Brace yourself pt. 2

This post will document the completion of the top bracing. Here I am using a finger plane to shape the fan braces one at a time. The plane has been designed specifically for this task (see previous posts for details), to allow it to cut very close to the top. The fan braces have a curved profile from end to end, and a round profile along their width. There is much debate as to which shapes and size give the 'best' sound. The bracing pattern I am using here, is the 'fan' style, common to most traditional instruments. Since I am building this guitar in the style of Hermann Hauser, I am using the pattern from one of his instruments as a reference.

Here are the fan braces after shaping, and a particularly magnificent curled shaving. Final finish was done with sandpaper.

Here is the top fully braced, and held in the building jig/solera. You can see cutoff braces have been added below the fan braces, and three large braces added near the soundhole. These three braces are known as 'harmony bars' and support the top where it is weakest around the soundhole, and also underneath the fingerboard which is susceptible to warping. This area of the guitar does not significantly vibrate, and so does not contribute hugely to the sound of the guitar.

Here you can see the arched profile of the fan braces, and the sound hole reinforcements. I have begun to shape the harmony bars too.

Finally here is all the bracing complete. It's almost a crime how much time I put into fine finishing the part of the guitar that nobody will every see! In the next post I'll be moving on to bending the sides.