First Build questions

[j. condino]

Nice visual representation Marty!

[Jeremy A]

Thanks Marty, excellent visual which helps to understand the annotated photos and drawings posted on another thread (shown below). Does this pattern apply to front and back?
What is the ball-park thickness for the centre? I have seen 4.5 - 5mm front, 3.5 - 4mm back. Others have said should be thicker. I am using X-bracing. The edges will be 3.5mm. I realise that the final results depend on the quality of the wood used.

[Larry Nixon]

Thanks everyone for all your thoughts, opinions and advice. There has been much to ponder!
I have decided to use the plans from Georgia Luthier Supplies for the body shape & size (13"), but to fit the neck joint at 12th fret with the ramp for the fingerboard extension carved from the top - I prefer the look of that method!
I shall have to move the oval hole, the bridge and the X-brace back about 3/4". Presumably I shall also have to move the centre of the graduation back also, so that the bridge feet are on the thickest part of the top - further study to be made on that issue.
I have been looking at graduations on other threads.

I have a further question about necks and grain orientation. I am hoping to use maple - to match the sides. However my bolck of maple was originally for a cello where the grain, traditionally, runs parallel to the plane of the fingerboard. I am told by others that the grain should be at right angles to the f/b. I am possibly considering a three piece neck - maple/mahogany/maple, or even a solid mahogany one. I shall use a carbon truss rod. Your thoughts will be welcome.

Good choice. I have three sets including Simnoff's Book for the A style and have cobbled from all three. I like Ga Luthiers although I varied from that I'm doing six and seven right now. Two at time because the wait for glueing etc. is so long for one at a time. They're like children..No. 2 is sounding really good after about a year and a half. No. 3 took a while but it's coming around, mellowing out. No. 4, I built for our mandolin player, who has a Bovier F style. No. 4 has a great chop and good sound that is mellowing. I struggled and experimented and tapped my little self to death, but if tap tuning works, it doesn't work for me. If the back by itself sounds "clean" when struck and the top attached to the rim rings clean, I call it done. Never could get any consistent note. Many of the comments on here religiously follow tap tuning, others think it's bunk or just don't use it. Siminoff even has the Art of Tap Tuning book which I purchased to no avail. Good luck on that. No. 5 i'm just getting the finish curing. Most of the finishes went pretty straignt, but No. 5 is it's own animal. I've made most of the mistakes and made lots of the fixes. good luck.

[peter.coombe]

I am not at all surprised that tap tuning does not work for you, especially if you followed Siminoff's book. Following his book doesn't work for anyone else either. After you have made 50, measured and noted everything down, you might find something that seems to work. Hint - look at the relationship between the top and the back.