Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm considering building myself a Brazilian rosewood guitar with a curly redwood top. The Brazilian has a little curl to it as well. Any thoughts on the combo? It will be my personal player as well as a showpiece for potential customers.

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

I remember being at the first Newport Guitar Festival and hanging out with Mike Doolin for a little while. I had a chance to play one of his awesome instruments that was made from that combination.
It was fantastic.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

I wouldn't make anything out of that trash wood tony. Hahaha

Sounds like a nice guitar. But you are really going to have to mark it up. I hear that Tony fellow is a rough customer to work for.

Count me as a contrararian , because I have 2 ,40 yrold SS guitars a 6 string maccafferi and a carlson 12 string both made by michael dunn that have WRC on top and Brazilian rosewood backs. I like redwood , but what is your style of playing tony ?? I/m mostly a fingerpicker.

Yummy!

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Soft strumming with a pick or really bad finger style. I don't beat on my guitars.
Thanks for the feed back so far. Looks like I need to send my wood to Zeke for proper disposal however, since he deemed it unsuitable for a guitar.

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

Brazilian and sinker redwood makes one heck of a guitar. Any redwood top should be sensational looks and sound wise

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Come on, Tony. How can we help you if you don't provide some pictures? Only then can I give you my most uneducated guess!

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Be careful, curly redwood can have a very low stiffness to weight ratio making for a considerably heavier top compared to other top woods at the same stiffness.

Not to mention the really curly stuff which is highly risky to use since it is usually all runout. Not great for gluing bridges on that stuff. I knew of someone who had one blow apart under string tension.

I think there are a few guys around here who may have made double-tops with them. but I'm still not sure how that would keep them from blowing apart...

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Try to find some old discussions on curly redwood involving Rick Turner and Mario using the search. I remember the discussion being pretty good, with positions presented in favor of it and against its use as a soundboard.

There has been other, more recent discussion and I think Todd weighed in about the curly redwood top. The way I remember it, both the lower stiffness and the large area of runout were negatives in the discussion. They did say that straight-grained, non-sinker RW is a very good alternative.
Personally, I LOVE the appearance of the curly redwood and have so far had to resist temptation to buy a set (because I have more sets of spruce than I can use in the next few years).

Now Beth, everyone knows that the number of spruce tops one possesses has no relation to the number of redwood tops they buy. Therefore you NEED redwood. Well at least that's how I justify it.

Zeke, I can not argue with that logic!
Tony, the thread I was referring to is near the top of the Active Posts and is about Bracing less stiff tops. You should be able to see it (sorry, but I don't know how to give you the link to the discussion on this computer).

well, tony, if you want an informed reply you should send the wood to me, i´ll test it to the best of my abilities. promise.

(someone had to say this, i know)

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member of the guild of professional dilettantes

I have made a couple with curly redwood. Looks wise it is not my personal preference but when it comes to sound it was a very good guitar as I remember it.

I had no construction issues and it is holding quite well 5 years later.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Really? Looks wise, I can't imagine it getting any nicer looking. I'm not sure if Im looking at the same instrument because that is just amazing as far as I'm concerned. If it will hold up throughout the years and sound decent I just couldn't resist owning.

Sounds like it should be a nice guitar, Tony!

Anthony
I agree it is a pretty good looker. I just think maybe it is a little fancy for me. For the week I had it after string up I was very impressed by the sound.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

I guess I know what my next build will be. Unless of course, someone else asks for one.

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

I've only made 2 redwood guitars, and they both sound amazing. If you think your wasting your money, your not. Make it, and if the top explodes, you can always put a new top on it. What shape and do you have any ideas on the rosette?

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Jason Moe
LaCrosse WI 54601

I see what you mean Filippo. Awful.

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

What a BEAUTIFUL little guitar - LOVE IT - but I agree with the consensus, probably not wise to use that combo

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Thank You and Best To All

According to Rick Turner's old posts, nobody here knows what they are doing. Rick knew, but he don't post here no mo. Guess I'll sell all of my wood.

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

I always know what I am doing.... even if it is wrong

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust