Bridge placementon H4 mandola

[tope]

I am making an H4 mandola from a Siminoff F4 blown up 15% (non-elevated fingerboard). The plan calls for the fret board to attach at the 12th fret. I am using an elevated board design and would like to attach the fingerboard at the 15th fret. I am using a 16" scale. The 12th fret design puts the bridge about 1" behind the apex of the top crown (toward the tailpiece). If I go with the 15th fret that puts the bridge about 1 1/4" toward the sound hole, about 1/4" in front of the apex of the top. Obviously something like a 17" scale would take care of the problem.

Could this be a strucural problem (or other problems I haven't forseen)? It has a gibson type brace behind the soundhole. Gary

[Michael Lewis]

Why not X brace it?

[tope]

I thought of the x brace. That doesn't change the bridge placement problem. If the bridge is 1/4" toward the sound hole from the apex of the top (15th fret)rather than
1" behind the apex toward the tailpiece(12th fret). Is moving the bridge 1 1/4" to the sounhole a problem?

The gibson brace is in, I could redo it to x brace but obviously would rather not. Gary