this post was submitted on 15 May 2025
36 points (100.0% liked)

Woodworking

7284 readers
8 users here now

A handmade home for woodworkers and admirers of woodworkers. Our community icon is submitted by @1985MustangCobra@lemmy.ca whose father was inspired to start woodworking by Norm and the New Yankee Workshop.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

I'm hoping someone here can explain something that I haven't been able to find a satisfying answer to - why don't traditional acoustic guitars crack? I mean obviously sometimes they do, but it seems to me like that should happen all the time. For anyone unfamiliar, the front (top) and backs of wood acoustic guitars have their grain direction running parallel to the neck. And inside, there is bracing. That bracing runs perpendicular to the grain of the top, and the bracing is typically glued to the top. Gluing perpendicular grain is generally considered a huge problem when it's an item of furniture and it would be reasonable to expect an object constructed like that to tear itself apart in a few years as humidity fluctuations do their thing. But guitars usually don't do that and I don't understand why.

top 4 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] celeste@kbin.earth 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)

https://www.classicalguitardelcamp.com/viewtopic.php?t=132051

I don't know, but here's a conversation between guitar fans about it. The wood has to be treated carefully or it will crack, I guess.

[–] tehfishman@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago

There's some interesting information in here for sure. Some speculation about intentional allowances for some warping to occur, and information about how some tops are basically 3-ply plywood which is a bit more stable.

[–] bluGill@fedia.io 4 points 1 week ago

Every music store sells humidifiers because it is well known that if you don't keep your acoustic wood instruments (not just guitars, violins, harps, pianos...) at a very consistent humidity year round they will crack. If you go looking for antique musical instruments you will see a lot of them with cracks. The ones that are not cracked are the ones where the owners have cared about humidity and temperature.

[–] not3ottersinacoat@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 week ago

Because they're made in wells.