Martin D-15

[William2]

I was watching a video demo of the Martin D-15 the other day. While the reviewer doesn't demo instruments well, he does give a detailed explanation of the instrument. Describing the bracing as non-scalloped he went on to say that the instrument only uses one tone bar. He said doing this on a hardwood top allows the top to move more freely. He went on to say that this where most hog makers error, they brace their mahogany instruments like their spruce top instruments. Is there something to this using less bracing on a hardwood top instrument? Now I wonder if the new D-17 with the GE scalloped bracing also has only has one tone bar. 

[B0WIE]

Mahogany has greater density than spruce. If you leave it thick then you would use lighter bracing. If you make it very thin, you can use traditional bracing. I have a hog top guitar with traditional bracing that you'd never know was mahogany if you didn't look. That guitar has a thin top and braces shaved a little thinner. You don't have to always change the number of braces. The person you describe seems to neglect the biggest factor, which is that the thickness of the top and stiffness (quality) of the top matters. In the violin world, they decide the thickness of the top by how stiff or flexible it is.

[William2]

Thank you, Mr. BOWIE.