The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

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    GJS is x-braced

    I would love to see a pic if anybody's got something.

    THANKS very much!

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    Here you go.

  4. #3

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    I wonder how much further that bracing would have been shaped.

  5. #4

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    Heritage has a thin strip of supporting spruce under the joint of the two top pieces, presumably to reduce the possibility of the top splitting. This is true in both parallel and cross bracing. The GJS and Benedettos don't have this. I wonder if that's because Heritage tops are thinner often.

    How To Fit Guitar Braces For Archtop Guitars

  6. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Grass
    Heritage has a thin strip of supporting spruce under the joint of the two top pieces, presumably to reduce the possibility of the top splitting. This is true in both parallel and cross bracing. The GJS and Benedettos don't have this. I wonder if that's because Heritage tops are thinner often.

    How To Fit Guitar Braces For Archtop Guitars

    That's a great article

  7. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cunamara
    I wonder how much further that bracing would have been shaped.
    Probably none at all. If they were going to shape them more they would have done it before the linen patch was glued on. I’ve had a few 60’s Johnny Smiths in the shop and the bracing is just squared off on the ones I’ve seen.

  8. #7

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    Bill Hollenbeck and Barker would always shape the braces. Never were they squared off and it had to do with the carving and the points of response in the top. I certainly could see Gibson would not do this and many more too.

  9. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by jasonc
    Here you go.
    This particular top has the braces nicely tapered where they meet the edges of the top carve, and has had the linen installed at the x, as shown in my photo and mentioned above. As well, the edges of the braces have been slightly rounded over - the profile is flat on purpose. My guess is that this design approach is baked into the design of the JS. What's also interesting is how high up on the JS plate the braces cross each other. News to come on this particular JS top...

    To Marty's point, Heritage carved archtops have
    strips of spruce at the centre joints of their top and bottom plates. Martin flattops have strips of spruce on their back plates. Gibson and Epiphone carved archtops do not have strips of spruce or individual spruce cleats. Almost all European carved archtops (built mostly through the '50s and '60s) have individual small spruce cleats. Roger carved archtops do not have supporting spruce cleats or strips. Hofner carved archtops, do not have any supporting spruce cleats or strips (all Hofner archtops have laminated backs except for the Chancellor, which does not have spruce cleats or strips).

    I'm sure that checking various carved archtops from other makers will reveal a similar range of design approaches. Campellone, for instance, uses strips of spruce on his archtops, top and bottom, inspired by Heritage and Martin. Benedetto does not, as mentioned. Solomon does not. I don't think it's a big deal one way or the other - more a matter of the individual style and preference of the maker.

    Last edited by Hammertone; 09-20-2021 at 03:53 PM.