Bracing patterns

[cmkaco]

I am building a Greek bouzouki, and am wondering if anybody has built a flat top mandolin with tailpiece and floating bridge with something other than three horizontal harmonic bars or standard X bracing. Every Greek bouzouki I have seen (which all have floating bridges and a tailpiece) have three horizontal (i.e. parallel with the bridge) harmonic bars as bracing. One is above the soundhole, one just below it and one under the bridge or close to it. As I understand the X bracing pattern, it was developed by CF Martin to deal with the torsional forces created by ball end strings attached to the fixed bridge, which causes pulling up and twisting forces. Does anybody use or has anybody seen anything but horizontal harmonic bars or the X brace pattern, such as fan pattern, etc? Thanks.
Christ Kacoyannakis
cmkaco

[PaulD]

I posted pics a couple years ago of Gibson Alrite (Army/Navy) Tone-Bar like bracing. I don't know if it's considered good bracing for this type of mando. To play this Alrite before the owner dismantled it reminded me quite a bit of my Flatiron 1SH "pancake", which used the horizontal ladder bracing.

pd