Official Luthiers Forum!

....headstock overlay material....Inlay material?

Thanks Folks!
Chris

_________________
There is no difference between the man that thinks he can....and the man that thinks he cannot.

Sure i would. Some of the best grain comes from flatsawn material. Mike

...and that's pretty much why I asked. I've got some cutoffs from some Cocobolo back sets that are incredible. I personally don't see a reason NOT to use them. I'm sure some will preach quartersawn, quartersawn, quartersawn,...but...think of all the marquetry work that was done a hundred years ago that's still around.

Still interested in hearing other opinions on it.

Chris

_________________
There is no difference between the man that thinks he can....and the man that thinks he cannot.

Not sure if it was here or at the acoustic guitar forum but I recently saw a post with a flatsawn cocobolo backed guitar which looked great. The builder was obviously happy enough to use it.

Isn't all quilted maple flat sawn? Some woods require being flatsawn to achieve the desired figure. I don't know much about building guitars, but I would think that building with a good hard flatsawn wood would even be fine for the back and sides.

Just guessing but I would think that the two places that would absolutely require QS would be the top and the neck, since they are under the most stress. Again that's just a guess from someone that's never built a guitar.

Well yes...my opinion of the primary construction woods is that a flat sawn back is fine....where the sides (for me) I'd rather have rift of quartered. Tops and necks quartered.

My question was focused more on the woods we use to do headstock overlays, underlays, and rosette inlays. Like I said before I don't perceive this to be a problem but wanted the input of others.

Chris

_________________
There is no difference between the man that thinks he can....and the man that thinks he cannot.

Flat sawn lumber is not as stable as quartered, and the wider the piece of wood, the more that becomes an issue
with changes in humidity.

The back of a guitar is the widest dimension across the grain so that really becomes the most vulnerable. A headstock
overlay is relatively narrow so there's not much to worry about.

Absolutely Chris! Fine for anything glued up like that. Not fine for backs and sides on flat top guitars. OK for carved mandolin backs though...

Thanks a bunch folks!

_________________
There is no difference between the man that thinks he can....and the man that thinks he cannot.