Official Luthiers Forum!

I started my first electric. I've been building acoustics for 3 years now, I'm trying to build an archtop similar to the Gibson Byrdland. I can't find anything online as far as bracing goes or even plans from supply catalogs. I'm putting 50's soapbar p-90's in it instead of the dogears. Did they do a x-brace or some sort of straight bar system? I'm going to use a 3 piece top. 4 inch curly maple center, and the outsides curly aspen, curly maple sides, back I havn't decided yet, maybe more curly aspen or something. I snagged a nice stick of birdseye maple from Menards for the neck. Rosewood fretboard, I'm not doing the 23 1/2 scale, i'm doing the 24.625. I might make it an inch less in the lower bout too. Any info on Byrlands would be a good help. Thank you, Jason

_________________
Jason Moe
LaCrosse WI 54601

Interesting project, Jason.
I think the Byrdlands came with a spruce top,
and I bet they have bass bar bracing,
which run from the lower bout to the neck.
I don't know how you are going to mount soapbar pickups in an acoustic.
The soapbars need solid wood under them,
and the dogears have rings which can be screwed to the top.
You could make it like some 335's, with a solid piece down the center.
Depends on the music it is for.
Have fun!

I can't help you with plans for a Byrdland, but Gretsch filtertons are mounted similarly to soapbars. Gretsch guitars (at least the 6120 model) has a pair of wide braces that running the length of the soundboard under this area, in which they put the mounting screws. Here's a picture of the fitting of these braces on an electric archtop that I made a while back, that was made like that (yup, that's a knotty 4-piece top...). The 6120 of course has the infamous "trestle bracing" spanning from these braces to the back plate, but I'm sure that is quite un-Gibsonlike, and not appropriate for a Byrdland copy.

_________________
Rian Gitar og Mandolin

my maple piece in the center of the top is 3/4 inch thick, so I was thinking out routing out a pocket for the pickup. Thanks for the replys. Jason

_________________
Jason Moe
LaCrosse WI 54601

Jason, I was probably unclear... I assumed you intended graduate the top plate as usual, and of course cut the approprate holes for the pickups? With the system I'm talking about, this would partly reveal the braces in the pickup holes, where you could put the mounting screws for the P-90's. Here's a link to some pictures showing the insides of some Gresch guitars, you can see both the braces and the pickup holes.

http://gretschpages.com/forum/general-tech-questions/what-is-ml-bracing/33346/page1/



Now, the only reason I'm mentioning this way to do it is the type of pickups you say you want to use. As far as I know, on a conventional Byrdland you would either have those “dogear” pickup covers or regular humbuckers, both which mount on the top. Your “soapbar” P-90s have the mounting screws going through their middle, so you need something under them to put those screws into, hence the braces I mention...

_________________
Rian Gitar og Mandolin

I see what your saying there. I'll have to have something under it to screw them on. The pickups are not that thick, if I routed out a pocket they might fit into the top. Thanks

_________________
Jason Moe
LaCrosse WI 54601

Does anyone know what kind of neck joint it may have?

_________________
Jason Moe
LaCrosse WI 54601

I have my website up and running, so my current build now is this archtop. I finished the binding on the fretboard. I think I might put gold pearl dots on it. I just really want to get this thing together. I need to make a workboard next. I might make a drum thickness sander soon too. It would really cut down on some time I think. And improve quality if it works right. Neck work is next. We had a big hail storm ravish us today. The house, shop, car, and truck got all dented up. Almost baseball sized hail. Broke a window too. I'm surprised it did'nt break more. Cracked the windshield of our car. Of course we dont have glass coverage on it. So money is going to be tight for awhile until we can get everything back to normal, whatever that is..lol Jason

_________________
Jason Moe
LaCrosse WI 54601

Looking good so far. Keep us informed.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince