Bridge patch questions

Dave Higham

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Between Bordeaux & the Atlantic. S.W.France
I'm drawing up my own plan for a tenor ukulele, working from the Hana Lima 'Ia fan-braced tenor plan which shows the bridge patch overlapping the two diagonal fan braces. Should the patch be cut to fit between them (I think that's what Pete does)? There's also a centre brace. Should this brace be made to fit over the bridge patch, i.e. have a rectangular cut out in it, or does the bridge patch have a slot cut into it into which the centre brace will fit?

Does the patch material depend on the type of bridge? i.e. hardwood for a pinned bridge (maple, rosewood, etc.), softwood for a tie-on bridge (spruce, cedar, etc.).

A slightly different question. For a first Tenor ukulele would you make a 12 fret to the body or a 14 fret model? It's for me, and I'm not likely to go up the 'dusty end' much. Are there advantages (other than access) to a 14 fret model? Are there tonal advantages to a 12 fret, etc?
 
Fan braces are typically notched to go over the bridge patch. The 12th or 14th neck/body connection not only affects the playability along the fret board but more importantly changes the bridge location on the lower bout. It's a matter of preference, depending upon what sound you're trying to get, but I prefer a 14th fret connection.
Good luck.
 
Just my novice opinion, but if you trim the bridge patch on the hana lima plans to fit inside the outside tonebars it is still plenty strong. I like to have the tonebars in direct contact with the soundboard. But that is just my novice opinion.
 
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