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I have a Martin D 42 and I study that structure as I reach each new step on my D 35 Build. I am preparing to join the top to the rim but before I close the box I am trying to make sure I didn't miss anything. I noticed that my D 42 has a peice of cloth or material over the cross brace joint. I have searched this forum high and low but could not locate any mention of this step. It may be that I am not searching for the correct term? Is this added for strength or is it to eleminate buzz???? What type of material is it and where can I get it? Any help would be appreciated! By the way, when I toured the Martin factory I saw this being applied and the tour guide did not know why they add this or what exactly is was.

Troy

That is to reinforce the lap joint. Some people use another piece of wood on top of the cross at the joint. Some people leave it out. If your joint is tight, its your call.

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PMoMC

Its called cheap insurance and is linen installed with hide glue. Hemp is your next best bet. Other fabrics ain't worth the effort.

Padma

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Are the leaves sufficient or do have to use the buds?

Thanks for the quick response guys! I guess that will give me a reason to take my wife to a fancy resturant for Valentines Day....I'll swipe the linen napkins! The joint is nice and tight and I glued the heck out of it. Not sure how much more it will add but I was surprised that it hasn't been discussed more?

Oh, its been discussed, more than once. Most folks these days (including me) recommend a thin sliver of spruce to reinforce the "open up" part of the joint instead. Its as easy to install, if not easier, and I believe it does the job better. Martin has used the cloth reinforcement forever it seems, which means its been used on a lot of successful instruments over the years. Lots of folks buy Martin because of "tradition", so why would they change? You don't have to think that way, though...

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

A small bore rifle cleaning patch works pretty good (and will save you the cost of that dinner) but like many, I've gone to the spruce graft on all of mine

I didn't put anything over the lap joint of my first. But on my second, which had a much tighter joint to begin with, I used a small wooden strip glued accross the joint after voicing the top, and it was amazing the amount of stiffness the small, and I mean small, reinforcement strip added to the top. Hard to explain, but the tap tone tightened up more than expected. Regardless, I don't think it hurts anything, and it adds extra strength to a relatively weak joint for an extra bit of insurance. An ounce of prevention . . . .

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Aaron Craig

Tony: Listen to what Aaron had to say.....!!!
Tom

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!