Ken's 'Norman Blake' bracing template

[peter havriluk]

Ken sold me a bracing pattern shortly before he left us. I'm curious about the lateral brace (braces?) below the bridge at right angles to the center line. Is there just one well into the lower bout or is there also a second one just below the bridge? The only instructional comments on the pattern itself aren't useful for me. In an ideal world a picture of a braced soundboard made from this template would be wonderful.

Or any insights to how to interpret Ken's notes attached to the template.

Thanks!

[Herman]

Peter,
That is not very clear to me. (Maybe my shortcoming)
What notes do you have?
Herman

[peter havriluk]

Herman, I can see I confused you. Sorry for the frustration. Whatever labels Ken stuck to the template... Very cryptic. One picture of a braced back made from Ken's template would tell the whole tale. But that picture may never have existed. For all I know I was Ken's one and only customer for that template.

[Dave Bagwill]

Peter - I have the same template. There is only the one transverse brace below the bridge. ( almost like a Larrivee bracing pattern). I'd like to try it on my next guitar or after that.

[Hans Mattes]

A few years ago I built a guitar with bracing somewhat similar to that in the picture. Great bass (deep, ringing, resonant); the mids and treble were OK, but not noteworthy. Was the bracing responsible? Was it even involved? Who knows?

[peter havriluk]

Dave, thanks for the clarification. I thought there was but one lateral brace, but thinking isn't the same as knowing. I built one (13-fret long scale) adapting the template to my little-dreadnought shape and it's worked out very nicely. It was an 'economy' project as I wanted to see if I could use a $25 Chinese neck and fingerboard which had a 650 mm scale length. Yup. Just fine. And I'm using it as a flexibility teacher. Them long scales are long spans to fret.

Hans, I agree. I have no idea which configuration elements drive the acoustics most. Mine all sound different, and I'm happy to have it so. The current project will be a 12-fret Martin short scale neck in my one body shape, a 93% dreadnought outline braced according to my own hopes. In this case, adapting Ken's template to my outline and bridge location.

[bftobin]

That's been Larrivee's signature bracing since the 1970's. Only recently did they offer another another bracing pattern. I got rid of my Martin D-35 to buy a rosewood Larrivee OM about 12 years ago and never regretted it. It's also how I brace most of my steel strings.

Brent