Bacing pattern alternives and their benefits

[reeves]

HI guy n girls, i have been looking into alternative bracing systems for acoustic instruments. I wonder if anyone here has experience with this.

Cole Clark has a new line with different bracing and a carved top done on CNC routing equipment. http://www.coleclarkguitars.com/product_angel.asp#

http://www.coleclarkguitars.com/images/products/thumbsBig/AngelBig1.jpg

the Kasha stuff have many experimental angles and apparently lots of benefits.

and large sizes

http://www.boazguitars.com/ or http://www.claritanegra.com/

http://www.claritanegra.com/images/inside_nylon.jpg

and other Kasha stuff, http://www.hanalima.com (http://www.hanalima.com/) or http://www.hanalima.com/gallery_inprogress.shtml for ukes

http://www.hanalima.com/images/gallery_inprogress_soundboard.jpg

There seem to be quite a few other luthiers who have tried differing styles of bracing to help increase soundboard performance, resonsance and strenght.

http://www.jthbass.com/kasha.html

http://www.jthbass.com/pics/cltopsm.jpg
http://www.jthbass.com/pics/ctbacksm.jpg

http://www.kleinguitars.com/KleinGuitarLinks/JBridges.gif

has anyone here looked at this kind of thing or has first hand expereince with different techniques and their benefits ?

or even played any guitars with more experimental deisgns

[kiwigeo]

Also checkout Greg Smallman's use of balsa wood/graphite and lattice style bracing.

For good coverage of bracing both conventional and unconventional get a hold of the GAL Big Red Book series.....compulsory aquisition for serious luthiers.