Shaved my first top brace...

[TBman]

This is a picture of the top brace that I shaved tonite on my $99 classical. The next time I change strings I'm going to see how far in I can reach to see if I can shave a lower brace. The guitar seems a bit mellower, but I could be wishing out loud too. I'll have to compare it to recordings I have tomorrow.

[redir]

I can't tell if that's a shadow in the pic or are you trying to show us that you scalloped out one of the two main structural cross brace under the sound hole of the guitar? Where did you get the idea to do that? That brace takes the bulk of the force created by the forward rotation of the bridge and is typically arched for even more strength in the area around the sound hole. If you must thin some braces I'd start with the very outside fan braces first leaving the mid section full strength. The guitar is also designed for nylon and not steel strings. But for a $99 dollar guitar I'm sure you will be just fine

[TBman]

Originally Posted by redir

I can't tell if that's a shadow in the pic or are you trying to show us that you scalloped out one of the two main structural cross brace under the sound hole of the guitar? Where did you get the idea to do that? That brace takes the bulk of the force created by the forward rotation of the bridge and is typically arched for even more strength in the area around the sound hole. If you must thin some braces I'd start with the very outside fan braces first leaving the mid section full strength. The guitar is also designed for nylon and not steel strings. But for a $99 dollar guitar I'm sure you will be just fine

I only put nylon it. It didn't fold up or crack into splinters when I restrung it, lol. Its fine and a maybe a touch mellower.

[redir]

Oh interesting I would have sworn that sound clip had steel strings on it. Problems are not something you would notice in short period of time and you may indeed have nothing to worry about but if you really want to affect the tone then you would want to either remove or add mass to the fan bracing.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by redir

Oh interesting I would have sworn that sound clip had steel strings on it. Problems are not something you would notice in short period of time and you may indeed have nothing to worry about but if you really want to affect the tone then you would want to either remove or add mass to the fan bracing.

The sound clip is in my signature, nothing to do with the post. Thanks for the info. I don't know if I can reach the other braces, next string change I'll give it a try.

[Wardo]

A few days ago I bought a Stanley finger plane for $10 and scalloped the braces on a Norman B20(6) that I didn't much like the sound of and was gonna get rid of.

The guitar sounds much better now, more open and more bass. I will keep it as a campfire guitar as opposed to using it for firewood.

I kinda like how it turned but it was just luck.