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a brief internet search reveals that a low-grade guitar soundboard isn't much more expensive than the specialty plywood I have been using to build cajon soundboards.
Will it stand up to beating if it is (fan) braced?
Any other thoughts / advice?
Tony Arnold
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"Flamenco is so emotionally direct that a trained classical musician would require many years of highly disciplined formal study to fail to understand it."
RE: cajon making advice from luthiers (in reply to a_arnold)
Depends on how hard you beat.... Another choice could be making your own fronts with two layers. laminated soundboard wood. You could even put a thin layer of this cloth between the woods just like they do on double top guitars. There are many ways of doing things and birch plywood can sure be a bit dead sounding.
RE: cajon making advice from luthiers (in reply to Anders Eliasson)
Thanks, Anders. Would you laminate the tops with the grain parallel or perpendicular? Would the doubletop cloth -- I think it is called nomex or novex or something like that (?) serve to strengthen?
Any other suggestions? Maybe put an arch in the top and fan bracing? Or simple cross-bracing? Thin the edges where they join the box? Make the back of tonewood? Put the holes in the sides? I would expect luthiers to have all kinds of ideas. . . Tony
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"Flamenco is so emotionally direct that a trained classical musician would require many years of highly disciplined formal study to fail to understand it."
RE: cajon making advice from luthiers (in reply to a_arnold)
Since I´m not going to build a cajon, I have little knowledge on the subject.. But I would laminate with the grain perpendicular. If I was to brace it, I would use lattice bracing. But I think I would start without braces. Thats more drummy. And remember that never mind how many guitar ideas you put into it, it remains a kind of drum and should be build like one.
RE: cajon making advice from luthiers (in reply to a_arnold)
Not an instrument builder but I am a carpenter and I can't picture needing braces if you laminated the wood perpendicular, it gets like exponentially tougher. I think glen cannin builds tops like that. It seems like no braces would be ideal for sound.....
Aren't braces in guitars because they have to be and if it was possible to build a guitar without braces and the same top thickness that would be ideal for sound? Not being sarcastic, really dont know...........
RE: cajon making advice from luthiers (in reply to a_arnold)
The braces in guitars main purpose is to prevent that the twisting forces of the bridge makes the soudnboard collaps. You can build without them, but then you´ll have to build very thick and the thing wont sound.
RE: cajon making advice from luthiers (in reply to a_arnold)
That's what I was thinking, so If had some sort of wood from another galaxy (let's say Andromeda ) with the tone of Cedar or Spruce and the strength of titanium you wouldn't brace it right? Adding braces to something like that wouldn't enhance the tone further would it?
RE: cajon making advice from luthiers (in reply to Leñador)
If memory serves, I believe Richard Brune told me he owns a Torres that has no bracing under the bridge. He described it as having a very large sounding bass but a poor treble response.
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) with the tone of Cedar or Spruce and the strength of titanium you wouldn't brace it right? Adding braces to something like that wouldn't enhance the tone further would it? 
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