This particular upper cross strut is Mahogany. I use whatever applicable wood is on hand just to put small leftover pieces to use rather than dispose of them. My only real criteria for that brace is stability, quarter sawn and ease of carving, sometimes aesthetics.
Alas, I bought a go-bar deck because the hardware to hold the steel support bars at each end was unique and I was anxious to get it and put it to use. Now using it and looking back, I WASTED MY MONEY. I should have made the hardware and build the deck myself.
The big problem is the mounting hardware for the tops and bottoms of the rods. the rods are standard steel round stock. LMII is a source as is StewMac, both pretty expensive. Were I to do this again, I would make all of my hardware, but for that you need a milling machine.
Good video, informative. Question - why do your tone bars come off the opposite side of the X-brace from most other builders? Seems like all the ones I've seen, in person and in photos/videos, come off the treble side and not the bass side. Or does it simply not matter acoustically to which side of the X the tone bars are closer? Based on where you mentioned placing the LR Baggs system I gathered this is a right-handed instrument but I could be wrong.
I don't do that for the following reasons: Making that overlap joint fit perfectly is very challenging and it must be perfect intuit high stress area of the top. After all of that is done, there is no tonal or structural advantage. If a bridge patch ever need to be replaced, tucking one under the lower X would fubar that repair big time.
I am a little bit confused. Your drawing of the braces showed the tone bars running from the treble side x brace to the bass side, but you glue it just the other way round from the bass side x brace to the treble side. What is the correct way?
Sorry for the confusion. I should have spoken to that issue. What you saw me doing in the video was making a LEFT HANDED guitar. The tone bars are positioned so as to originate from the treble side at the bridge patch, angling downward toward the opposite side of the lower bout.
I can build the Go-Bar deck. That is not rocket science. (1/2 in. or 3/4 inch EMT tubing-conduit, washers and nuts.). Any place you recommend for the radius dishes?
Radius dishes are very expensive and I have found them only at LMI and StewMac. I really think anyone should make their own. I have a video on doing that and there are several others as well.
Kevin I love watching and learning from your technics on guitar building. You explain things clearly, thanks for sharing.
I appreciate that!
love the idea about the bridge patch caul matching the radius. Simple, easy, and you can rest assured that you've got great conformity. Also, I really appreciate the guide block idea - I'll try that next time - just makes things so much easier and assures perfect placement.
Thanks again, Kevin.
Very welcome
Hi Kevin. I love your interesting and informative videos. Thank you so much for sharing your pragmatic luthier knowledge. You have helped me solve some vexing build issues with the guitars that I build as an amateur luthier. Keep up the great work! I really appreciate it.
My pleasure!
Having just glued the braces on my first top, this vid really rang with me....lots of important things I can do next time. Love the little blocks, pencil lines can get lost in the smear.
Love your approach and organized methods of work.
Just Great!
About as good as it gets!....I like the big front brace too!
Great tips!
Excellent tips! Thank you !
Did you use a different timber for the upper cross strut mate? Or is it just a different coloured piece of spruce ?
This particular upper cross strut is Mahogany. I use whatever applicable wood is on hand just to put small leftover pieces to use rather than dispose of them. My only real criteria for that brace is stability, quarter sawn and ease of carving, sometimes aesthetics.
Cool--that's how we glue ribs on piano SB's.
Those are great ideas, and I appreciate it very much. So do you make tour own gobar table? Did I spell the bars right?
Thanks again!
Alas, I bought a go-bar deck because the hardware to hold the steel support bars at each end was unique and I was anxious to get it and put it to use. Now using it and looking back, I WASTED MY MONEY. I should have made the hardware and build the deck myself.
Excellent video! Where's the best place to get the go-bars? Is there a DIY solution?
The big problem is the mounting hardware for the tops and bottoms of the rods. the rods are standard steel round stock. LMII is a source as is StewMac, both pretty expensive. Were I to do this again, I would make all of my hardware, but for that you need a milling machine.
Another fascinating and informative video. I failed to find less-expensive radius dishes on McMaster-Carr or anywhere else; can you provide links?
I think Kevin was referring to the sandpaper, not the radius dish..
Sorry, not radius dishes, 24" abrasive discs. I also checked last night, finding that a 24" disc at LMI is $49.00.
@@thepragmaticluthier Ah, got it! I used strips of the paper for my drum sander, mounted with spray adhesive.
Good video, informative. Question - why do your tone bars come off the opposite side of the X-brace from most other builders? Seems like all the ones I've seen, in person and in photos/videos, come off the treble side and not the bass side. Or does it simply not matter acoustically to which side of the X the tone bars are closer? Based on where you mentioned placing the LR Baggs system I gathered this is a right-handed instrument but I could be wrong.
My now personal guitar are left handed
@@thepragmaticluthierWell that certainly explains what I'm seeing - LOL! Thanks for the quick reply.
Great video and thanks. One question:some luthiers tuck the bridge patch slighty under the X brace. Do you not feel this is necessary?
I don't do that for the following reasons: Making that overlap joint fit perfectly is very challenging and it must be perfect intuit high stress area of the top. After all of that is done, there is no tonal or structural advantage. If a bridge patch ever need to be replaced, tucking one under the lower X would fubar that repair big time.
Thank you Kevin for your response. I've built 2 StewMac kits and I'm just starting my first guitar from scratch. Thanks for all the expert help.
Are you covering up all the pencil marks on the top as you glue in the braces?
I try very hard to do that but sometimes I just ....
I am a little bit confused. Your drawing of the braces showed the tone bars running from the treble side x brace to the bass side, but you glue it just the other way round from the bass side x brace to the treble side. What is the correct way?
Sorry for the confusion. I should have spoken to that issue. What you saw me doing in the video was making a LEFT HANDED guitar. The tone bars are positioned so as to originate from the treble side at the bridge patch, angling downward toward the opposite side of the lower bout.
I can build the Go-Bar deck. That is not rocket science. (1/2 in. or 3/4 inch EMT tubing-conduit, washers and nuts.). Any place you recommend for the radius dishes?
Radius dishes are very expensive and I have found them only at LMI and StewMac. I really think anyone should make their own. I have a video on doing that and there are several others as well.