Dave G's Page

Hi Dave,

Sorry for taking so long to respond....I've been jumping in the shop with a sudden flush of orders for these small "alto" steel string guitars my apprentice and I have been making.

So....how are you thinking of having this top restoration done? Are you just going to yank out the "2x4" (and if so.....how?) and let the original bracing suffice? Are you thinking of completely re-bracing the top w/ new braces? If so...how were you imagining doing / having this done? take off the top? take off the back? new top (don't do that!)? When you say "re-done bracing", I'm guessing that you'll pull that 2x4 somehow (hope it was glued in w/ a heat / water soluble glue) and let the old bracing stay and use light tension strings. Sometimes wood has a memory (often really) and if the top was "potato chipped" for a while....I wonder if when the support is gone if it will go back to it's dipped position. On some nylon string guitar that were known for being underbraced and dipping down in front of the bridge....my teacher (and by that I mean....often I would do the work) would install what he called a "flying brace". There would be two "pillars" glued on to the sides in line with where the dip was. They wouldn't go the entire length of the side. They would butt up against the back linings and stop about 1/2" or so from the top linings. A wing like brace would be made of Spruce or Fir, about 3/8" square, that spanned these pillars, with a little "button" of wood that, when the wings were wedged into these pillars, would press up on the center brace and force it up a bit and add extra upward support. I'm not sure if something similar could be done to exert enough force on a steel string (maybe pushing up at the intersection of the X brace....tho I realize this guitar may be ladder braced). It's just an idea....and one that's not easily or clearly explained here. If the original braces are in good shape and the 2x4 support is taken out cleanly (without taking out too much top wood) and the strings tensioned appropriately.....maybe it will work just fine. If the guitar finds that it's missing the extra support.....maybe something similar but lighter would be a good compromise. Maybe 2 or 3 pieces of veneer (Maple, Mahogany), w/ the grain alternating, would give it enough support but be less massive than what you describe.

I'm sorry to ramble...the only way I can do this is to think / write out loud. If you want to actually TALK about it....send me an email at  gregbrandtguitars@yahoo.com  and I'll send you my phone number.

BTW.....that's a sweet looking guitar you have!! I love Mahogany topped guitars. I just got an order for a small guitar w/ mahogany top, back, and sides. I can do all sorts of things w/ these small guitars that I could never get away with in my "regular" work of building nylon string guitars. Here's a pic of a small Mahogany steel string I just sold.

Let me know what happens w/ the Gibson.

Best,

Greg