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Thread: back thickness

  1. #1
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    Default back thickness

    What is an average maximum thickness for a teardrop (A model) back made from maple please? Thank you for your consideration.

  2. #2

    Default Re: back thickness

    Arched or flat? Braced or unbraced? Quarter, flat, or rift sawn? Bigleaf or sugar maple?

  3. #3
    Registered User j. condino's Avatar
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    Default Re: back thickness

    I just typed "back thickness" into the search engine and 20 pages of threads showed up.

    All the secrets of the mandolin universe are in those and have already been answered by some of the best folks on the planet!
    www.condino.com

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  4. #4
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: back thickness

    Use the Google 'site' command to search. Much better than the search engine here, as recommended by the administrators here.

    site mandolin cafe: back thickness
    Not all the clams are at the beach

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  5. #5
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    Default Re: back thickness

    arched, unbraced, big leaf
    Thanks for your consideration

  6. #6

    Default Re: back thickness

    I've made my bigleaf maple backs between .170" (4.3mm) to .200" (5mm) in the thickest area. In addition to thickness in the center, recurve thickness and pattern of the graduations makes a big difference. For example, unless you leave the back quite thick underneath the neck block and in that area, you won't get a traditional Gibson-style tone.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: back thickness

    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Jacobson View Post
    I've made my bigleaf maple backs between .170" (4.3mm) to .200" (5mm) in the thickest area. In addition to thickness in the center, recurve thickness and pattern of the graduations makes a big difference. For example, unless you leave the back quite thick underneath the neck block and in that area, you won't get a traditional Gibson-style tone.
    Thanks for your kind response Marty. I appreciate it a lot!

  8. #8
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

  9. #9
    Registered User j. condino's Avatar
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    Default Re: back thickness

    www.condino.com

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  11. #10
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    Default Re: back thickness

    Try searching with Google. Use the format subject site:mandolincafe.com . So for this, back thickness site:mandolincafe.com into google yields tons of excellent results.
    Last edited by dave vann; Mar-25-2020 at 9:57am. Reason: missspellling

  12. #11

    Default Re: back thickness

    Thanks for posting that search technique. I'm interested in the thickness question for my next build, and for now I really appreciate the site search tip! That will help me not ask as many previously answered questions.

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