Cut braces- is it a structural issue?

[JazzDaddyD]

I just got me a sweet custom archtop with a 17" carved spruce top. It was built with a floating pickup; a previous owner installed a top mounted pickup, and when I removed it to have a peek inside, discovered that they had cut the (parallel) braces in order to install the darn thing.

Do I have a structural problem? If so, how might it be addressed? The top isn't sinking, yet. Guitar plays and sounds great. But......

Thanks much!

[sgosnell]

Probably not a problem, but impossible to say for sure. It depends on where they were cut, how thick the top is, and how well the braces are glued in place. There really isn't that much pressure on the top just at the end of the neck, and the braces wouldn't have gone much beyond that, if that far. The mod will undoubtedly affect the acoustic sound, but it's now impossible to say how much, or how it changed. Enjoy the guitar for what it is, because it's too late to do anything about it now.

[Little Jay]

When in doubt: place a sound post under the bridge; I had to do so with my ES-125 because I discovered it was missing it bracings all together. Has held up for many years now (no sign of sinking) and the electric sound did not suffer from it.

[JazzDaddyD]

Thanks. I'm familiar with sound posts in string instruments and know that placement is crucial, but in those instruments the post is for tone rather than structural support (I believe; otherwise there would be 2 posts supporting the top).

Does anyone else have personal experiences with braces that have been cut? The top looks relatively thick where the pickup hole has been cut, like 1/4", much thicker than at the f-holes, and sgosnell is correct in guessing that there was not much brace removed, they end just north of the pickup hole.

[deacon Mark]

I would play it and watch in closely. It may very well never cause a problem at all and spruce is very stiff braces are not entirely needed they help voice the guitar. That said I still would not go cutting braces or want that happening but chances are it is nothing. Putting a sound post in will effect the sound of the guitar and really the opposite of what you want in an acoustic carved guitar. My further guess if depending on how long ago this happened will be the key. If this happen a few years ago then you are good to go for the most part.

[Cunamara]

I would echo what deacon Mark said and add that this is maybe not a guitar that I would use 13s or 14s on. Heck, Jim Hall used 10s and 11s and sounded great.