Acoustic Guitar Construction

I'm with John.
For me the CA glue is great for glueing inlay and fretboarddots and filling gaps around them.
For constructual building I find it too hard to clean up.
Herman

ken cierp wrote:Seeing that CA is the adhesive of choice for the installation of button type pick-ups K&K, JJb etc. it would seem that sonically it makes sense to attach the top bracing with CA -- just stating a conversation.

If one could hear the difference maybe ...

I think it would OK in theory, but for the larger braces, I think the open time is too short to get it properly clamped, but the braces are too large to get them positioned and clamped by hand. Also as Herman mentioned the clean up is a pain.

For me there are three factors.
1. How long will it hold? Any idea on how long a CA joint is good for?
2. Flexibility - the top has to flex and CA is brittle - more brittle than hide glue? - will it fatigue?
C. Repairability - I can soften hide glue/titebond with heat.

Eric

As I mentioned above we have 35 year old guitar in the family assembled with CA -- still going strong. The glue line is so thing not sure brittle has much of an impact - it does dry brittle but it does not display that peel, crackle characteristic of hide glue. And it is not disassemble easily. For certain applications it is, in my opinion a modern marvel.

Dave -- did you not post that Mike Doolin told you he uses CA to attach his pin-less bridge?

Yes I did - I actually emailed him asking what adhesive he used for the pinless bridge - he responded that he used CA and get this - he did not scrape off the finish under the bridge! CA right onto the finish. No failures. He thinks his finishing material has something to do with the bonding power of the CA - polyester, if I remember rightly.

johnparchem wrote:

ken cierp wrote:Seeing that CA is the adhesive of choice for the installation of button type pick-ups K&K, JJb etc. it would seem that sonically it makes sense to attach the top bracing with CA -- just stating a conversation.

I think it would OK in theory, but for the larger braces, I think the open time is too short to get it properly clamped, but the braces are too large to get them positioned and clamped by hand. Also as Herman mentioned the clean up is a pain.

I made an experimental guitar about 6 years ago and used CA to glue all the bracing on without any problems so far.

I didn't put the CA on the braces and then clamp, I clamped the braces then wicked in thin CA between the back/soundboard and braces, if you are careful by using a very fine tip on your CA bottle (or pipette), there is very little clean up needs doing. I even glued on the UTB using this method - you would be amazed by how far the CA will wick between two closely fitting surfaces. I apply enough CA on one side of the brace until I see it appear at the other side of the brace, leave clamped for an hour and that's it!

The only drawbacks I see are - 1. very nasty fumes and 2. a glossy line between the plate and the brace that cannot be removed. For these reasons I still use fish glue.


Bob