Brace thickness for an acoustic 5 string?

[Len McIntosh]

This is my first post,
I have a neck that I damaged and is very narrow, not wanting to waste it I'm planning on an experiment.
The usable neck width dictates 5 strings max, so the 6th string is gone! No low E!
Benefits my daughter may like the narrow neck and it will be just a bit easier to learn on (remembering) I learned on a uke!
I also want to use a baritone scale (probably 27").
Last no traditional sound hole just a pair of eyes each side of the upper fingerboard.
Since there is no heavy gauge 6thstring I think I can use 1/4 inch braces maybe even less, also since I have no middle sound hole I'm free to use a non traditional pattern (maybe a Z or M instead of an X)
I would really appreciate thoughts from others.
Theme will be a sailboat with the bridge being the hull, the mast etc being inlaid in the sound board and the pick guard shaped like a spinnaker.
FYI this will be guitar number 11, I use parts (seconds) from those good folks in Nazareth. My guitars are for family members mostly.

[John Hamlett]

X-braces are tried and true, they work. Brace stiffness can be adjusted to pretty much whatever we want regardless of width (within reason, of coarse) but narrower braces have less glue surface. I'm not sure what the utility of a 5 string guitar would be, perhaps it would be worthwhile, but making another neck and continuing with the original plan is always an option.

[Len McIntosh]

John - had not considered glue surface - thanks- my thinking is making the sound board as light as possible -
The guitar is an experiment using parts that seem to be worthless.
My bridge will be of a wood much lighter than traditional (ebony rosewood) woods.
The baritone tuning (down 5 semitones) skinny bracing, lightweight bridge hopefully will all balance.
Len

[Dave Ross]

I'm not sure what the utility of a 5 string guitar would be.

Ask Keith Richards! He has several strung with 5 strings, usually in an open G tuning.

[Clay Schaeffer]

Hi Len,
Another possibility you might want to consider is making it a 4 string Plectrum guitar. This is similar to a tenor guitar but has the longer scale and a lower tuning. They are somewhat rare these days but have been used by banjo/guitar crossover players in the past.

[Len McIntosh]

Just FYI I wanted to use the thin neck, and was going to go 4 string but read kieth Richards book " my life" very very good read and he talked at length about his use of a five string g tuned guitar. That started my five string thinking plus I learned first on a uke, then a four string and the transition to 6 strings was easy, will pass this guitar to a learner in the family.
And I like to experiment.
Have been looking at the kasha bracing style and am leaning in that direction. The back bracing is most interesting photos appear to show the x floating, touching the back only in the center and the edges so the back can act as a diaphragm.