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| Help ID this softwood for an Archtop http://luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=43004 |
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| Author: | munen [ Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:20 am ] |
| Post subject: | Help ID this softwood for an Archtop |
Hello guys, Im planning on building an archtop and for that purpose I have a piece of "spruce" or at least it was sold to me as it. It´s suposed to be a sitka spruce, but to me it looks different and feels heavier im thinking it could be some other conifer like Helmlock or douglas fir, though I haven´t handled any of these to really know either. The density is 530 grams/dm3 and the colour is some what darker than usual.  
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| Author: | Dave Stewart [ Thu Mar 20, 2014 8:01 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Help ID this softwood for an Archtop |
Could be! Nicely quartered .... almost cedar coloured. Sitka's all over the map ... I've had .350 to .440g/cc, although I've heard of .530 at the high end. If it rings nicely, go for it! |
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| Author: | munen [ Thu Mar 20, 2014 8:20 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Help ID this softwood for an Archtop |
Thanks for the reply Dave. Right now at its current dimensions its hard to tell a tap tone, it sounds like high pitch but short. If not this wood im also considering using spanish cypress that I have in boards or even Braz cedar (c. odorata) and maybe paint the top dead black, and leave the back and sides natural cypress. I like the looks of that too. But im really striving to start with this guitar that´s been on my head for about 2 years. By the way, your work is amazing |
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| Author: | Dave Fifield [ Thu Mar 20, 2014 3:06 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Help ID this softwood for an Archtop |
I believe that's Sitka Spruce - I have some that looks almost the same. It should make a very nice guitar! Cheers, Dave F. |
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| Author: | John Arnold [ Thu Mar 20, 2014 6:49 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Help ID this softwood for an Archtop |
Doug fir has a very distinctive plywood smell. Hemlock has no resin canals. |
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| Author: | munen [ Fri Mar 21, 2014 7:49 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Help ID this softwood for an Archtop |
Thanks for the help, Im leaning to think that it might be Douglas Fir. I found a chart of woods densities where it says that Fir has a .530 density just like the piece I have. And the smell is different to spruce I think. This is a Doug Fir photo I found and looks quite like the wood I have.  So the question now is if this wood is suitable for an archtop? |
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