cross rod question!

[mac639]

I've made several guitars without a step at all, just a 9-1/2" width body, to allow for a thin pad and to put the knee levers closer to the back. Top and aprons are full 3/4" stock. Aprons are 3-1/4" wide but the back one is cut out
most of the way across by about 5/8". It sure makes things a lot easier underneath with out that pesky step to deal with. Hard to say why D10's were made with the step anyway. Perhaps they couldn't get wide enough boards, perhaps just to have one neck lower than the other for ease in playing...who knows? On an SD10/12 I think a flat body makes more sense to me anyhow. Here's a couple of pics of an SD10 that's wasn't finished when I took them. Note the knee lever brackets. All on the near side of the support and a much simpler attachment bracket than I used to make.
Cheers,
Mac