Official Luthiers Forum!

OK , thinking about aquiring a set of nice quarter sawn Cocobola that I have seen here in the UK. They have amongst the available sets two that are beautifully straight grained with those lovely balck veins akin to Rio or high quality Madagascan (Baronii)- both priced the same and from the grain patterns they are from the same log and close together... but here's the thing, although cut to the same thickness and size the tap tone is completely different.

One set has a deep bass like ring that just seems to go on...and on... and on...

The other has a much higher pitched bell like tone with a quicker decay - gut feeling is obviously a lot denser yet from the same tree?

So was thinking about having a vote, set one or set two? would it really make that much of a difference to an amateur like? Would I notice the difference? Both look lovely and I am thinking of this for an OM with a nice adi top that I had shipped over from that nice Uncle Bob a few months back

So what do you think?

You said it yourself 'bell like tone'.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

For an OM I would use set one. For A dreadnaught I would use set two.

Are they exactly the same size and thickness? Because these two, even if just a little different, will make two otherwise identical sets sound very much different. The same with spruce. I've found (in my very limited experience) that the ultra dense rosewoods need to be thinned a bit from their initial 4.5-5mm to really start singing.

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Build log

Set two would be my choice.

I say, get 'em both!!! But then, I'm a Zootaholic.

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Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!

Forget all that tap tone nonsense, which one is prettiest?

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

LOL..I would but they are pricey here in the UK... sort of in the stage at the moment of collecting afew pieces for future builds so yes I could easily becopme addicted to this zoot thing...

Both equally pretty, in fact could make a nice pair so would be like trying to choose Claudia Schiffer and Elle Macpherson when they both want to take you on a date

I vote Claudia.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

I vote set #1. I'm working on an OM with Madagascar b/s and an adi top right now and the tap on it sounds just like set #1. I don't have it strung up yet but the box rings like a bell with a nice full low end to boot.

+1 I'm with Arnt

I've only built ukes with Cocobolo, but they are the nicest sounding and I've used a lot of different woods. I won't build with it again - I'm sensitized to Cocobolo now.

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA