Was hoping to generate some healthy discussion about the use of them in acoustic steel strings,(yes the topic has probably been tabled afore but anyone can refer to Howard Klepper and Rick Turners work) and their placement so I'm asking the brains trust to chime in here with some current and updated thoughts and ideas.
Steve
Flying Buttresses
Flying Buttresses
Last edited by Kamusur on Thu Feb 17, 2011 8:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Flying Buttresses
"So here we go ladies" - pretty much lets me out 
Re: Flying Buttresses
Gone now Puff
Steve
Steve
Re: Flying Buttresses
Here's my thoughts Steve,
I have no doubt the flying buttress brace was first conceived by someone hoping to exploit more of the guitar top upper bout.
A standard Martin braced guitar has a great big UTB and popsicle brace in that area and these are looked upon by some as nodal points which absorb a great deal of energy transfer between the bridge forward to the neck block, and some suggest, from the neck itself back into the upper bout.
The use of the flying buttress can eliminate the UTB and popsicle brace altogether theoretically opening up that real estate of the upper bout normally stifled by the log. One of my favorite builders, Dave White, has been using the FB brace for a long while and I hope he will tune in on this topic to offer his views.
Another whose views I respect a great deal is Dennis Leahy. Dennis uses a different take on the flying buttress. Instead of running the braces from the neck block back to the waist, Dennis runs his bracing from the neck block right back to the tail block. As he does not use a conventionally placed soundhole, one would not even see these braces so I can see much merit in his ideas structurally and aesthetically and would really like to play one of his guitars one day.
For myself, I may try out the FB brace one day, but right now I am happy to maintain my focus upon exploitation of the lower bout. I feel that more can be milked from that area if one is prepared to sacrifice the upper bout to pure structure, but then I don't know so much to be certain of anything at this stage..guess that is what I like about the craft, it always has ya guessing
Cheers
Kim
I have no doubt the flying buttress brace was first conceived by someone hoping to exploit more of the guitar top upper bout.
A standard Martin braced guitar has a great big UTB and popsicle brace in that area and these are looked upon by some as nodal points which absorb a great deal of energy transfer between the bridge forward to the neck block, and some suggest, from the neck itself back into the upper bout.
The use of the flying buttress can eliminate the UTB and popsicle brace altogether theoretically opening up that real estate of the upper bout normally stifled by the log. One of my favorite builders, Dave White, has been using the FB brace for a long while and I hope he will tune in on this topic to offer his views.
Another whose views I respect a great deal is Dennis Leahy. Dennis uses a different take on the flying buttress. Instead of running the braces from the neck block back to the waist, Dennis runs his bracing from the neck block right back to the tail block. As he does not use a conventionally placed soundhole, one would not even see these braces so I can see much merit in his ideas structurally and aesthetically and would really like to play one of his guitars one day.
For myself, I may try out the FB brace one day, but right now I am happy to maintain my focus upon exploitation of the lower bout. I feel that more can be milked from that area if one is prepared to sacrifice the upper bout to pure structure, but then I don't know so much to be certain of anything at this stage..guess that is what I like about the craft, it always has ya guessing
Cheers
Kim
Re: Flying Buttresses
I am not a fan of the flying butress concept.
My preference is a functional equivalent of the Martin A braced top though I butt the brace to the headblock and UTB rather than morticing them in.
My preference is a functional equivalent of the Martin A braced top though I butt the brace to the headblock and UTB rather than morticing them in.
Re: Flying Buttresses
Excellent Kim thank you. Yes when i first saw em i thought of a combo of full length and short ? I wonder if Dennis' thoughts are of extending/strengthening the function of the truss rod also?
Jeff ty also. Yes the A frame has strong merit. I see something similar (a mixture of A+Fb =.. sounds like a new maths formula) in Rick Toones work with the A frame extending all the way back (massive FB?)
Steve
Jeff ty also. Yes the A frame has strong merit. I see something similar (a mixture of A+Fb =.. sounds like a new maths formula) in Rick Toones work with the A frame extending all the way back (massive FB?)
Steve
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