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Baking Tops

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runamuck

Post subject: Baking Tops

Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 12:00 am

Cocobolo

Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2009 1:08 pm
Posts: 426
First name: jim
Last Name: mccarthy
City: ojai
State: ca
Zip/Postal Code: 93023
Country: usa
Focus: Build

I've never baked a top and am curious what kind of difference people think it makes
tonally or otherwise.

Of course to be objective about it, one would need two identical guitars - their only
difference being 1 baked and 1 raw. Has anyone here run that experiment or anything
close to it??

Thanks.

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CharlieT

Post subject: Re: Baking Tops

Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 10:25 am

Contributing Member

Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:00 pm
Posts: 2020
Location: Utah

Here's a link to a recent discussion about this topic, and it includes some links to other discussions as well.........

http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=30623&hilit=bake

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JJ Donohue

Post subject: Re: Baking Tops

Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 10:40 am

Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 3:50 pm
Posts: 4662
Location: Napa, CA

Try it yourself and take careful measurements before and 2 weeks after baking. Measure and accurately record weight, dimensions (Length, Width & Thickness) and then calculate density before and after baking for 2 hours @ 200*F. Let us know what difference you see.

I take the time to bake all spruce tops...it makes a permanent change in the top's physical properties that I believe contributes to a more tonally predictable and a more stable top.

_________________
JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

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Corky Long

Post subject: Re: Baking Tops

Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 12:08 pm

Koa

Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:23 am
Posts: 1372
First name: Corky
Last Name: Long
City: Mount Kisco
State: NY
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur

JJ Donohue wrote:

Makes sense, JJ.

Wouldn't it also be worthwhile to test deflection as well? If the deflection stays the same, and the density goes down, then the stiffness to weight ratio has improved....

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JJ Donohue

Post subject: Re: Baking Tops

Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 12:49 pm

Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 3:50 pm
Posts: 4662
Location: Napa, CA

Corky Long wrote:

Makes sense, JJ.

Wouldn't it also be worthwhile to test deflection as well? If the deflection stays the same, and the density goes down, then the stiffness to weight ratio has improved....

Indeed it does...and if the stiffness actually increases then the ratio changes even more so. But all this only means that we have to recognize how to brace the top optimally...and there lies the challenge.

"It's always something"...Roseanne Roseannadanna

_________________
JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

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