cut away advice

[Jonny McClean]

Hi, I'm looking for some advice regarding cutaways, I am ready to build my second guitar, my first was a l00 style and I would like to build another similar one with a few changes, I would like to add a cutaway although the upper bout is oly 259mm, or 10.2", is this too narrow to put a cut away into, I will be using my trusty hot pipe to bend the sides I have lots of assorted sizes of pipe to get a tight cutaway, but I want to know before I start will the small upper bout cause me problems, if it does I may just go the other way and build a jumbo or something thanks in advance,

[Mark Swanson]

You should be just fine, as long as you are able to make the bend. Practice on some scrap. Bending that tight can be a bit of a challenge. I have made many L-00 guitars with cutaways.

[Jonny McClean]

Many thanks looking forward to the challenge

[Bob Gramann]

Sometimes, it helps to make the side a little thinner where a tight bend is required.

[Gerry Gruber]

Hi Jonny. Two issues... the mechanical/building issues in putting a cutaway in a smaller upper bout, and the tonal issues. I build what I call a grand concert with a 10.5" upper bout. This is slightly wider than your plan, but close. With a small upper bout, the cutaway will be tighter (smaller radius) and therefore more of a challenge to bend. Some wood is easier to bend than others. Padauk is a challenge. Walnut is much easier. Figured wood is going to be trickier than straight grained, etc. As to the tonal impact, I don't think there is much, simply because the upper bout (regardless of your guitar shape and size) is relatively small and tightly braced, compared to the lower bout. Because you have a very small upper bout, it will be relatively acoustically inactive anyway. Adding the cutaway will be all but unnoticeable tonally.

[Len McIntosh]

Jonny
my first cutaway experience- not so good - the small radius bend in a venetian cutaway is not easy.
From that point on i have only made pointed cutaways (florentine) - much easier and frankly i think they look better. I use a small angled piece to join the two side pieces.
Enjoy the challenge
Len

[Jonny McClean]

Hi thanks for all your advice and comments, I have decided on a shape for my cutaway the Florentine cuts look good but I have decided on a more rounded Venetian style cut, I have a rough template made and I think tomorrowi will try and bend the side, hopfully it won't be a total disaster,


L 00 cutaway template

[Steve Senseney]

Your template indicates a brazilian rose wood bridge, but you are adding a plastic inlay for the rosette?

[Jonny McClean]

I think I will change that up a bit might have a go with some purple heart or sone abalone or something, I haven't decided on the final details yet mahogany back and sides spruce bracing maybe a cedar top mahogany neck not sure about the fingerboard yet, although I think I might try binding it aswell, and maybe have a go at a bit of custom inlay on the fretboard too, just something to give myself a bit of a challenge and hone my skills, I'm also looking to fit an acoustic pickup with thejack in the strap button and I might do some chamfers around the lower bout to make it a bit more ergonomic , but we will see it may evolve as I'm building it

[Mark Swanson]

That is quite a drastic bend there Jonny. You could lighten it up a bit! I make a guitar just like this, and while I think I could make a more drastic cutaway, I am more comfortable (and get no breakage) doing it this way...

[Bob Gramann]

Mark is right. That one will be agony to bend.

[Jonny McClean]

Thanks Mark, I may have to have a rethink,

[Dave Gentner]

Spraying your sides with Super-Soft 2 veneer softener the day before you bend them will help with that tight bend. Also I'd take them down to .075" in thickness, and make sure you're using some kind of bending strap for backing.

[Bryan Bear]

I'm currently building an L-00 from that exact same drawing (Grieller [sp]). When I drew out my cutaway, I took my curves from the pick guard and adjusted as needed. Hopefully the two curves will compliment each other once done. My cutaway ended up being between yours and Mark's but closer to Mark's. I'll try to take a picture of the drawing if that will help. With your cutaway I would be worried about binding more than bending. If there is any dome to your top at all, you have to ask the binding to bend in two directions as once. A really curvy pronounced cutaway exaggerates the issue.

[Jonny McClean]

I managed to make the bend fairly closely I have it clamped roughly to my template to fully dry out, I will come back later to see if I need to adjust it slightly, I had to soften the curves slightly but overall I'm happy enough, I have a few scorch marks to deal with ect. but I don't foresee a any further problems, also I used a 1" pipe which actually is about 1 1/4" o/d to bend the cutaway, thanks for all of the advice i appreciate it.

[Steve Senseney]

Looks like you did well!

[Bob Gramann]

Congratulations.

[Barry Daniels]

The way you are letting the sides dry out seems like your asking for trouble. I would not expect them to come out anywhere near to vertical. A form is a very handy thing to use.

[Bryan Bear]

Looks like it bent well, what wood is that? I love how altering the cutaway curve can change the whole look of a body shape. Here is mine.

[Michael Lewis]

Bryan, I like the lines of that cutaway, rather like the Gypsy guitars. Eminently easier to make too.