Why V-bracing?

Why convert a ladder braced flat top guitar to V-bracing (or X-bracing)?

From an engineering perspective, ladder bracing is the worst possible design for long term top stability. It contributes nothing toward preventing bridge roll or upper bout distortion. In the case of Harmony Sovereign guitars with very minimal bracing this is a serious problem. Ladder bracing was strictly a cost saving method. They were cranking out as many guitars as they could each day. Any unskilled worker can quickly install braces in a straight across pattern. I have seen terrible top distortion on Harmony and other ladder braced guitars. The worst was a ladder braced Oahu acoustic lap steel. The top on that guitar was like looking out over the ocean. There are all kinds of "experts" out there stating that it is OK to leave your Sovereign ladder braced. I bet they have never put chisel to guitar. They probably want to sell you their ladder braced Sovereign. In short, they don’t know what they are talking about.

Many Harmony Sovereign guitars have the bracing installed with an early form of aliphatic resin glue. This glue failed. About twenty percent of the time I can pull these braces out with my fingers (no tools). In the rest of the guitars it is a simple matter to pull the full length of each brace out with a pair of pliers. This is to say that the top braces are not well adhered after 50-60 years. Usually, if I am careful, the procedure does not raise the grain on the top wood.

They used "red glue" (my term) on some Sovereigns. This glue is far superior to the white glue used on the ladder braced guitars.

The image below shows original Harmony Sovereign ladder bracing. Note the absence of any upper bout support, except for one skinny brace a mile away from the neck block. What is keeping the neck from collapsing into the sound hole?. Is there any wonder why 100% of original condition Harmony Sovereign guitars have mile high action? This is true even if the neck joint is perfect. Also, note the tiny spruce reinforcing plate. Wow, that is one quick and dirty installation. No wonder Harmony failed in the mid-70s. They were selling guitars that were not playable as produced and structurally unsound. So, yeah, Harmony Sovereigns need re-braced.

We hear and read claims and myths that ladder bracing offers that vintage sound, or that we should retain the current bracing so as to keep that vintage sound. Those folks often have a ladder braced guitar to sell you. And there are "restored" ladder braced guitars for sale all over the place with high price tags. Bunk I say!

Why would you want a guitar that will continue to degrade under string tension no matter how carefully you take care of it?

Why would you want a guitar that sounds like it was designed to be cheap to build?

Why would you want a guitar that plays like a wet noodle?

So why convert to V-bracing? Below shows our current V-brace pattern:

Tail Block View

Neck Block View

Note the extra spruce pad between the neck block and upper bout brace. Like the Martin pop cycle brace, this part transfers neck block rotation pressure to the upper bout brace preventing neck rotation into the sound hole.

V-bracing:

• Offers the best support for the bridge reinforcing plate. Above you can see that the plate is directly tied to the braces. Ladder bracing provides zero support for the plate. X-bracing only provides more, but not as much as V-bracing.
• Provides symmetrical support for both sides of the top
• Provides minimal brace wood in the area that must move air the most as strings vibrate.
• Allows smallest area of reinforcing plate.
• Stabilizes the top area.
• Provides strongest possible flattening structure for sound hole area distortion. The braces directly work against it.
• Allows the bridge and entire associated top area to move while at the same time keeping the upper bout area stable thus preventing vibration cancellation.

Now here is a new term, "Vibration Cancellation". I have a theory about why V-bracing works so well. When the strings make the bridge and associated top area move in and out, the top around and above the sound hole want to move in the opposing direction. The top just below the sound hole tends to work like the center support on a Titer-Totter. The bridge moves in and the upper bout moves out, etc. If the upper bout area of the top is allowed to move in the opposite direction from the bridge area, sound waves (i.e. moving air) tend to cancel each other out. If the upper bout is stabilized with V-bracing, the bridge area and the associated top can move air without interference from the upper bout area.

The top is very much like a huge loudspeaker. You want the bridge area to the pump as much air as possible, especially in the higher frequencies which where the harmonics and brilliance occur. V-bracing supports and allows this.

In short, our V-braced tops sound as good or better than any guitar you can buy, assuming equal quality top planks. In most cases, even top quality has no effect. The only exception is the top grade Taylor acoustics. They offer additional top preparation machining which we cannot offer. But that will cost you $2,500 and up. Of course, we will convert your guitar to X-bracing if you request it.

How can I prove to you what I have stated above? Just listen to one of our V-brace converted guitars. Listening is believing. This is a dramatic improvement in acoustic guitar top bracing design.

So why V-bracing? Buy our guitars only if you want crunchy lows and brilliant harmonic highs and over tones. Otherwise, keep looking for that dull sound. You will not be able to put our V-braced guitar back in the case.

We build the best sounding acoustic restorations on the planet.