Wood grading

feeds@yuku.com (Alan Carruth) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 14:33:21 GMT

I've got an unusal problem, and maybe somebody here can help.

Last summer, Carleen Hutchin died. They were getting her wood stash together to move to California, and I took over some bass sets I was storing for her. When I got there, they had set aside some old Sitka guitar tops. Some folks in the Catgut society were working on a 'synthetic' spruce substitute at the time, and were given these tops by Martin and Ovation to experiment on. Since they were useless for...

How long did Martin age wood back in the 20s, 30s and 40s?

feeds@yuku.com (Hamjack) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 11:06:04 GMT

Brazilian and spruce was still fairly plentiful back then. Today's stash of braz has got a lot of years on it in almost all cases, but how old was the wood used back in the day?

Top wood suggestions for first guitar?

feeds@yuku.com (Johnny Canso) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 09:55:34 GMT

I am getting close to taking the plunge into a guitar building course & was curious what suggestions you might have for the top. The guitar will be a deep body OM Martin style with a 25.4" neck. I am using Cocobolo for the back, sides, fingerboard & bridge. The top wood i am leaning towards is Adirondack, but i am also curious about other tone woods that would have good projection without having a muddy bottom-end that's typical sometimes with the use of rosewood. Also,...

Survey For the Record.....

feeds@yuku.com (shoeleatherexpress) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:43:30 GMT

For the record and identification of Mahogany or Sapele use on 15 series Martin guitars in 2009 I am including a few pictures of my 00-15 (as the tag plainly states). It is a mid 2009 serial number.....sap? or hog?

What would you chose?

feeds@yuku.com (MikeHalloran) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:44:20 GMT

On eBay right now are two nearly identical instruments. Both are Gibson Heritage guitars. One was made 1970-73 as far as I can tell and the other is a 1960s. The '60s is laminated BRW; the early '70s is solid EIR. If the guitars were otherwise identical, which would you chose?

Here is the early '70s in solid EIR (seller is incorrect on many aspects but the person who emailed in is correct)

What can you tell me about Lacewood?

feeds@yuku.com (AndrewFr) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:57:39 GMT

I'm gasing for a new guitar and a sweet little Lacewood parlor is calling my name. Any info on this tonewood would be welcome.

Tonewood-forest dream scenario. North America first.

feeds@yuku.com (FoolForWood) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:08:36 GMT

Here's the thread that led to this:
http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.yuku.com/topic/93635
Well, I guess it has been on some minds before that.

Let's not start by saying this isn't realizable for tonewood purposes only. It's still a dream scenario, remember.
Any ideas?
An eastern and a western version maybe? (In North America that is.)
Species?
...

Paulownia tomentosa

feeds@yuku.com (ee2b) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 10:57:05 GMT

The empress tree ( Paulownia tomentosa) is a very fast growing tree originally from the orient. I know that Martin made an experimental guitar with the back and sides from it. I was impressed with the guitar when I tried it, It reminded me of a very light weight mahogany guitar, as if the wood had dried for 50 years. Are any builders using this wood? Is it commercially available to builders? I heard a UMGFer bought the Martin experimental guitar. Does anybody know who has it now?

...

Does this look like brazilian rosewood?

feeds@yuku.com (rstl99) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 09:55:57 GMT

Hi all,
Do the back and sides of this guitar look like brazilian rosewood to you? It's of european origins, from the 30's I believe, and was described as rosewood.
Thanks.

Played a J-15 today and loved it. How do I tell if it's Sapele or Mahogany?

feeds@yuku.com (Oedipus) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:44:00 GMT

Just popped into the local guitar shop. Had never played a Martin jumbo and I had certainly never played an all 'hog Martin jumbo. It was love at first strum. Any way of knowing to a certainty whether the guitar was sapele or mahogany? I'm a bit of a traditionalist, so if it's the latter I might just pick it up.

Picea Pungens.... Blue Spruce. Why isn't it used more for tops?

feeds@yuku.com (Hamjack) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:55:52 GMT

There are many huge blue spruce growing in yards around central Massachusetts. Why isn't it used more for tops?

Distinguishing Brazilian Rosewood from related species

feeds@yuku.com (BradMIA) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:25:00 GMT

The following paper was just published and may be of interest to some forum readers. Be warned - it is fairly technical and targeted to a scientific audience.

'70's Aria Pro PW-18 guitar

feeds@yuku.com (charles bevell) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:18:07 GMT

Went to my local ma & pa shop to check out a '72 D-18 in Good COND w/ BR bridge and fingerboard for $1,450. Was bought. However, on the same hook where it had been was a guitar that had a tag that said $395, good '70's D-18 copy made in Japan. The Aria Pro sticker inside the soundhole said it was a PW-18 model. The Blue Book does not mention this model.Definitely had straight grain solid sitka, but not sure of the b/s. They looked solid, as well. Full gloss everywhere,...

Lutz?

feeds@yuku.com (Bluenotesandtrout) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:30:04 GMT

Anyone have any thoughts on Lutz spruce? Specifically would it make a good pairing with maple back/sides for an L00 size guitar??

Osage Orange

feeds@yuku.com (charles bevell) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:02:49 GMT

Does anyone know where I might purchase osage orange that is of guitar grade? Hear it has some of the qualities of Brazilian RW, a nice orange color with black "ink" lines at times, and is among the most durable of woods in that it doesn't split or crack much.

Are there any spruce varieties growing in South America?

feeds@yuku.com (Hamjack) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:29:00 GMT

We hear a lot about northern hemisphere spruce.. what about South America? The Andes?

German Spruce ?

feeds@yuku.com (Hankak) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:22:40 GMT

Does anyone know what is so special about German spruce that Collings charges $600.00 extra above the price of a standard Sitka top? It sure is pale looking wood...
Thanks
Hank

Why don't more custom artist models use sustainable or certified woods?

feeds@yuku.com (JimB1) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:20:44 GMT

I've been thinking about this one a while now and just have to ask. I mean most of these artists talk a good game about being environmentally correct and use sustainable resources but when they make their custom signature editions and have their choice of anything Martin can do, they never choose the sustainable stuff.

The D Cherry 09 is excellent sounding and I am currently Gassing for the D Mahogany 09 so it's not that they can't have Martin build some outstanding...

Brazilian Rosewood - Can I get some info!

feeds@yuku.com (jdhtacoma) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:34:53 GMT

If all goes well I will be in the market for a D-28 style box in 2010. I would like to have one with BR, but I'm not sure what to expect in price difference compared to EIR. Should I expect to pay 800, 1200, or even 1500 dollars more than EIR. Can we get some pictures of BR, and at what price (per the pics) should I expect to pay as an upcharge.

BTW - If the price is more that 1500 please be kind enough to send picture examples (if possible). I'm sure that everyone would...

Did anyone beside me spring for the OMCE Korina?

feeds@yuku.com (Dr Lee) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:35:39 GMT

In the interest of trying something new, I took a chance on the OMCE Korina. I am wondering about others opinions and impressions. I find it quite rich in the mids and high and lots of volume especially with the Martin 4100 strings it came with. I put on D'addario EXP 16's. Less brilliant highs, but still pleasant. I do find the guitar lacks a little on the bass side which I would have liked, but, hey I took the chance and bought it sight unseen. The D-TAR Wavelength pickup sounds ok...

The Log Cabin