Official Luthiers Forum!

I’m getting ready to attach the backs to the rims. I’ve seen two ways to cut the notches in the rims, one which preserves the side material and another where the notch goes all the way across so that the brace end is exposed (until binding is done).

I’ve read that the first way, assuming one leaves the brace end a little short of touching the remaining side material, might limit any wood motion and pushing out the bindings.

Would appreciate any advice m

Thanks much

Jon

Have people actually experienced brace ends pushing bindings out of their channels? I haven’t seen that. If someone on the OLF has had that problem, hopefully they will share.

To me, the significant difference between the two methods you describe is that, if you preserve the sides, you can leave the brace ends at whatever height you want, but you have more work in cutting the pockets for them. If you cut through the sides, the pocket is easier to cut, but you have to keep the brace ends very low, or else the binding won’t cover them up. Remember, the binding has to cover both the brace ends and the thickness of the plate, which hasn’t been glued on yet. If your brace ends are any thicker than 3/32”, things get uncomfortably close.

I have definitely seen brace ends push out the bindings, but only in an extreme case of dehydration. Interestingly no cracks.

Shouldn’t make much difference either way cause you’re keeping them between 40-50RH always, right?

I've seen brace ends pushing the binding out on old guitars.

_________________
formerly known around here as burbank
_________________

http://www.patfosterguitars.com

This was discussed many times in the past on the OLF and my memory says that either way is OK.

When I was building I believe I did not go through the sides but I know many, many people do.

I have never seen a brace end push the binding out. What I think would cause this to happen is a big blow on say the top that flattened the dome for a nano second or three and pushed the brace ends into the bindings. Kind like kicking a guitar right in the middle of the top. Oh the horror.... unless it's an Ov*tion or course.

But I go back to the idea that we've taken in well over 10,000 guitars for all manner of structural repairs and never have never seen an example of this happening. Not a bad sampling of wounded guitars to base an opinion on.

I have seen them push and I have seen cracks. My biggest issue is with air gaps. Celluloid and acetate binding will shrink like heel and show them. I prefer notching the kerfed lining and stay inside the rim. allow a dap of space you will do fine and you won't run risk of tear out at the binding slot when you hit the brace. I Have seen that as well

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

You frequently see the brace ends push out the side or binding on old guitars. It takes a while for the 'shrinkage hysteresis' of the top and back to do this, and I haven't seen it on any of the guitars I've built (going on fifty years), but it happens. When it does it can be a bear to fix. You won't have to deal with this on your guitars, no matter how good a warranty you have, but still...