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Anybody tried wenge? Remember that Ervin S was talking about it as relly nice tonally, even think he was working on one to have around as a 'shop'guitar. Im working on one in wenge right now, and it really has a glassy tap.

I've never worked with wenge, but some fols I've talked wiith who have have been less than pleased. It seems to sound OK, but has a bad tendancy to split after a while. Padauk is another wood that sounds great, but is prone to splitting, in my experience.

Let's not forget the guitar that Taylor made from a pallet that they pulled out of their dumpster! Free wood! Except for the forklift inlay, I thought it was a nice box.

Second this, and try Bubinga. You can get this stuff in boards from hardwood suppliers, if you are willing to resaw yourself and don't need special figure - you can get cost down to $25-30/set, and sound quality can be expected to be quite good.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Quote from Al:


Is this referring to splitting while you are working with it or later splitting after teh guitar is finished?

Does padauk tend to split when bending? Can you hand bend it?

I'm asking these questions as pakauk is beautiful wood, and affordable (roughly $50), and if it also has good tone I'm curious if the gain is worth the pain (or risk).

Thanks Steve for mentioning this.

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

I've only used padauk a couple of times. The biggest problem I've had is splits along the grain as you're working. You try flexing it, just a little, and 'snap!'. CA works really well on padauk.

It bends OK, but not as well as IRW.

I used padauk for the back on my first archtop classical guitar. When I took it to the GAL convention, the airline did some unauthorized mods on the back. Luckily there was a hobby shop near by that sold CA, so i could get it into the 'shootout'.

Be prepaired for a large investment in filler.

Darryl,

Padauk is tricky but done slowly and taking some easy precautions it bends well and finishes fine. May be tough to do by hand as the temps used are pretty hot (300+) and you need to keep it supported and misted throughout the process.

I'd like to tell you what it sounds like, however, I'm just on my final coat of Z-poxy on my padauk build at this point. This wood has some serious pot holes to fill but looks beautiful after a few sessions.

Ray

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Guitar Building = Continuous Improvement Process

What Ray said. I found Padauk to be very difficult to bend over an electric Ibex iron. It needs to get really hot and stay hot for what seems like a long time before it cooperates. On a Fox bender, cranked to around 300 or so, I had no problem bending sides. I agree that it is pretty wood.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

In my earlier days, i made a few with both padauk and wenge ... last wenge guitar went a few months ago, and it sounded quite good - easily compares to a EIrw. But, its tougher to bend, like sto split as you work it as Al points out, and the pores are a nightmare, unless you are going for the oiled pore look. Padauk has pores almost as bad, and it tougher to bend yet again. Two very good sounding guitars I made were the first parlour I ever did, padauk and cedar, and a jumbo in padauk and sitka (fastest selling consigment I ever made). The parlour was bought by a local violin repair person, and a client of his was so impressed he stopped by the shop I was repairing in on his way home and ordered one ... the only thing is , the colour is not for everybody.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"