Soundboard undercut at rim?

[peter havriluk]

I've seen mention of a technique to 'loosen' a soundboard by routing a channel around the circumference just inboard of the kerfing, so as to allow the soundboard to resonate more.

First question, how deep/wide a channel?

Second question, are the braces altered so that they stop at the routed channel? I can't see how crossing the routed channel with a brace will act in concert with the routing of the channel. Seems as if the brace crossing the channel will tend to undo some of the 'good' that the channel was intended to offer. If the braces don't bridge the channel, and are interrupted by the channel, what good is done installing braces between the channel and the side?

Thanks, folks. I've asked a mostly-theoretical question, but I've been curious about how someone goes about cutting such a channel and respecting the channel with the rest of the soundboard bracing/installation.

[Dave Bagwill]

Peter - you might try searching 'taylor' - Ken Cierp has a link to that part of the Taylor site that has specifics of that routing channel. I'll take a look as well.

[Dave Bagwill]

This might be it: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=111&hilit=taylor&start=0

[peter havriluk]

Dave, a picture is worth a thousand words....thanks! Looks like Taylor's braces don't cross the routed channel. And the channel isn't cut above the waist. Nice to know.

[Tom West]

Lots of folks like to thin the outer rim of the lower box but do it from the outside. My preferred way to do it.
Tom