The Luthier Community

Thanks Nick, yeah the old blues guys often referred to these long scale, low tuned 12s as "lap pianos". Just wish I could make them talk like those guys could! I'm trying though.

Joe

Thanks guys, Yeah Dennis, it was from a photo John How posted on OLF that I copied this bracing. I added the braces on each side of the sound hole since I had run into buckled sound holes on old ones I'd picked up on ebay. And Grant, Johns photo showed the bracing ending before the kerfing, I assume...

Hey guys this is an update. I've been aware for some time that the trebles seemed weak on this, and I just ran into this on my Ditson ladder brace where I tried a bridge doctor because of bellying and found that it really weakened the sound, especially the trebles. So I just went and pulled the BD o...

Okay Eben, here we go...I installed a bridge doctor and and re-profiled the bridge and glued it and let it cure for a couple of days. It seems like a good job this time. And the bridge doctor took care of the deforming top. Problem is, now I'm not comparing ladder bracing to x bracing. Now I'm compa...

Thanks for watching guys. A little forward motion, got the ladder braced one together, strung up and playing. Sounds great, and plays good. Then a few steps backward, after a couple of hours playing I start looking it over closely, and the bridge is lifting on the back edge. :o So, how about a few p...

Looking very nice Raymond, and I love that label!

Joe

Thanks Dennis, Hugh, and Luc, yes I'm ready to hear them sing! This is the first time I've done the pin registration on the bridge, and it sure does help, no slipping and scrambling. It's definitely a technique I'll keep using. And Dennis that's just el cheapo off-brand masking tape. Maybe why it di...

Thanks David, go to youtube and search for Luthier Tips du Jour, it's a series of videos, look for pore filling. Pretty good idea, worked great for me. Got the french polishing done and a nice tung oil finish on the necks. So I glued the bridges on today with HHG no less, and then tomorrow I can get...