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#1
03-03-2024, 07:32 AM
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Loose/rattling brace / looking for advice in first build
Amateur builder working on first build. Been at it for a few years now (only have a few hours a week to work on it). Closed the box a few months ago, been contemplating jigs for binding, etc, and I decided to give the box a tap test to hear the tone, and when I did, there was a rattling... I assume one of the braces unglued. Felt around and looked as much as I could but can't identify which brace it is.
I need advice. How do I proceed? I used Akfix wood glue, not hide glue, so I don't think I can remove the top (or back). Please help!
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Seagull Coastline Cedar Folk 
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#2
03-03-2024, 08:14 AM
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I'm an amateur but with quite a few builds. This is what I'd do.
First, find something which can reach all the braces (bent stick?) and gently press each at various locations until you find where the rattling stops. Next, confirm the brace is unglued and where. If you can reach it you might be able to feel it move slightly sideways compared to other braces. Buy some cheap artist's palette knives (you'll need these later) and probe the suspect joint. Now you know where the separation is. Third try to clean out the joint a bit - 120 grit sandpaper glued to a palette knife might work. Fourth, work out how you'll clamp the joint when you glue it. Special clamps, internal props with some clamping outside, whatever you can make work without damage. Find cork or leather to pad things. Finally, slide some glue in using a palette knife and clamp. With luck, fixed!
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#3
03-03-2024, 09:22 AM
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a thought
I'd take that pallet knife and a small iron and take the back off and attend to the braces out where they can be seen. I think it's too early in the project to apply finished-instrument repair techniques. Solve the problem thoroughly, clean up the rim and back, reattach the back and carry on.
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#4
03-03-2024, 09:48 AM
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I generally look for loose braces by putting a light and mirror into the box and then lightly squeezing or pressing on the top while watching for brace movement in the mirror. Check each brace individually, in the middle and at both ends. Unbraced spruce flexes fairly easily, so be careful.
If a brace is rattling with just a light tap, whatever joint is loose may already be visible in the mirror without much squeezing or pressing.
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#5
03-03-2024, 10:08 AM
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a thought
I was considering the need to get work done right before proceeding. The guitar body in question hasn't even been routed out for binding, and I think it's appropriate to back up and make sure that all the bracing is installed correctly and securely before proceeding. Taking the back off offers the chance for an exhaustive review that wouldn't be possible working blind inside a closed body.
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#6
03-03-2024, 11:49 AM
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My thought would be to remove the back also, some of my projects have been "dis-assembled" to fix or repair a problem/mistake. To do it before a finish is a plus on your side. A picture on a phone, and a note in a project book has saved me a few times also. A huge step is bringing it to light here, and asking for help and seeking an answer. JMO/bk
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#7
03-04-2024, 01:00 PM
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Before removing the back, is there anything else that might rattle in there? A pickup wire? dirt or wood chips? a spare screw ?
Check with a light and mirror or take pics inside with a cellphone or small camera and see what you can find. I set my phone to the "say cheese" setting to make it easier to take pics inside. You can make DIY brace jacks from turnbuckles or 2 bolts and a threaded rod coupling nut. Info online.
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