Quote:
Originally Posted by dekutree64
What's the upper bout structure like? Any bracing between the headblock and upper transverse brace? Any soundhole bracing? UTB ends carved all the way down?
Always good to gather more data on how different structures hold up (or don't).
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The cutaway is too deep into the body, and Rob tried to run the upper transverse top brace into the side but the transfer of structure failed to be complete. The top folded in somewhat across the soundhole, though nothing actually broke. According to the owner it has been stable for perhaps 20 years, but unplayable. I expect to add some structure to the edge of the sound hole and then hope it'll stay stable for another 20 years. after I establish proper geometry with the new neck. No promises or guarantees were tendered.
I do believe the Spanish heel method is not the problem here except that it makes any adjustment very challenging, whereas either a dovetail or a hardware solution would have made things easier. The failure would have been the same in any case.
It is possible that a cleverer tech that I could slip the back, but it is fully bound with mitered purfling and since the owner wants a substantially different neck this seems the way to go. I will save Rob's head plate and put it on the new neck.
I offer some pictures, and then in order to avoid a hijack, if anyone is interested in this project I recommend my nearby blog thread is checked in on in a couple of months where if provoked (or possible not necessary), I may document the process.
