[swiftz07]

Originally Posted by Gordon Currie

I posed that question to many of the luthiers in attendance at La Conner Guitar Festival this past weekend. All said it would have negligible to no effect on tone since that area tends to have the heaviest bracing and is therefore acoustically somewhat inert. And a number said even if there was a tone difference, it could be eliminated when they voice the top.

Not ONE luthier said it would affect the finished guitar in a negative way.
I'm still waiting to hear from luthiers who think it is a negative acoustically.

This is my understanding as well, and i have spoken to quite a few established luthiers in this regard.