G
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I'm still all excited!
I read around about acoustics yesterday and decided that I would like to scallop the braces on the Pro Martin.
This is something that was "invented" and featured on the pre-war Martins. But it's used all over the acoustic market these days.
Frets.com says that it overall increases bass response. It can also change the tone of some guitars.
I first felt a little crazy starting to cut pieces out of my newly acquired acoustic that I really really liked alot. What if I ruin it? Still I wanted to try.
Original Braces
I used exacto blades and 120 grit sandpaper. First carved some larger parts of the bracing away and the sanded it smoother. It still looks a little clumsy, but I'm planning on smoothing it out even more when I change to Martin strings (they are on order now) and will arrive sometime next week. I put the old strings back after the mod, so I wouldn't be affected by the tone change of new strings.
Scallpoed after some cutting and sanding
Well now to the results... DAMN! seriously, I could never in my life believe that it would make such a change. The improvement is just amazing...
It didn't change the tone of guitar. But it added frequency response all over the spectrum, by 100%!!
I wrote in another thread that the guitar has a deep bass is overall a loud guitar. But now, the deep bass just rumbles out of the sound hole in a beautiful way and the trebles sparkle like never before. And it's noticeably louder as well! If you'd told me this last week I would never have believed it! :dance: :dance:
Imagine having a towel tucked in the sound chamber, play the guitar... then remove the towel and hear the difference!
Talking about new acoustics opening up after a few weeks of playing, this ~25 year old did some serious "opening up" today! I have a hard time putting it down now.
In fact, it's up there in the top of acoustics I've played!
I read around about acoustics yesterday and decided that I would like to scallop the braces on the Pro Martin.
This is something that was "invented" and featured on the pre-war Martins. But it's used all over the acoustic market these days.
Frets.com says that it overall increases bass response. It can also change the tone of some guitars.
I first felt a little crazy starting to cut pieces out of my newly acquired acoustic that I really really liked alot. What if I ruin it? Still I wanted to try.
Original Braces
I used exacto blades and 120 grit sandpaper. First carved some larger parts of the bracing away and the sanded it smoother. It still looks a little clumsy, but I'm planning on smoothing it out even more when I change to Martin strings (they are on order now) and will arrive sometime next week. I put the old strings back after the mod, so I wouldn't be affected by the tone change of new strings.
Scallpoed after some cutting and sanding
Well now to the results... DAMN! seriously, I could never in my life believe that it would make such a change. The improvement is just amazing...
It didn't change the tone of guitar. But it added frequency response all over the spectrum, by 100%!!
I wrote in another thread that the guitar has a deep bass is overall a loud guitar. But now, the deep bass just rumbles out of the sound hole in a beautiful way and the trebles sparkle like never before. And it's noticeably louder as well! If you'd told me this last week I would never have believed it! :dance: :dance:
Imagine having a towel tucked in the sound chamber, play the guitar... then remove the towel and hear the difference!
Talking about new acoustics opening up after a few weeks of playing, this ~25 year old did some serious "opening up" today! I have a hard time putting it down now.
In fact, it's up there in the top of acoustics I've played!
