KBP for a bent top?

[sebastiaan56]

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"Originally Posted on:Wed Aug 04, 2010



OK the adventure continues. On the go is an ff holed type instrument inspired by the recent thread on the MIMF. Im planning on using a bent top. I have some excellent KBP secretly stashed and it seems to me that using a Selmer/Maccaferri type pliage might be the way to resolve the often commented "limpness" of KBP. I know a mando type bent top and a pliage are different but functionally they are the same.

I have four bent top mandos and a mandola under my belt now so my methodology is sound enough and cant think of any reasons why it shouldnt work well. Im thinking a 10 degree bend and 20 foot radius will be enough on a 630mm SL and a 17 inch lower bout. Anyone have bent top experience with KPB?

[graham mcdonald]

I can't see any problems using King Billy for a bent/canted top soundboard, other than it will need to be thicker than you might use for a equivalent spruce soundboard (add 20%) and there might be some danger of fracturing along the bend.

There is really no difference between bending a mando top and a pilage. It is still bending the top just behind the bridge to add structural strength to the soundboard. I had a look at the flat top F hole instrument on MIMF. I would be very surprised if the top on that hasn't sunk big time in a couple of months. Entirely too much bridge height. Apart from that I think you are asking for trouble with f holes on a bent/pilaged top. The strength of the bent top comes from a combination of the bend and the arched transverse braces, and I suspect the f holes are going to be in the middle of at least one of the braces. There was one late 19th/early 20th century American maker of bowlback mandolins (whose name escapes me at the moment) who used f holes with a neapolitan style bent top.They pop up every now and again on the Mandolin Cafe, and they all have collapsed soundboards. This might be a hint.

My suggestion is either build a bent top French style jazz guitar with some sort of round/oval/D soundhole, or take the plunge and get a big chunk of something and carve an f hole guitar. Bunya or kauri if the idea of a big piece of spruce would strain the bank account.

cheers

graham

[sebastiaan56]

Thanks Graham, Ive been pondering the braces / ff holes issue and there has been nothing sensible dropping out.

[Kim]

I can't offer anything on this topic Sebastiaan but I would be grateful if you could show us some progress as you move through the build.

Cheers

Kim


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