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Just started a build a Baritone 27 1/2" Weissenborn style,Tasmanian Blackwood back and sides with King Billy pine top.As a lover of those old Parlor guitars I will use a Floating bridge and tailpiece very lightly braced with possibly ladder bracing.I feel by using low tension strings and tuned down to a low B or possibly low A the top should stand up without any problems.I am a great fan of those old Knutsen ladder braced guitars.Any one with some ideas or comments.Cheers

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Hi Kelvin
I'm sorry to say I haven't any ideas to offer on the subject. However, I did notice your reference to King Billy pine and if you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a question. A mate is coming over from Taz in a few days time and bringing me a load of blackwood, King Billy and huon to make a batch of OM's and OO's. I haven't worked with either King Billy or huon before. Could you tell me anything about the characteristics of these woods? are they similar to any of the usual s/b woods?

Best wishes

Dave
I finished a 27" scale weiss 6 months ago QLD Maple B&S King Billy top I keep it tuned to C with 56-16 strings
I used standard weiss X bracing Kept the top a full 125-130 thou no problem. Knutsen used ladder bracing but used a fixed pin bridge not a tailpiece..
My 2 cents- go with x-braces & build a slight arch into them rather than flat cigar box construction. This will counter downward string pressure of a floating bridge & not result in a distorted top over time. I think the 'X' is a much better geometric shape to transfer the downward load than ladder braces. I do flat top (but domed) bouzoukis with floating as opposed to pin bridges. Getting your floating bridge to sit on the edges of that 'X', in my unscientific opinion, that provides a good stable top but also acts as a means to transmit vibrations more effectively out into the whole top-the x brace is like a resonator spider bridge with less spokes on it, if you follow.
The other thing you mention is 'low tension'. Traditionally, I think the slide player is looking for a bit stiffer tension to counter the bar. The only reason I know that lower tension slide strings are now available is to help those with old tender original Weiss'es that cant take heavier gauges. Personally, I find low tension slide setup, its easy too easy to sharpen the note with your bar, the string wants to push down so low. Given you arent fretting a slide guitar with fingers, I dont see the point myself in designing specifically for low tension. Why not build it to take beefier strings & get a beefier tone? To some extent the volume you get will be related to string gauge & tension. I just had to explain to a guy that xtra light gauge guitar strings have around 30% less tension that medium gauge & that you cant expect an instrument to sound the same when you cut out 30% potential energy via lighter strings.

Rory
Not a great fan of tailpieces on flatops myself.
I tend to agree with Rory on X bracing distributing vibration better.
I built my Baritone weiss with the sides about 1" deeper than standard. I think it helps to support the low notes.
If you are going to be tuning to B you are going to need quite heavy strings but the overall tension will most likely be still low at that pitch consult the charts for the strings you propose. I use the 56-16 on my 25" scale tuned to open D and the same on the 27" tuned to C and would probably go heavier for the C if I had them available.
re the King Billy Pine- treat it like WRC, it is soft and breaks easily if flexed cross grain. I am happy with the sound.
Don't know anyone seriously using Houn for a soundboard, it is denser a bit waxy and considered to have higher damping
Thanks for the ideas guys ,I am going for a slightly different tonal range than my other Weiss clones hence using King Billy for the top.I have built with deep bodies in fact a teardrop I just finished in Tassy Flame Myrtle was 4 1/4 '' but I do find the "urgency" of the tone changes the deeper the body,certainly the bottom end is stronger but I am not to sure I like the treble as much.The floating bridge is to get that softer attack more cello like ,a couple of old Parlors I have owned possesed a lovely bloom to the attack and the ladder bracing was to free up the top a little more,however I hear what you say and think a lighter X brace with the bridge sitting on the X makes a lotta sense.I don't have any trouble with a lighter gauge string on my laps I find heavy strings sure give more volume and guts but maybe loose touch and dynamics ,for me anyway.Would I still need a heavy bridge plate with this design.Dave, King Billy has been described to me as tonally in between Cedar and Spruce it is quite a soft wood with a lovely pink tinge to it ,at least my top is,as for Huon pine not too sure I know here in OZ we use it for Outside Decking timber.Cheers
Peter Coombe says KB pine IHO is the best mandolin topwood he's used but doesn't hold it
in that high a regard for other instruments but I'd be tempted to.Who carries it since it's
somewhat scarce? Just the nomenclature tickles me!
Seems to be a popular wood in Oz.. I've seen quite a bit on eBay but usually from Aussie suppliers, so might be a bit costly.
Dave
Az in Oztralia,Oztria,or Ozwego?
Australian Tonewoods should be able to get some for you http://www.australiantonewoods.com also Bunya is also a nice timber. Cheers

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