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I have a hanker'n to build an oak 6 string similar to Larsons. I've got some lovely white oak with great rays laying around and have been thinking of resawing some ribs and backs. Anyone using oak? How's it bend? Sounds like?

Never worked for lutherie, but I can surely tell you you'll need few coats of porefill. I can't tell about the sound, but what i could suggest to you is to make some taptone tests, with little scrap pieces, at different thickness, to see how it goes.

And about bending, I'd instinctivly say it would bend very easily, regarding similar woods, and regarding the fact that i've seen many furnitures made of oak by my grand-pa, with a lot of bending job. If my grand'pa did, you should be able to

But hey, if you go with this project, let us see some pictures of it! I love oak a lot; I'd be curious to se...

Francis

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

I built an oak OM a few years back, and pleased with the results. Easy to bend, more patience for filling pores. I used white oak which fills easier than red. If you are carving a neck, as I did, be carefull as it tends to be more coarse textured than mahogany. The oak neck will also make the guitar a little heavier, but not so much that I would not use it again.

As far as sound, that of course would depend on the particular oak that you are working with. Mine was a very old piece from a barn beam, very tight grain (20/inch) and very stiff. To my ear, it sounds a bit brighter than walnut. That is conparing two OM's with sitka tops.

If you are on the fence, I would say go for it, you will not be disappointed.

Chuck

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Think Norman Blake plays an oak guitar made by John Arnold. If it's good enough for those two I'd say it was OK. Check it out at the UMGF.

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

I have never tried oak yet either , however I do like working with it . I would like to see pics of Oak's that have been built. What filler works best? And as for carving , work against the grain, cutting with the grain will cause a da......it real fast !

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Oak is actually a very good tone wood. Yes it may look like your Grandma's dresser but it works well and bends easy. Go for it , you won't be dissapointed. I use .090 for the sides and .100 for the back.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Any one familiar with Black Oak?
I helped a local tree trimmer a few years back and got some logs that I had milled to 1" boards. Though nothing spectacular in terms of figure, it is a rustic sort of look. It does not have the pores of red or white oak, finishing is pretty easy.
I was going to give it a try since I have it and am learning, so I don't want to buy expensive wood.

I did a house full of windows and doors with Qsawn white oak. All 8/4 stock, 2 full units (1500bf. each) If I am anything of a man, that 8/4 helped me get there, and decide to work with lighter end products. On the topic though, I loved working with it. It has a great smell, the pores are not to hard to finish, your scraps work great on the BBQ, it cuts pretty well, not like mahogany, but not too bad, easily available and relatively cheap. I would love to see some pics when it is done.

Thanks John for the dimensions, I will go off of that when I mill the black oak.
Rob

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Thanks John and everyone. Sure looks nice here...

Think I'd stick with Honduras for the neck.

Beautifull guitar

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The Shallower the depth of the stream , The Louder the Babble !
The Taking Of Offense Is the Life Course Of The Stupid One !
Wanna Leave a Better Planet for our Kids? How about Working on BETTER KIDS for our Planet !
Forgiveness is the ability to accept an apology that you will probably NEVER GET
The truth will set you free , But FIRST, it will probably Piss you Off !
Creativity is allowing yourself to make Mistakes, Art is knowing which ones to Keep !
The Saddest thing anyone can do , is push a Loyal Person to the point that they Dont Care Anymore
Never met a STRONG person who had an EASY past !
http://wiksnwudwerks.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/groups/GatewayA ... rAssembly/

Al Carruth told me that one of the best he's built was oak, and it was essentially unsellable. That was some time back, though. I'm glad to see that at least some players are opening their ears before their eyes now!

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

I bet...not exotic enough. All those folk care about is shiny.
Guess you'd have to stain it dark, make it shiny and call it Quercus Alba.

That's some pretty nice quartersawn white oak for sure!! Love them long rays that the white oak gives up on the quarter!!

cheers

John

I have a nice figured white oak set I bought from RC tonewoods like 2 years ago I guess. I had plans for a parlor guitar and never got around to it. I'm now thinking of maybe using it for a flat top mandolin.

Hey Hans, I haven't built an oak one yet but I bought this old ladder braced basket case a couple of years back and reworked it. No name, seems like it's about 14'' lower bout, and I like it's sound.



I think you can see why I thought it would be worth rebuilding.
So yes, I've got a couple of sets on the shelf awaiting their turn.

Joe

Black oak should be ok . The grain is a little different but I feel it would be acceptable if you can get it well quartered .

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

From my experience, quartered oak is a nice wood, particularly for smaller steel strings: OMs and 000s, and on down. Don't use flat cut oak: it's almost like a different wood, and not stable enough, IMO. I think the combinatino of high damping and high density make it unsuitable for Dreads. OTOH, I made an oak Jumbo 12-string once that come out fine. I gather it's becoming more socially accptible these days: I hope so. I plano n having an oak 12-fret 000 at the next Montreal show.

I'd add that there used to be a picture of an obviously oak guitar(possibly a carved arch-back) in a Lee Valley catalog photo, I think with some of the small planes.
It was a really nice looking guitar. I can't put a finger on it right now. Al has given the technical details and the experience of sellability has been mentioned. Latter fact is really too bad.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Haans, I've got my Grandad's little white oak parlor guitar here at my home.
With it, he once wooed Grandma.
It worked, and we're all here to prove that white oak makes a "charming" guitar.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Glad to see you gave it a go...

I built myself a Ditson size 2 (13.5" lower bout) out of Red Oak...
I would tell you how it sounds... just there was a little hiccup with the bridge construction... Bridge #1 was too narrow and thin... so I built another....but got the string spacing too small on Bridge #2 (2 1/8" vs 2 3/8")... Hopefully, I will get #3 right.

My experience...
Oak bends like a dream. Wet + Hot = Bends at huge thicknesses... 1/8" thick sides are no problem.

Porefilling Red Oak is a challenge... but the wood is quite pretty.

I have some Live Oak... It is very dense and very hard... BUT... I was very surprised to find that it's completely non-porous! I think it may become my Oak of Choice for Guitars (If I can find a reliable source for good quartersawn stock)... Think of Maple's porosity with Oak's strength and Grain pattern!

Thanks

John

Here's one I built a couple of years ago. Curly white oak, trimmed with bloodwood.

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

The white oak I have is quartered and ray'd and some flake. Really tempted to make a parlor, but going to try it on my 15" Larsonesque box size I think.
Joe, that's a nice lookin' back! Glad to hear that I'm not the only one that thinks oak would make a good looking guitar. That's a very nice looking guitar old man...
Seems as though there's a bit of interest in oak; when builders start making them the public will follow...

I love Oak. I just ordered a McKnight Deacon in Oak with a Sitka Piano Black top!
He has some nice sets but no German White oak. If anyone has any great striped stuff I have dough or trades for it

I've enough rift saw oak for 1 guitar or 2 ukes grain around 45 degrees any good?

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Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

Wasn't Martin's Arts and Crafts Limited Edition made from oak?

I haven't yet built with oak, but I have two big boards of QS curly white oak in my stash - enough to make several guitars out of. With the curl AND the rays, it is really eye-popping stuff. I won't get around to using it for a while, but I really look forward to it.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

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