Grand Concert for Freegift, Builder Swap

[Joe Sustaire]

Thanks Dean, Dave and Lefty!

To start with Gary let me say I have the hardest time describing sound with words or understanding what someone else means when they describe sound. That being said, I've built one 12 with traditional ladder bracing that sounds good to me, I have built one small Ditson with trad. ladder bracing that is fine when played by itself but when you compare it to my x braced guitars it seems overly harsh. My goal in adding the tone bars was to counter the potato chip curl that can be a tendency with trad. ladder bracing. The surprise for me is that this bracing seems to add some complexity/overtones/richness to the punchiness of ladder bracing and the sound to me holds it's own in comparison to x bracing. I can switch back and forth from one to the other and like the sound from each without feeling one works and the other can't hold it's own in comparison.

Hope that helps, words just fail me when talking sound.

Joe

[Joe Sustaire]

Okay, getting the top glued on is the next step. I've cut notches in the kerfing for the upper transverse brace, all the rest die out into the top before reaching the kerfing. And I routed out tight slots for the tone-bars into the neck-block giving me some A-frame bracing there.


Glue-up in the go-bar deck.


And here's how it looks. I'm also really pleased with the way the tap response is after being glued to the rims. Nice even tones all over the lower bout, so we're still good to go.

Then I spent about 3 days looking, pondering, and scratching my head trying to figure out how I wanted to do the flying buttresses. I finally decided that since I had the A-frame bracing built into the top to counteract compression forces there, that I would angle in some spruce braces from the bottom of the neck block to the buttresses. These would be under tension when it's strung up. Then all I had to do was figure out how to get all the angles right and cut cleanly. I just about gave up on them at one point, but then realized I had already cut notches into the kerfing for the buttresses. So I had to persevere. Sure will be nice when I get all this figured out and down to a system where I know what I'm doing!


So here they are being glued in.


And this is how she looks.


I really like the stiffness that the flying buttresses give to the box, with that and this kerfing it ought to make a pretty stable box.

Joe

[DaveWhite]

Joe,

That's looking mighty fine and Dean must be thrilled.

Although the A frame top braces inlet into the tneck block provide some strength they are not on their own going to counter the compressional stress from the strings and neck. These compression forces are the strongest and the tension on the bottom of the neck block I regard more as a long term stress to be countered - stopping the back arch flattening and the neck block pulling forward at the bottom. So I would have been inclined to have those buttress braces slope the other way - from near the top at the neck to near the back on the side brace supports to counter the compression. This is pretty much what Rick Turner does with cf braces.

[Dean Kumbalek]

Joe,

That's looking mighty fine and Dean must be thrilled...

Beautiful work Joe and yes, I am thrilled.

Your bracing looks so cool...I wonder if we need a back on it? The sound port allows a peak in there anyway. Very interesting following along with your thinking! Nice work.

I am imagining a warm woody sound...out on the porch with the notes wafting away on the warm evening breeze carrying a few misquotes with it sipping some fine beverage...

Dean

[Joe Sustaire]

Thanks for your confidence Dean! Of course you've got to remember, I'm basically a hermit back here in the woods, so all my experiments in lutherie are kind of like navel gazing, (sitting around staring at your belly button). Meaning, I've never met another builder, I've never played any handbuilt guitars, so how mine compare is anyone's guess. For your sake I hope this will hold it's own.

Okay Dave, I hear what your saying. I was thinking that the A frame structure in the top would be enough. On my parlor rebuild I did run the braces as you suggest, from the top of the neckblock to low on the buttresses. So I have added some new compression braces near the top. I drilled some shallow pockets in the neck block to hold that end of the braces and cut some shallow mortices in the buttresses for the other end. Glued them in and pinned the buttress end with a small brad as security so it can't jump out.







My brace proportions are probably reversed from what they should be, but hopefully they will handle the job here. There's always the next one.

Thanks guys,
Joe

[Dean Kumbalek]

... I've never met another builder, I've never played any handbuilt guitars,...

That is all about to change my friend! I love your work Joe! The excitement from our build exchange is carrying me along.

Dean

[Joe Sustaire]

And I'm finally back on this build.

I started working on the back for this one, got it thicknessed, joined, and the reinforcement strip on and then wound up breaking one of the lower bout wings clean off when I went to turn it over. Dennis very generously shipped me another set and I was ready to go to town when monsoon season hit here. I don't have a barometer but I figure that when the doors swell up so you can't get them shut, it's probably not the best time to close up a box!

Here's a shot of my new mobile go-bar deck. It was some kind of rehabilitation device that had straps and slings to hang you in the middle of it. Picked it up at an auction for $1, knew it had to be good for something. So I stripped it down to the frame, bolted my deck to the top, added a shelf for molds and radius dishes below, and were in business. Sure is nice to be able to roll it around and work from all sides. Notice the handy quivers to hold the go-bars.


Braces being glued on.


Braces carved.


My first backstrip.


And gluing on the back using the 25' top dish and the 15' back dish. First time I've done it like this, works pretty slick. Thank you Haans.


Now hopefully I can make a little regular progress on this.

Joe

[BaldEagle55]

Hey Joe,

Great to see you back at this one. I was wondering what happened. Dean is going to be pleased I am sure.

I love your "backwoods" creativity and approach.

Keep it going!!!!

Tom