The Log Cabin

Does this mahogany back have "silking"?

feeds@yuku.com (Gouchi) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:04:29 GMT

What do you think? I have never seen mahogany have the perpendicular waves usually found on soundboards. It is the first time that I have seen it on a mahogany guitar.

Shipping Guitars With Brazilian Rosewood Out Of The US ?

feeds@yuku.com (XBrace) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:43:50 GMT

I come across some nice Martins for sale from time to time either from private sellers or dealers that have BRW used in their construction. It could include anything from just a headstock veneer, bridge or whole body.

Is there CITES paperwork that allows these guitars be shipped out of the US [ to Australia ] ?

If there is would a dealer usually have a better idea of the paperwork ? I'm asking this as I see some nice guitars in Buy And Sell owned by private sellers,...

Euro Topwoods and Bracing

feeds@yuku.com (skim) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:37:00 GMT

Toying with the idea of a custom for the future. I've been reading/searching about Carpathian, German, Alpine etc. I know that the stiffer light woods will lend more clarity. I think the thing I love most about Martins is the warmth, darkness, woodiness. I'm an OM player. From my reading it appears that the Euro tops fall somewhere in between sikta and adi with respect to warmth (and clarity). Can any players chime in? Ideally I'd be trying to achieve the same warmth of my sitka...

Any oak owners?

feeds@yuku.com (Brad) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:46:26 GMT

Looking through a book on the history of Martin guitars, they showed a beautiful picture of an oak dreadnought with a caption saying something like "we tried these but they didn't sell because people weren't used to seeing them" It went on to extoll the excellent tone properties of oak. My question is does anyone out there own, or know anyone who has owned or played an oak guitar? I tell you the thing was beautiful and what with the concern over other dwindling species, I...

How Much Wood?

feeds@yuku.com (ppipik) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:28:47 GMT

In a recent discussion with a friend, he made the comment that "rampant" musical instrument construction, especially of (hiss!) guitars contributed to the destruction of forests and the loss of exotic species like rosewood and mahogany. I told him that I thought guitar making was an insignificant part of the problem of deforestation and that all the guitars made every year were a tiny fraction of the rare wood consumed, much of which is used in furniture, packaging and veneering....

My 00015...Sapele or Mahogany?

feeds@yuku.com (weege57) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:13:22 GMT

How would I know? Is there something in the serial numbering that would give a hint, or is it based on looks/feelings alone?

Marty

I've seen pictures of a few gorgeous Ziricote guitars of late...

feeds@yuku.com (Hamjack) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:06:56 GMT

Where does it sit tonally, and what builders are comfortable working with it?

The Lucky Strike Redwood. Tonewood profile

feeds@yuku.com (pakhan) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:58:02 GMT

Hi Folks!

For your viewing pleasure, I have just published a profile on the legendary Lucky Strike Redwood as part of my ongoing tonewood database. As always, improvements, corrections and additional information/ your own experiences are much appreciated- I'll update the profile citing you and linking back to you! If you have an experiences or data to share, I would be very grateful.

I can't link...

Selmer 'oval' hole guitar plans.....................your thoughts???

feeds@yuku.com (tonewheelkev) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:23:33 GMT

Wondered if anyone out there has used the RF Charle Selmer/Maccaferri plans, and can comment on their accuracy?
Are there any other sources for these plans?

Thanks
Kev/Leeds/UK

What finish on a 2002 Martin 000-28VS ?

feeds@yuku.com (emil) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:32:01 GMT

The Martin Guitars Book, a Technical Reference, states that most 28 models and over have nitrocellulose finishes. I need to restore the finish of my 000-28VS but I am not completely sure of the finish type. As most of you know all the details of the making and fixing of Martin guitars, could you please help me with this? Also, if...

Did Martin use non-Brazilian Rosewood before '70?

feeds@yuku.com (om45dlx) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:33:21 GMT

It seems to me there were some Martins I saw before '70 where the wood looked so unusual I thought it might not be D. Nigra. I've owned around 400 pre-'68 guitars with Brazilian on them somewhere; about 120 of them Martins, about 80 of the Martins had rosewood bodies. Worked on many more. Two three of the older ones, particularly a '48 D-28, stood out as significantly different rosewood (not EIR) than the others. Anyone else ever notice this?

Did Martin buy any...

Adi/Red Spruce Top?

feeds@yuku.com (BlackCustom) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:24:41 GMT

I started a thread in the tech forum, but it was suggested I post a pic here in the log cabin.

For me, the easiest way to spot Red Spruce was wide grain (in newer guitars anyway). I just had my D-28 Marquis re-topped at Martin, and the grain is much tighter than the old top, or any I have seen. Is there another way to confirm red spruce by looking at it?

Here are are a few pics in case it is:

Can you tell Adi/Red Spruce from sitka by looking?

feeds@yuku.com (BlackCustom) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:38:21 GMT

I recently got my D-28 Marquis back from Martin, where it was re-topped. The guitar looks great, actually better than before, but it's lost some power and headroom as opposed to before. These days one of the best ways to recognize a Red Spruce top was wide grain (at least for an amateur like me), but the new top's grain is tighter and more consistent than many RS tops I have seen. I know Martin would not have switched to Sitka on purpose, but is there a way to confirm Red Spruce by...

Wide grain Adirondack

feeds@yuku.com (Clayton) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:55:24 GMT

What is all the hype of Adirondack tops not being closed grain? Most dealers will tell you on any of the Adirondack tops, especially vintage, Golden Era and authentic the grain needs to be wilder than that of sitka. I have seen a lot of pre war Martins and purchased a few and most have red spruce with closed grain that sounds excellent. Can anybody tell me what the big deal is with wide grain Adirondack? I also have a 51 D28 that I had heard, might have something other than sitka, it very...

Top wood variety within a species ?

feeds@yuku.com (kydave) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:34:30 GMT

The wood on top of the two guitars below is supposedly Engelmann, all through the series, but while the first one looks like Engelmann to my uneducated eye - the other one looks like a different variety of spruce - Adi?

What sayest y'all?

One

Grading

feeds@yuku.com (MRBABAR) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:37:40 GMT

Can anyone tell me what a grade #8 premium Adi top on a martin would equate to in terms of "master grade, grade AAA, Grade AA, etc?"

Thanks

Braz back question for wood gurus

feeds@yuku.com (kydave) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:29:16 GMT

The cross markings in the Braz are really kind of pretty in the abstract as you look into the grain while moving the guitar. But can you tell me what causes those dramatic lines cross ways?

Martin Stratabond neck

feeds@yuku.com (MartinD18) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:21:59 GMT

Does anyone know what this is made of and/or how?

For those who like Brazilian...

feeds@yuku.com (boomklever) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:26:40 GMT

I was just notified by Taylor Guitars (...) that Bob Taylor is now working on a very limited set of guitars using Brazilian Rosewood from Taylor's reserves. Have never seen so much (nice) Brazilian all together in those great pics. Enjoy!

Coastal Redwood. Tonewood profile

feeds@yuku.com (pakhan) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:21:30 GMT

Hi Folks!

For your viewing pleasure, I have just published a profile on Coastal Redwood as part of my ongoing tonewood database. As always, improvements, corrections and additional information/ your own experiences are much appreciated- I'll update the profile citing you and linking back to you! If you have an experiences or data to share, I would be very grateful.

I can't link pics directly to here so do pop by to