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  #1  
Old 06-30-2020, 09:33 PM
seangil seangil is offline
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Default hybrid bracing

Looking for some input from luthiers out there...

I'm learning how to build guitars and did my first build as a parlor. I am thinking about fiddling with the design, partially because the top has a bit of sink. I could approach this by making the next build with heavier bracing, but I was also toying with the idea of a bracing experiment.

Has anyone ever tried or seen a guitar design that uses your basic x-brace design, but laces a purely horizontal brace running between the lower arms of the x-brace? In other words, a mild hybrid of ladder-bracing and x-bracing?

ST
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  #2  
Old 06-30-2020, 10:48 PM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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Larrivee guitars have done that for decades.
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Old 06-30-2020, 10:56 PM
M Hayden M Hayden is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charles Tauber View Post
Larrivee guitars have done that for decades.
...and they sound just fine
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Old 07-01-2020, 09:22 AM
redir redir is offline
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As mentioned it's been done before but I would not consider that to be a hybrid ladder/X-Brace type design. It's a true X-Brace design and will have the tones associated with the X-Brace.

Long ago before X-BRace guitars there were straight ladder braced guitars. Then the hybrid came out where one or two of the ladder braces were placed on angles but still reached across the lower bout. No doubt that was done because manufacturers noticed the deficiency of the ladder braced design and top damage from string tension and so on. But they still sounded like ladder braced guitars.
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Old 07-01-2020, 03:28 PM
seangil seangil is offline
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Default horizontal braces

For L'Arrivee and the other example mentioned, are the braces set horizontally and running between the X-Braces? Or at an angle?
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Old 07-01-2020, 05:52 PM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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Horizontal between X braces.
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Old 07-02-2020, 09:52 AM
mercy mercy is offline
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gives more support and a more balanced sound. You may like that sound, many do. I dont think its a very interesting sound myself. Did you put the bridge on top of the x braces? Some beginners dont do that and it makes for a weak top. Perhaps your top was too thin, many possibilities.
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Old 07-02-2020, 03:15 PM
Neil K Walk Neil K Walk is offline
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Martin's hybrid bracing involves an A frame design in the upper bout that locks two braces into a neck block extension but still has two angle lower face braces. Larrivee's bracing pattern is called "symmetrical" and the profile of the braces are parabolic with no scalloping.
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