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November 2003
Posts: 231
| I know this has been touched on before, but can't seem to find anything on it. I have several A-Braced Legends, and it seems pretty common to feel the individual braces when you run your hand across the top below the bridge. I've seen some that you could actually see the pattern of the braces when looking at the top. The A type bracing pattern gives the guitar a lot of tone and volume, but seems to weaken the top somewhat, also. Does anyone else noticed this, and is it mostly happening on the A- braced models. I can't recall seeing it on the X braced ones. I've never been one to loosen the strings on my guitars, because I play them frequently, and it's a lot of trouble constantly tuning up. I guess using light gauge strings might help, but I prefer mediums. |
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Location: Munich, Germany | I have the same 'problem'. The bracing is even more noticable on AAA tops and black or other dark finishes. I have been told this is normal and no need to worry.
I don't think lights would help, as I use lights on all my guitars. I neither think it has to do with lack of humidity, since I do control the humidity in my guitar room.
Kurt |
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November 2003
Posts: 231
| I didn't realize that the higher grade tops were affected even more. The Ovations that I own all have AAA or Hand Selected tops. I keep my guitars properly humidified, also, so I don't think that's an issue. I would imagine that the stress of the strings pulling against the bridge over a period of years is the culprit. Since I don't own any Ovations with different types of bracing, I am curious if the same problem exists. Seems there is a lot of Ovations around with cracked tops, as well. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Just one of those things that happens. I've seen it on Elites too. |
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Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | I look at this as a WOOD thing rather than a "guitar top" thing.
The more parallel the braces are to the grain on a thin, stressed piece of wood, the more the top will be "pushed up" by the braces...leaving the area between the braces more free to do it's own thing. It is easy to bend the top "with the grain".
On the other hand, it's very hard to bend the top against the grain...which is what braces are trying to do the more perpendicular they are to the grain.
I understand what I just said, and I hope you do, too. The effect of the A bracing on the top is not a "problem"; it's just a characteristic of wood in this case.
John <>{ |
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Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | ...and the older Ovations had very thick finish compared to today's. I just think as the wood would bend over time the finish would tend to crack. Picture that thick finish like a thin potato chip glued to that top. What happens to the chip if you bend the top a little.
Not only do the new X-braced tops do less bending along the grain, but the new finishes are much thinner. I think we'll find over time that the new guitars don't have the common finish crack problems. |
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October 2003
Posts: 134
Location: Lakewood, Ohio | Bauerhillboy, my family is from Warren Pa. since the early 1800s. What a great town, right by the Kinzua Recreational area. I still visit, fun place especially over the 4th of July. |
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Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Yes. Yes. and Yes. On a positive note, it makes it easy to check what bracing pattern your guitar has. I tend to be an anally retentive shit over a lot of things (quality of the case, alignment of the tuners, etc.) but for some reason feeling and seeing the brace pattern through the soundboard never bothered me. Dave |
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November 2003
Posts: 231
| The older Ovations do have a very thick finish that lends itself well to finish cracks. I've always heard that it affects tone in a negative way, also, but certainly don't see that affect on Ovations that I own.
I've seen more than one of these old A braced Ovations that had pretty severe problems with the bracing. So much as to have a sunken area on either side of the bracing. Doesn't seem to affect the tone, just the cosmetics. With not a lot of support across the grain, I guess there's not much there to precvent this from happening over time, especially if humidification comes into play, not to mention string gauge, age, and other factors. Guess it's just something we have to live with. |
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October 2003
Posts: 134
Location: Lakewood, Ohio | How does the LX impact the A bracing? |
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March 2002
Posts: 15678
Location: SoCal | LX's have scalloped X bracing, so I would guess that they don't affect guitars with A bracing at all.... |
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October 2003
Posts: 134
Location: Lakewood, Ohio | Homer Simpson, DOH! |
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September 2005
Posts: 3619
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Another idea for minimizing the visual effect would be to have it refinished in a flat/natural finish. The flat finish also allows the color of the wood to be seen better (without side reflection) |
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Ovation A-Bracing
