Classical guitar and cedar bracing

[Otterhound]

I received a partially assembled LMI Classical guitar kit and molds .
The sides are glued to the neck and the tail block . Kerfing is in place .
The list that came with the kit shows cedar bracing and spruce bracing .
My only question is where is the cedar bracing used ? Once this is answered , I will be on my way . Since I have not built a Classical style guitar , I thought that I would ask here .
Please keep in mind that this is the only question that I am requesting an answer for .
Thanks .

[Jphb77]

Originally Posted by Otterhound

I received a partially assembled LMI Classical guitar kit and molds .
The sides are glued to the neck and the tail block . Kerfing is in place .
The list that came with the kit shows cedar bracing and spruce bracing .
My only question is where is the cedar bracing used ? Once this is answered , I will be on my way . Since I have not built a Classical style guitar , I thought that I would ask here .
Please keep in mind that this is the only question that I am requesting an answer for .
Thanks .

Cedar is probably intended for back braces.

[Howard Klepper]

Perhaps someone at LMI knows.

[nikpearson]

Spanish cedar, as opposed to western red cedar, is commonly used for classical guitar back braces. Although you can use a variety of wood species.

[redir]

The instructions are not very good then? I would email LMI and get it straightened out.

I have only ever made 7 fan brace Torres style classical guitars. I used to use 3 spruce braces in the center and cedar braces for the outside fans. The cedar braces came from top cut-offs provided of course that the top was thick enough in it's raw form.

My guess is that with your kit the cedar is for he back. I woudl think you would be able to tell by the size of the braces in the kit or do they expect you to cut everything to size?

[John Arnold]

Some classicals have Western red cedar fan braces.

[rick-slo]

Recommend spruce bracing for spruce top. Cedar bracing for back and sides though mahogany would have been better.

[Otterhound]

Thank you all for your valued input .
As stated before , I have a partial kit here .
I believe that the piece of bracing wood supplied for the back is here .
Since I am beginning with a non typical origin with the kit supplied top and back wood missing , this will be a bit of an orphan build .
With that said , I am leaning heavily towards a WRC top with spruce bracing , but am considering trying something worthy of the Frankensteinish beginnings .
I harvest and sell luthery woods , so I have some choices from current woods in stock .
I am considering a half Walnut / half Maple back with quarter sawn Basswood back bracing . Can any of you think of a reason to not consider the Basswood back bracing . It is light and strong . It simply is different .
Oh yeah , Maple on the treble side and Walnut on the other .

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Otterhound

Thank you all for your valued input .
As stated before , I have a partial kit here .
I believe that the piece of bracing wood supplied for the back is here .
Since I am beginning with a non typical origin with the kit supplied top and back wood missing , this will be a bit of an orphan build .
With that said , I am leaning heavily towards a WRC top with spruce bracing , but am considering trying something worthy of the Frankensteinish beginnings .
I harvest and sell luthery woods , so I have some choices from current woods in stock .
I am considering a half Walnut / half Maple back with quarter sawn Basswood back bracing . Can any of you think of a reason to not consider the Basswood back bracing . It is light and strong . It simply is different .
Oh yeah , Maple on the treble side and Walnut on the other .

Basswood is acoustically dead. I have used it for linings but not braces.

[Otterhound]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

Basswood is acoustically dead. I have used it for linings but not braces.

I agree that Basswood tends to dampen sound .
With that in mind , might it tend to isolate the top as the sound source while , at the same time , tend to lessen the top's part in creating sustain .
After all , am I correct in thinking that sustain is not really a desired effect with classical music and similar styles ? I have always been of the thought that the crisp and clean attack was the goal .
Because of the very nature of this endeavor , I am quite willing to try things that others would never dare to . If these things fail , I will still have learned something .
Yeah , I know that I am a glass that could be full type . Kind of like a high rise building . Sometimes you get the elevator and sometimes you get the shaft , but you always learn something along the way .

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Otterhound

I agree that Basswood tends to dampen sound .
With that in mind , might it tend to isolate the top as the sound source while , at the same time , tend to lessen the top's part in creating sustain .
After all , am I correct in thinking that sustain is not really a desired effect with classical music and similar styles ? I have always been of the thought that the crisp and clean attack was the goal .
Because of the very nature of this endeavor , I am quite willing to try things that others would never dare to . If these things fail , I will still have learned something .
Yeah , I know that I am a glass that could be full type . Kind of like a high rise building . Sometimes you get the elevator and sometimes you get the shaft , but you always learn something along the way .

On a classical guitar the sustain of the bass is usually good. Sustain of the treble is less. Manage your playing technique rather than trying to cut sustain
by damping the guitar's potential.

[Otterhound]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

On a classical guitar the sustain of the bass is usually good. Sustain of the treble is less. Manage your playing technique rather than trying to cut sustain
by damping the guitar's potential.

I agree ......

[John Arnold]

Basswood is not as stiff as spruce for its weight. If I used basswood for bracing, I would make it about 10% taller.