Taylor Top Routing

[Ray Ussery]

Taylor Guitars rout a "Channel" of sorts on the UNDERSIDE of the top before bracing at what appears to be a distance of about 1/4" from the sides and then they brace right over this "Rout". It's my understanding Bod did this to allow the top to move more freely and become more resonate. has anyone attempted this sort of thing and do you know the dimensions (Width/depth)of the cut and actual distance from the sides?
Appreciate any comments. Thanks, Ray :)

I don't mean to pester, I have just had many questions over the last year or so and had no place to go to ask what may appear to be a "Dumb" or simple question...I feel very comfortable here, and feel that I'm sure I'm not the only one who has considered some of these unknowns as folks just getting into this stuff...Thanks again! R :)

[ken cierp]

Hi Ray,

This forum is all about sharing information and helping clarify the logic behind concepts and preferences -- so you are not pestering you are adding to the conversation.

I for one believe the Taylor perimeter routing option is a good thing. I have done a similar procedure on most of the guitars I've built over the years. The idea is to make the sound-board very lively by making the perimeter about 1/16" thick. The premise is, the top, is a diaphragm like a audio speaker cone and the thinner edge allows more freedom of movement. Note the spongee edges on speaker cones. I copied a process from Don Teeter, I do the thinning of the perimeter on the outside (show side) of the sound-board using a random orbit sander. Before routing the binding channels I take the top down to about 1/16" on the lower bout only -- its only thinned about 1" from the perimeter outward. The RO makes it easy to feather and blend the surface so it is invisible.

[Dave Bagwill]

Dana Borgeois will sand the top edges, lower bout only, after the box is closed, to achieve the same purpose.

[Ray Ussery]

I understand. Thanks a LOT for your reply Fellas...I think it works from a players standpoint, I know I can sure tell by playing a Taylor with that routing and I'm sure that is the case with your guitars as well Ken.
I had the oppertunity to play Wayne Henderson's # 400 a 000-45, in Denver a couple of years ago and I ask him what the secret was to the volume and resonance of this guitar and he explained that e thinned the last 1" of the top very much like what you were talking about Ken. and he said it was about 1/16" as well. Very interesting.

Thanks so much, Ray :)

[Go4aRyd]

Just an update on the CV route Taylor uses. I was at the factory over spring break and the fellow leading the tour said I could raid the wood dump - so of course I did. There was a top that had cracked, and been discarded. They did not route where the X brace would extend to the edges of the lower bout - there is a un-routed section of about an inch to accommodate the lower X braces. The upper bout is not routed at all.

[ken cierp]

Hi -- go4 -do you have a real name?

I bet the members would like to see a picture of your sample Taylor top. Can you share the dimensions? Top thickness and routed depth?

[ken cierp]

Here's what the routed perimeter sound-board looks like -- this model also has the "asymmetrical" sorta "X" brace pattern ---- once again pointing out -- there are no rules to guitar making.

http://www.rtaylorguitars.com/Woods-Bracing-03.aspx