Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi Everyone;

I'm putting a new top on a '61 Epiphone Cabellero. The original one was crushed when someone stepped on the guitar. (OUCH!!!)

By looking at the radius of the bottom of the bridge and the radius of on of the only top braces that wasn't crushed it looks like the radius is almost 15'. That seems really tight. Possibly a result of years of tension?

What should the top radius be on these late 50's, early 60's Gibson acoustics?

Thanks

Yep, The LG top braces I've come across are right around 15'. I think they may have even started at 12'. The crazy part is they crushed them onto flat rims. Combine that with braces that have a very quick height transition near the lining and some bad glue choices over they years and you have the perfect recipe for loose and split braces. That's why so many sound like someone emptied a box of tinker-toys into them when they are shaken.
If I were making a replacement top I would probably bend the original design a bit to give it a better chance in life.