L-00 Kmg walnut-spruce log and very basic questions thread.

[mike-p]

right, rim/kerfing nearly done, just gluing the side reinforcements on, can only do two at a time as don't have loads of small clamps. Whilst doing that I thought I'd do the X brace joint. Looked really scary in the instructions and it was, still not got the hang of my razor sawing so one of the cuts veered off a little, thought I'd ruined it but all the others went ok and all seems a nice tight, square fit, actually pretty pleased. Took quite a lot of very careful scraping with the 1/4 chisel but I took my time. You can see the wonky line where there is a small gap in the joint but overall seems pretty tight.

[mike-p]

Am now considering my rosewood bridgeplate. The material in 1 1/2" wide but the outline for the bridgeplate on the soundboard is only 1" am tempted to make it slightly oversize as it would make fitting a bridgeplate pickup easier, what would be the advice re bridgeplate size?

[ken cierp]

Your "X" intersection is likely better than 90% of the factory guitars -- as noted in the insructions I do recommend epoxy for this joint. The assembly method and sequence is also important. Some believe part of the charm and perhaps sound of the old L00's was due to their fragile construction (doubled edge sword) but that is for sure, why they fell apart and so many ended up in the dumpster. I do recommend a wider bridge plate favoring the added mateial toward the tail block.

[Dennis in Anola]

You can carefully glue a tiny shim in the gap and you'd never even see it. That's the beauty of working with wood.

[Dave Bagwill]

Ken - are the newer L-00's less fragile? Is your kit more robust than the older L-00's?

Just for my education - as long as the bridge plate keeps the ball ends from pulling up through the top, what else do we ask of it? The bridge itself moves those x-braces, the x-braces move those tone bars - it seems like more bridge plate would make the whole job of the bridge more difficult?

[mike-p]

I'm sure Ken will answer with details but it seems to me it's designed along the lines of, rather than vintage correct. Although I am adding my own vintage correct splodges and glue smears on the inside.

[ken cierp]

The bridge and the bridge plate combo is actually one of the top braces -- The "X" on a L00 is way forward so this adds to the fragile nature of the guitar (not neceassrily a bad thing). The original size bridge plate does not allow very much wood on the tail block side to caputure the balls and pins thus my recommendation. Aside from the superior KMG RR kerfing and heavier shoulder brace, no a KMG is not built heavier, I send out a drawing showing the typical old timey brace configurations.