Official Luthiers Forum!

I've bent sodes from silver (soft) maple, black walnut, Koa, and Pau Ferro, by hand, on a pipe heated by a torch. I've used foil to wrap the sides, and have wet them before bending. My experience has been that the difficulty of bending has gone in this order - (soft) maple, black walnut, Koa, and Pau Ferro, with the Pau Ferro being quite resistant to bending (although no problems with cracking.).

What am I in for with the Amazon Rosewood. It seems very hard and dense. Any guidance on technique, if at all different from the others? I do not have a Fox style bender. Still saving up for that tool. Thanks!!

I will start soon one of these as well. My set is extremely hard and dense too so it will be thinned about 10-15% more than what I would do with average Indian/Madagascar. I don't think it will be more difficult than other rosewood. I bend on a pipe and gradually stopped using water all together. Probably in order to avoid breakage you could treat it like ebony. Press very closely to the tangent point using cauls. Free-handing at a distance induces too much leverage for brittle wood.

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Build log

I bought a set of Amazon Rosewood last year but haven't got around to using it yet. The texture seems very similar to Brazilian Rosewood, which I normally bend on a hot pipe in pretty much the standard way: a bit of water sprayed on and just my gloved hands doing the pressing. I'd be interested to know what those who have had experience are saying. It's a pretty nice wood and with the recent crackdown on importing Brazilian Rosewood that we hear about, it may become the standard replacement!

Pat

I have bent 2 sets so far. Easy to bend but with a bit of springback if left too thick.
I bend at .080" since its fairly dense and a bit thinner for the cutaway. Overall and easy wood to work with.

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Bent a set last week at.088 with no problems at all.

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It's not the miles ahead, it's the stone in your shoe


In Markham,Virginia

Like Alex, I also hand-bend my sides with no water. Amazon RW is easier to bend than many EIR at the same thickness. I have an Amazon RW guitar(my first!) is on the belt.