Acoustic Guitar Construction

Well, a student who knew better just thinned his red cedar top on the drum sander - 'just one more pass' he thought to himself - and it went down to .090". Dang.

I think that if we are careful, using 5/16" braces instead of the 1/4" that the plan calls for, and just working the braces to a good tapping sound, we should be okay, but I want to ask the Collective Wisdom here if a better idea would be to go with another top?

Suggestions please!!

It might be OK for a small guitar. How does it sound now when tapped? For me a guitar takes a bunch of time and effort. I would save the top for something else and start with one with the correct thickness.

The top makes the sounds not the braces.

What was the target thickness to start? I start with a target for WRC at .125". And I don't think my sander could take .035" in one pass. Having said that it might be to thin unless that was a particularly stiff piece.

The braces are of course just for support - but a thinner top can use heavier braces for that support.

Yeah I'm thinking he took more than one extra pass..

This was a pretty stiff piece and I had him set up to go to .110". Now at .090", it has gone past the great tapping point but I'm not sure how far - with the right support from the braces, it might work. PRS goes to .080" but uses heavy bracing, and that is with spruce.

It's a gamble. Maybe using it for a parlor guitar down the road is the best idea, and getting another top.

Thanks.

+1 Parlor

Okay, we'll put this top aside and let it age awhile. I've got another top here in the shop that we can substitute.
Thanks for the input fellers.

Dave,
how is your new project guitar coming?