Posted on June 30, 2024September 17, 2024 by Dale Phillips The Great White Sitka The Great White Sitka by Jeffrey R. Elliott Originally published in American Lutherie #32, 1992 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Three, 2004 In February 1992 friend and fellow luthier John Sullivan and I drove from Portland, Oregon to Elma, Washington to pay a hands-on visit to Steve McMinn’s Pacific Rim Tonewoods, Inc. (The business has since relocated in Bellingham, Washington.) We went for the experience. Steve suggested we bring some rugged clothing and a camera. We discovered why when we arrived to the incredible sight of a gigantic Sitka log 26' long by 11' across at the larger end. A great white whale came to mind. The photos tell the story. For the next couple days, my body reminded me I’d had a real workout. But it felt good because it reminded me of what a great time we had and how fortunate we were to have a hand in turning this huge spruce log into top wood. Steve’s whole operation is very well thought out, very organized, and a pleasant place to work. He’s obviously committed to producing high quality instrument woods and nothing is wasted. This experience also gave me an appreciation for how much work goes into producing one top and why “ideal” tops are so rare. ◆ Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of the Articles Online featured on our website for Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 3 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. MEMBERS: login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on June 6, 2024January 17, 2025 by Dale Phillips Questions: North American Wood Questions: North American Wood by Mark French, Ned Steinberger, and Alan Carruth Originally published in American Lutherie #94, 2008 See also, Questions: Nontropical Fingerboard Materials by Tom Theil Larry L. from the Internet asks: I’ve noticed that my choices in materials have evolved over the years to favor wood from North America. At this point I’d like to take the final step and eliminate all tropical hardwood. The two fingerboard materials that make the most sense to me are phenolic impregnated paper or cloth (Garolite, Micarta) and phenolic impregnated wood (Dymondwood, Pakkawood, Staminawood). I think I understand issues with machining these materials and fret installation, but I wonder how differential expansion/contraction with changes in humidity will affect the stability of necks with wood shafts and fingerboards made of these materials. Does anyone have experience here? Mark French from West Lafayette, Indiana responds: Any time you have differential expansion of two materials that are bonded, you have the possibility of large deformations. For example, one type of thermometer works by having a coiled bimetallic strip inside. When the temperature changes, the end of the coil moves a needle. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on June 6, 2024January 17, 2025 by Dale Phillips Questions: Yellow Pine Questions: Yellow Pine by Bob Gramann Originally published in American Lutherie #94, 2008 Scott Smith from the Internet asks: Has anyone made a guitar using heart pine (long leaf southern yellow pine)? I have some that was cut over 250 years ago. Bob Taylor of Taylor guitars passed on it, so I thought I might attempt to build one myself. It is a fairly dense wood with very high pitch content. Bob Gramann from Fredericksburg, Virginia responds: I made a small guitar with a top of southern pine which was recovered from a submerged crib dam that was built in 1854 and destroyed in 2004. In order to get enough close-to-quartersawn wood for the top, I had to make a 4-piece top. The pine was not nearly as stiff as the spruce I usually use, so I left it a bit thicker. The back and sides of this guitar were made with white oak from the same crib dam. The oak had turned grey from its long submergence, and the pine was green. It was a sweet sounding guitar but not as sweet as the two of the same style and size that I made from Engelmann spruce and Indian rosewood. If it were not for the historical interest, I would not have made a guitar of these woods. It was sold at auction as part of a fund-raiser for Friends of the Rappahannock. ◆
Posted on June 6, 2024January 15, 2025 by Dale Phillips Letter: Poplar in Dan Electro Necks Letter: Poplar in Dan Electro Necks by Ron Lira Originally published in American Lutherie #20, 1989 Dear Guild Staff, I’m still alive and working too hard and reading your magazine! I believe there is an error in the identification of the wood used in Danelectro necks and current production solid body electric guitars in Bruce Harvie’s “Stalking Northwest Tonewoods” in AL#18. Lombardy Poplar (Populus nigra) is a member of the cottonwood family in which many members and their lumber are called poplar. The poplar used in the Danelectros and currently in use in many factories is yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera.) The cottonwood family of woods has a rancid smell when being worked, mostly all cream colored to white wood, and warps and checks horribly in drying. (I know, I’ve cut and dried some cottonwood and Lombardy poplar.) The yellow poplar has a mostly cream to gray colored sapwood with a green tinted heartwood. It works easily, dries easily, has a pleasant smell, is inexpensive to buy, available in wide and long pieces and makes an ideal paint grade wood. I’ve seen it in Danelectro necks, Jackson electrics, Fender electrics (inexpensive old ones and any of the newer domestic and imported), Charvel electrics, and many imported instruments both high and low quality. Various types of cottonwood trees including aspens grow over much of the US. Yellow poplar grows only in the eastern half of the US with its most commercial areas in the east. Thank you ◆ Editor’s Note: Bruce Harvie agrees, the wood used in the Danelectro necks is yellow poplar. However, it is Lombardy poplar that he wants for fiddle making. He also mentions that Danelectro necks break very easily, and that he wishes to purchase some. Got any, Ron? The yellow poplar in question is the wood of the tulip tree, an enormous thing with distinctive four-lobed leaves, which happens to be the state tree of Indiana. Don’t confuse it with the magnolia tree, whose flowers closely resemble tulips.
Posted on June 6, 2024January 17, 2025 by Dale Phillips Questions: Acoustic Guitar Wood Questions: Acoustic Guitar Wood by John Calkin Originally published in American Lutherie #93, 2009 Eric Gran from Norway asks: In the back of my brain, the idea of building guitar(s) is slowly growing. I would like to use as much local wood in my projects as possible. I found John Calkin’s article “The Heretic’s Guide to Alternative Lutherie Woods” enlightening. I can find local spruce, birch, fir, larch, maple, alder, rowan tree (European mountain ash) just to mention those I believe are most suited. Do you believe that a good acoustic guitar could be made only of wood found in Snåsa (the community where I live) in Norway? I understand that the fretboard and bridge need to be made of especially hard wood, so that may be a problem, but could you give me any idea of what properties are demanded? John Calkin from Greenville, VA responds: I encourage your use of native wood species. Processing your own wood is a huge amount of work, but it is also hugely gratifying. Starting with a standing tree will amplify both ends of that statement. But I also encourage you to begin a guitar as soon as possible. You could build several instruments in the time it takes large planks of wood to season. Hardwood from a local source will serve you well. Try to find quartersawn wood if possible, but proceed with your project even if you can’t. Quartered side wood is less likely to distort during bending, though any piece of wood can surprise you. I’ve used birch, maple, cherry, and oak to build beautiful, wonderful instruments, but you’ll have to maintain your resolve against the conservative members of our fraternity who will argue (loudly!) that only traditional wood varieties are worthy of your time. I’d recommend commercially prepared top wood for your first instruments, even though local spruce is available to you, just to put to rest any doubts you may have about the worthiness of your materials. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
