fitting top to rim?

[Shawnbrock]

Yeah, it is a Martin kit, but thought I would ask here, being that people seem to be helpful... The problem is that the radius of the top seems to be pretty darn far off of the rim behind the bridge area.

In other words, we are talking all Martin components except for the reverse kerfing. The lining is sanded flush with the rim, so are both blocks. The only brace which is going into the lining is the shoulder brace, and the lining is notched appropriately. But when the top is laid on the rim the back portion near the taleblock is about 2/8 off of the rim. Maybe this isn't a problem, and maybe I'm over thinking things? After all the top will conform to the rim pretty easily if some pressure is applied, but I was of the mind set that everything should lay right on the rim. What do you guys think? The braces were glued on with a gobar deck and the index card trick was used to accommodate the radius, but now the radius of the lower bout is over pronounced... Upper bout is fine, and all, and no, no braces are touching the lining except for the shoulder brace.

A KMG bolt on is calling my name, but my wife had bought me this kit for Christmas, so I'm making what I can of what I have.

For now I have put the top in the gobar deck with a few bars to hold it more flat until I hear something from you all knowing. This is my first, and I have been wanting to put the top on for 2 days, but this is holding me up. I'm ready to get this thing together so I can start on an 18, which is what I would rather have anyhow. Another thing I may should say is I did shave the braces from what the factory sent. Not much, and well within recommendations of what other makers recommend. And no, I didn't shave from the bottom.

[ken cierp]

Hi Shawn,
I assume you have the rim in a mold -- is that correct? Did you prepare the top edge of the rim in some manner sanding or what ever? Now I can tell you that hundreds, perhaps thousands of Martin kits have been assembled using these directions:
http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/kitmanual.html

What I would like to see is a picture of the rim in the mold top edge down sitting on perfectly flat surface -- that way it can be determined if the rim is correct -- the sound board will conform to the rim not the other way around.