My next endeavor will be an all-mahogany 14-fret 00. Any advice on how to choose a mahogany top?
Thanks!
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| Advice Needed: Choosing A Mahogany Top http://luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=42499 |
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| Author: | oddmanout [ Mon Jan 20, 2014 5:24 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Advice Needed: Choosing A Mahogany Top |
My next endeavor will be an all-mahogany 14-fret 00. Any advice on how to choose a mahogany top? Thanks!
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| Author: | fingerstyle1978 [ Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:12 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advice Needed: Choosing A Mahogany Top |
Same as Spruce I would think. QS and as little runout as possible. tight grain may not matter as much but would be visually appealing. |
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| Author: | the Padma [ Mon Jan 20, 2014 7:44 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advice Needed: Choosing A Mahogany Top |
Filippo Morelli wrote: I'd prefer something with good tap tone. Honduran preferably. I've heard a lot of dead mahogany... Filippo And lets not mention a lot of DOA builds ~ no names. 
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| Author: | RusRob [ Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:38 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advice Needed: Choosing A Mahogany Top |
I'm watching this thread since my next build will probably be the same parlor I am doing now but all Mahogany and I have the same question about choosing the wood. |
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| Author: | John Lewis [ Tue Jan 21, 2014 8:51 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advice Needed: Choosing A Mahogany Top |
Think about a quartered Spanish cedar top also. It would be close to the same look and sound as mahogany. Most of the Spanish cedar neck blanks I have are more resonant than the Honduran mahogany I own. I don't know if Spanish cedar would make it a better choice but it may be something to consider. |
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| Author: | oddmanout [ Tue Jan 21, 2014 8:58 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advice Needed: Choosing A Mahogany Top |
John Lewis wrote: Think about a quartered Spanish cedar top also. It would be close to the same look and sound as mahogany. Most of the Spanish cedar neck blanks I have are more resonant than the Honduran mahogany I own. I don't know if Spanish cedar would make it a better choice but it may be something to consider. An interesting idea, but I'm going to keep this one to traditional mahogany. ![[:Y:]](./images/smilies/smiley20.gif "Thumbs Up")
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| Author: | Goodin [ Tue Jan 21, 2014 9:06 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advice Needed: Choosing A Mahogany Top |
Check out Hibdon. They sell full matching mahogany sets (top, back, sides). http://www.hibdonhardwood.com/collectio ... -side-sets |
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| Author: | oddmanout [ Tue Jan 21, 2014 9:41 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advice Needed: Choosing A Mahogany Top |
Todd Stock wrote: Had an exceptional 41 00-17 in on Saturday for some side cracks and check on the work I did on it last year...a little more fundamental in the bass, but sweet, deep mids and trebles...one of the best all-mahogany guitars I've seen , and def top 5% of Martins I've played. No need to go to anything else, although if all you want is a dark top, dyed or toned spruce works fine, but the sound of a mahogany top is very distinctive, and there's really not a lot of ways to get it, other than a mahogany or loa or close analog. I definitely want the all-mahogany sound. I agree it is distinctive and would make a nice addition to my collection of spruce-topped guitars. |
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| Author: | RusRob [ Thu Jan 23, 2014 11:59 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advice Needed: Choosing A Mahogany Top |
Is there any structural disadvantage in using figured mahogany over something that has a perfectly straight grain? I love the look of it and would much prefer to build something that has some shimmer to it. I own a Gibson LG-0 that is all Hog but it is pretty plain to look at but has a wonderful sound. How is it for bending over straight grain? |
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| Author: | profchris [ Thu Jan 23, 2014 2:04 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advice Needed: Choosing A Mahogany Top |
RusRob wrote: Is there any structural disadvantage in using figured mahogany over something that has a perfectly straight grain? I love the look of it and would much prefer to build something that has some shimmer to it. I own a Gibson LG-0 that is all Hog but it is pretty plain to look at but has a wonderful sound. How is it for bending over straight grain? Uke makers use a lot of figured wood, especially koa, and I think there's a consensus that straight grain tops usually sound better than figured. They are usually stiffer, so can be thinner. I guess this is a structural advantage, as hardwood tops have more mass than softwood as a rule. Figured wood can be awkward to bend, tending to split or kink at the figure because the figure is part end grain. Metal strips on the outside of the bend can help tame this. |
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| Author: | Freeman [ Fri Jan 24, 2014 12:13 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advice Needed: Choosing A Mahogany Top |
I just finished an all mahogany 00 (12 fret, long scale) and simply ordered a matching set from LMI. Top ended up at 0.110, deeply scalloped 5/16 bracing, nicely balanced across the strings and remarkably loud. 
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| Author: | Quine [ Fri Jan 24, 2014 1:56 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advice Needed: Choosing A Mahogany Top |
Filippo Morelli wrote: I'd prefer something with good tap tone. Honduran preferably. I've heard a lot of dead mahogany... Filippo I think its all dead after they cut the tree down If you have the chance to sort through alot of mahogany...then find one with a nice tap tone, nice stiffness, and appearance. If you're ordering online I'd call either Hibdon Hardwoods or Stewmac and tell them you want a mahogany top. I've done that with good results |
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| Author: | RusRob [ Fri Jan 24, 2014 3:28 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advice Needed: Choosing A Mahogany Top |
@Freeman, Nice looking little Hog... Here is my 1964 LG-0-X that I did a couple of years ago. I bought it on Ebay for a song, the back was split down the middle and flapping in the breeze and most of the braces were out of it and the finish was literally falling off of it. But the top didn't have any cracks and the neck was perfectly straight and the original frets had almost zero wear (it is still wearing the original frets) As a matter of fact the neck is the only thing I didn't have to rebuild on it and is even sporting the original Gibson Logo. Like yours it is X braced (hence the -X part of LG-0) and has a really nice warm voice that is surprisingly loud. I want to build a parlor to look just like this one... sort of a miniature version of it. But I would like to build it with figured Mahogany so that is why I asked. Cheers, Bob |
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| Author: | John Arnold [ Fri Jan 24, 2014 5:19 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advice Needed: Choosing A Mahogany Top |
The original style-17 Martins tended to have very plain, straight-grained tops, with little or no ribbon striping. Most any figure in mahogany (ribbon, curl, quilt, etc. ) will involve runout, at least in a localized sense. As a repairman, I prefer less ribbon striping because it makes replacing a bridge or resetting a neck much easier. I doubt that it makes much difference to the sound. |
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| Author: | Clay S. [ Fri Jan 24, 2014 8:46 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advice Needed: Choosing A Mahogany Top |
Like yours it is X braced (hence the -X part of LG-0) and has a really nice warm voice that is surprisingly loud. I want to build a parlor to look just like this one... sort of a miniature version of it. But I would like to build it with figured Mahogany so that is why I asked. The LG 3/4 size is a short scale parlor version of the LG. I build it as an X braced version and I am drawing up a plan of it. |
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