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

[Dave Bagwill]

So you're saying you are a little cheep?

Sorry - me and the rest of this crowd are pun-happy...


Anyway, I am enjoying your thread. Thanks.

[mike-p]

Thanks for egging me on, hope all had a good easter. Any thoughts on bracing? I'm about to go browse the bracing library on the unofficial marting guitar forum.

[mike-p]

OK! My soundhole is nicely bound, will add pics when i've found my connecting lead.

Bridge plate is glued on, while doing this with the X braces clamped in place I noticed that the MDF workboard and possibly the braces had flexed to bring the braces flush with the soundboard. What is the advantage of making the card cauls when gluing the X braces rather than this slight flex bringing everything together?

I'm about to cut my X braces to tapering pattern. It is difficult to do with a coping saw I have discovered when I was cutting my bass bars although I'm pretty pleased with them.

[ken cierp]

Please follow the instructions -- use of the cauls is to help the top conform to the brace contour is not an option it is a necessity The idea is, as you build, (in the specified sequence) the variables are controlled to an extent, which tends to avoid surprises down the road.

[mike-p]

Sorry Ken, I'm not trying to wind you up, just understand the process as best i can, as I do it.

[mike-p]

Progress is being made, along with some small mistakes, err, I mean learning experiences. Here is the soundhole bound, I put it in slightly oversized, glued and taped, gluesd two bits where I could see a bit of light just holding with my fingers, sanded and then scraped with a razor, pretty pleased with it.

[mike-p]

Also glued and carved most of the bracing, some hairy moments getting the hang of the chisel, please ignore any visible blood stains. I've been having a good look at the vintage gibson vbracing library here

http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.y ... XfbSHBQC0w

There's plenty of variation in style, I've basically followed the dimensions Ken sent me but also referred to this

http://www.grellier.fr/plans/Gibson_L-0 ... -00_en.pdf

as it's in mm's which i find a lot easier.

Carving the braces is pretty exciting and to hear the board go from THUD to DONK to BONGBOINGGG is pretty major.

Both Ken's and the above plans have the soundhole reinforcement looking like a flat piece on the bridge side and two braces much like the finger braces on the other two sides (towards the neck) is this right?

I am also wondering why the shoulder brace is so much heftier than the others and whether I should shape it at all?

Pretty pleased with my bracing so far, am probably going to leave it fairly roughly carved as I read somewhere that Greven does this with his 00's otherwise they don't sound right, seems worth a go to me.

thanks again all for the help and support.