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Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
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Author:  Jeremy Douglas [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 2:05 am ]
Post subject:  Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
This guitar company called Stonebridge is touting Aged Spruce tops. I found this quote on Guitar Gallery's site
Quote:
Stonebridge guitars employs a very special process where they inject the top with microbes, and ~ when the critters are done digesting all the moisture and other goodies, you have a top that is essentially 80 years old...

MORE ABOUT THE AGED TOP--the "aging" process organically changes the wood in structure and composition to resemble an 80-year-old piece of wood... "The wood is exposed to enzymes and micro-organisms that eat away everything from the wood that would decay naturally over time. What you are left with is a non-hydroscopic piece of wood that is completely dry and much lighter. It is open and light and produces a tone that is close to that of a vintage instrument." ...... "The process also changes the patina of the wood without the addition of an aging toner.


Well, how do you feel about that?? Assuming they mean 'non-hygroscopic wood' is that even possible?

Btw, I like how it makes the wood essentially 80 years old, I guess it's just a coincidence that would be approximately the same age as pre-war Martin steel strings :roll:
Author:  Martin Turner [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 3:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
My only comment...Im glad my house isnt next door to Stonebridge guitars :shock:
Author:  Kim [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
Hmmm. "The wood is exposed to enzymes and micro-organisms that eat away everything from the wood that would decay naturally over time" So what are they using for the soundboard, air? idunno What ever it is they better keep those freak'in enzymemicrobthingamajigs away from me cause I'm gett'in old fast enough thanks. :roll:

Cheers

Kim
Author:  Tai Fu [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
To put it correctly: What you will be left with is wood that looks like a bunch of termite just had a big feast that will probably be too weak to resist string tension, but after draining your wallet of course.
Author:  Frank Aarre [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
Tai Fu wrote:
To put it correctly: What you will be left with is wood that looks like a bunch of termite just had a big feast that will probably be too weak to resist string tension, but after draining your wallet of course.


from what i've heard of stonebridge they provide great guitars at a low price, when compared to others.
I would be more careful commenting like this, if you're going to thrash someone, at least do your homework first..
Author:  Rvsgtr [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
I have played a few and they were okay. Are these instruments made in the US or overseas? Just curious. And as for me, glad my house ain't too close to the factory either. wow7-eyes
Author:  Mark Groza [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 9:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
I think if they can age there tops and have better tone, than all the power to them. I also like to use aged wood when building my guitars when i can as i'm in the old air dried wood camp myself.But to be a believer in there process, i would have to hear the difference first.
Author:  Chris Paulick [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 9:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
I thought that part of the aging process was the resins getting hard. That's why some are baking tops? I didn't think it had anything to do with micros eating the wood. But I could be wrong for sure as I'm always learning here. It sounds like hipe to me just like because you use 80 year wood or BRW or have a mirror finish or what ever that you are going to get a good sounding guitar. It's pretty easy to build a pretty guitar, just takes the cash to buy the woods and a good artistic sense. And of course the woodworking skills. I'd rather rely on developing my building skills then some micros getting me a good sounding guitar. ;)
Author:  Tai Fu [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 9:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
Also how are they going to stop the microbe from further degrading the wood once it's past that "80 year" mark? It just seems like they're asking for trouble... I think I seen similar process of "aging" the wood on ebay by get this: They would pour something flammable (naphtha or paint thinner) onto an electric guitar body then lighting it on fire then putting the fire out.
Author:  Dean [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 11:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
In my furniture business I frequently get commissions for "aged " pieces. I buy "aging solution crystals" from a very reputable paint company. It takes about 24 hours to make any wood look ancient. I doubt that it changes the structure at all, but it sure looks old.
Author:  J Jones [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 11:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
I always assumed stonebridge (based in the Czech republic i believe) were using a base or something similar to oxidise the wood, but obviously not. btw, they do it to cedar tops aswell.

The microbe may be something similar to yeast, where once it process the material from A to B, the mircobe will die when the concentration of B is too high (i think with yeast this happens when alcohol reaches about 16%), this would make it a self limiting process?

Of the stonebridges i have played, they have all been nice instruments, very reasonably priced, but i am not sure if any of them had the aged top option, i know that the antoine dufour signature model has one of the treated cedar tops, and it sounds quite good.

tbh, if it was that revolutionary, im pretty sure that Taylor, Martin and friends would have started doing this long ago.
Author:  Howard Klepper [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 12:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
I'm suspicious of anyone who misspells 'hygroscopic.'
Author:  Dave Higham [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 1:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
I think we can just about forgive them their spelling of hygroscopic as they're in what used to be Checkoslovakia (sp?). They also make Furch guitars and, although that sounds like a load of hype, I have a Furch ABG which is the best ABG I've ever come across.
Author:  Bobc [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 1:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
Czechoslovakia :)
Author:  Dave Higham [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 2:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
Bobc wrote:
Czechoslovakia :)


Yeah, I knew that didn't look right, although it gets a lot of hits on Google. What the heck - most people can't even spell definately ;)
Author:  David Newton [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 2:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
These topics are always fun. Everyone want to set themselves apart from the herd.

Can't really hurt anything, but I do hate getting requests for the latest thing that somebody else does.
Author:  oli-lgw [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 2:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
I work in a music store and about a year or so ago, we held Stonebridge guitars in stock but they kept cracking and splitting... I always thought it must have been the wood that wasn't dry enough or something like that. We have a really poor humidity control there, but Stonebridge were (and still are) the guitars that we had the most cracking problem with.
Author:  Frei [ Sun Mar 08, 2009 3:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
This would be the 'Stradovarious' effect. They are basicly saying they do purposely what happened to Stradovarious wood (cell insides eaten out by microbes, leaving only the cell walls) Gives a warmer more resonant tone.

I think its the Czeck Republic now.

This is like the 'Holy Grail" concept in Lutheri (make "Strad -Wood". Very cool, but does it work?
Author:  Frank Cousins [ Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
The Czech Republic is correct. Our local guitar store, Guitar Junction in Worthing stocks these. They are really good value at about £700-£1200. The top end hand build and are darn good not just for the money. As plant biologist by degree, the process they describe is valid if they are able to replicate it. Its basically waht happens to your tiop naturally over time, the internal elements of the wood cell structure decay, and 'dry' leaving only the cellulose based cell walls - in effect the top of a guitar will become lighter and stiffer over time as we know, and thus provide a better 'attack' and in most folks ears better tone, but be more susceptable to humidity changes and cracking. If they have a way of selecting certain microbes that feed on the decaying tissue and not effecting teh cellulose walls of the wood cells, then the theory is sound.
Author:  Arnt Rian [ Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
I have a fiddle that is about 150 years old, and it is certainly still hygroscopic. I wish it wasn’t, but it is.
Author:  Dennis Leahy [ Mon Mar 09, 2009 11:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
I think Bob Benedetto may have gotten hold of some of this wood:

Image

-Dennis
Author:  Frei [ Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
LOL, good one!! :D
Author:  David Newton [ Tue Mar 10, 2009 1:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
Hey Frank.
What are "the internal elements of the wood cell structure" that "decay" and "dry, leaving only the cellulose cell walls"? Where do they go? If they are eaten by microbes, where do the microbes go when dinner is over?

You don't HAVE to answer, I probably won't understand it anyway.
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Stonebridge's 'Aged Spruce' Tops
They just lie around with their belt's loose, pick their teeth and belch a lot. :D We have finally explained the Wolf Note! beehive
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