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jerr6
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 2:39 pm 
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Mahogany
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so im in the middle of putting all my bracing on the board and noticed some gaps. like were the x braces notches are or on the tone bars tucking under the x brace. should i fill those gaps with something? titebond or some other glue? thanks for your help
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Steve Saville
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 2:45 pm 
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gaps in the x brace joint is not good. Those should be remade, do not fill. That is the most important joint on the guitar.
You don't need to tuck your tone bars under the X brace, so I wouldn't worry about that, but I'd like to see some pictures to understand better what you are talking about.

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Jim Watts
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 2:49 pm 
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I'd remove the X and redo it like Steve said. You need a nice tight joint there.

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MSpencer
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 3:21 pm 
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I agree with the other guys, tearout and redo

Mike
White Oak, Texas
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j.Brown
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 4:14 pm 
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Yep. Think of the X-braces as the main arteries of your guitar top. The tighter they fit together and to the top, the better. Zero gaps. Gaps anywhere is usually not a good thing, but gaps in the X braces are probably unacceptable. Good luck.
-j.

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Shawn
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 4:58 pm 
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Also once you have a good tight x brace, dont forget to apply a patch over the top either of spruce (it can be really thin and still add strength or cloth as was the old school way of reinforcing the xbrace. Adding a piece on top restores most of the strength that was lost when the x brace notch was cut. It can be around 1/16 and still return alot of strength.
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jerr6
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:09 pm 
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on the stew mac dvd that came with the kit it shows the 4 small braces and the 2 tone bars( i think thats what they are called) are to be fitted so they go under the x brace. by means of a 45 degree notch on the x brace and 45 dgree end on the brace going into the notch. so on my next guitar it would be ok to just butt the small braces up to the x brace? what about the bridge bace? butt jiont or fitted into x brace? shawn , what do you mean by a patch? a x shaped patch over the top of the jiont?
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jerr6
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:38 pm 
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thanks for the tip on making the jiont. ill definately try it next time. it seems like there is less contact area of the jiont with the preshaped braces were as square ones would come in contact 100%. oh well just tryin to get the first guitar under my belt.


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old man
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:41 pm 
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I still tuck my finger braces and tonebars in the other bracing, but not into the rim. May not be necessary, but lapped/tucked joints are stronger that butt joints.

Ron

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stan thomison
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 11:07 pm 
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don't know if the finger braces and tone bars are for strength, as far as join to hold guitar together, maybe wrong, but the butt join is way strong enough for the purpose they are for. Main thing is no gap in the X. Look ugly to when persons may inspect guitar for purchase if ever go that way. Sloppy looks won't work. it also defeats the some purpose of the lap join at X.
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jerr6
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 10:46 am 
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so the x brace and upper brace are the only ones who get tucked into the kerfing? and the other ends of the braces get shaved down to nothing right?
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stan thomison
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 11:04 am 
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One and maybe for me anyway only reason I tuck the lower leg of X is it helps me when do it tight and right to help me with location and when gluing the top, things stay in line and not slide around for center of front or rear. I just do that for helping myself keeping things lined and square. I would never argue for or agains for tone, strength or any of that because tell truth, I don't know if it matters, may or may not.
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Martin Turner
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 11:39 am 
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[QUOTE=jerr6] so on my next guitar it would be ok to just butt the small braces up to the x brace? what about the bridge bace? butt jiont or fitted into x brace? [/QUOTE]

I butt my finger braces and tone bars against the X brace and then I wick a bit of superglue in between to reduce chances of buzzing. On top of the X brace joint I gule on a 2-3mm thick patch and then round off edges of same to make it look tidy.
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JohnAbercrombie
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 11:57 am 
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Just for interest's sake-
I've started a new topic on the need for a good X-brace joint, since I don't agree that it's that critical.

Let's see what the experts say!

Cheers

John


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KenH
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 1:01 am 
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Just for the record, I agree that the tone bars do not need to be tucked under the x-brace, but I do try to get them to touch the x-brace with a good mitered brace. (to make a clean look) I also trim them so that the angle of the end of the tone bar is the same as the angle it meets the x-brace so that there is no gap. This is done more for appearance than for anything else. I also try to have the bridge plate touch the x-brace. When I glue the bridge plate onto the underside of the top, I do it with a radiused caul that is cut to the exact same size as the bridge plate.


As far as the actual x-brace main joint, I personally think this is the most important joint in the guitar to have a good tight joint. This is not so much for strength, but for vibration purposes. I personally do not use any cloth cover over that joint.


just my $.02  worth


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