Official Luthiers Forum!
http://luthiersforum.com/forum/

What is this wood and should I bother for bridge plate
http://luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=47262		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Rod True [ Fri Feb 12, 2016 6:53 pm ]
Post subject:  What is this wood and should I bother for bridge plate
Hey folks. I've had this piece of wood for a long time in my shop. Not totally sure what it is but thinking part of the rosewood family of sorts. It's pretty dense and taps like the BRW I've used in the past (still have a piece but it's too small.

I'm thinking of using it for a bridge plate, skewing the grain angle so it's about 15-20 deg off the perpendicular of the top grain.

The grain is very tight and the piece is quarter sawn.

Something in me is saying don't use it....
Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Image

It's not glued on just placed.

Image


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Author:  Bobc [ Fri Feb 12, 2016 7:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is this wood and should I bother for bridge plate
Rod it's Bocote. Same family as Ziricote
Author:  Rod True [ Fri Feb 12, 2016 7:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is this wood and should I bother for bridge plate
So probably looking at split city if I use it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Author:  Bobc [ Fri Feb 12, 2016 7:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is this wood and should I bother for bridge plate
Really not crack prone like Ziricote. I have used it for bridges and never had a problem
Author:  Rod True [ Fri Feb 12, 2016 7:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is this wood and should I bother for bridge plate
Any thoughts on using it as a bridge plate?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Author:  Bobc [ Fri Feb 12, 2016 7:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is this wood and should I bother for bridge plate
Why not? Should be fine
Author:  jfmckenna [ Fri Feb 12, 2016 7:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is this wood and should I bother for bridge plate
My first thought was Bocote as well and if so then I think you would be fine. I can't remember but I did build my very first guitar with bacote and I've always used cutoffs for bridge plates so chances are I have used it but it was over 20 years ago. None the less I think it would be fine. I tend to go for flat sawn stuff there now but...
Author:  Rod True [ Fri Feb 12, 2016 8:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is this wood and should I bother for bridge plate
Great! Thanks guys.
Author:  Toonces [ Sat Feb 13, 2016 12:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What is this wood and should I bother for bridge plate
As others have said, without question, it is Bocote. Not as split prone as Zizicote but I definitely wouldn't use it for bridge plate material since there are so many much, much better alternatives. My absolute favorite is Patagonia Rosewood (Anadenanthera columbrina) also known as Curapay. This stuff is very resonant and once of the hardest woods on the planet. It is also ridiculously tough and takes a lot of force to split. In short, it is the ideal bridge plate material. I've been using it for years and it's great stuff.
Author:  WilliamS [ Sat Feb 13, 2016 12:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What is this wood and should I bother for bridge plate
I've got a bocote guitar almost finished now. Looks beautiful...but it's HEAVY and never really sounded very musical when tapping, etc-pretty dull thud from all of it I've had in the shop. For those reasons I wouldn't use it as part of a soundboard.
Author:  bluescreek [ Sun Feb 14, 2016 7:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What is this wood and should I bother for bridge plate
Will it work Maybe
Maple rosewood osage orange
that is what I use
Author:  Rod True [ Sun Feb 14, 2016 11:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What is this wood and should I bother for bridge plate
I'm gonna skip the bocote and use some rift sawn cocobolo.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Author:  sdsollod [ Sun Feb 14, 2016 1:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is this wood and should I bother for bridge plate
Rod - Interesting that your tone bar placement line comes out of you bridge plate... I think this has come up in another post. Could we digress and revisit that (briefly)?

BTW - I'm thinking about using some Bocote for radial purfling. The lines in the grain makes it good for that...
Author:  Rod True [ Sun Feb 14, 2016 4:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is this wood and should I bother for bridge plate
sdsollod wrote:
Rod - Interesting that your tone bar placement line comes out of you bridge plate... I think this has come up in another post. Could we digress and revisit that (briefly)?


My bracing layout is based on Jim Olson's bracing design. This is only #13 for me. I've built 12 with the pattern and I really like it, not that I've got anything to compare it with (of my own building that is). Jim's got over 1,300 builds out there, I'd say this pattern is pretty well proven.

We all copy something, I love the Olson sound thus I use his bracing pattern. That's as technical as I've been on why I'm using this layout.
Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC - 5 hours
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/