Official Luthiers Forum!
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/

Oak back?
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=32611		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  es guitars [ Sun Jun 19, 2011 7:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Oak back?
Just looking to here your thoughts or experience with oak as back and side wood.

thanks
Brent
Author:  bluescreek [ Sun Jun 19, 2011 8:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
Oak has been used for years and is not a bad tone wood. Both red and white work. It is a pain to fill but is worth the effort.
Author:  Tony_in_NYC [ Sun Jun 19, 2011 8:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
John Arnold built at least one oak guitar that I recall. From what In understand, it is a thumper. However, he could probably build a thumper out of flat sawn pine from Home Depot. But it is a viable back and side wood nevertheless.
Author:  JSDenvir [ Sun Jun 19, 2011 8:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
Google "Martin arts and crafts guitar". They did a really nice version of it. I've got a beautiful quarter-sawn back and side set that I'm looking forward to trying.

Steve
Author:  Terence Kennedy [ Sun Jun 19, 2011 8:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
Haans Bentrup makes some great Oak guitars. I've played them and they are very unique instruments.

http://www.brentrup.com/

http://www.thepodium.com/p-17233-brentr ... -case.aspx
Author:  jfmckenna [ Sun Jun 19, 2011 9:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
As far as the filling process goes in terms of any discussion using oak, why not just accept the fact that oak is porous and maybe even looks best that way? I built a guitar with Lace-wood which from what I understand is an oak by any other name and the stuff was almost impossible to fill. But it looks great and sounds great. In hind sight I wouldn't try to fill it. Personal observation but sometimes a guitar looks a lot better when it looks like it's made of raw wood :)
Author:  Link Van Cleave [ Mon Jun 20, 2011 1:14 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
Ken Franklin just finished a white oak back and side guitar. One of the prettiest best sounding guitars I have ever experienced.
Maybe he will chime in here.
L.
Author:  Ken Franklin [ Mon Jun 20, 2011 1:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
I just made a guitar with white oak back and sides that were from a weathered old dresser top that I resawed. I really like the way it turned out, probably the best sounding guitar I've built so far. I filled with CA and it took more coats. The oak might have had more pores than wood.
Author:  ChuckB [ Mon Jun 20, 2011 5:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
I have built a few white oak guitars, you won' be sorry.
Author:  Steve Saville [ Mon Jun 20, 2011 12:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
I have made 2 white oak guitars. I have one still and everyone that plays it loves it. The other one is in Georgia and the owner says he loves it.
If you are in So Cal you can come and play mine.
Author:  crich [ Mon Jun 20, 2011 1:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
My last classical was white oak. Love the looks and sound! Clinton



http://clintonrichguitars.com/shows.html
Author:  douglas ingram [ Tue Jun 21, 2011 9:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
crich wrote:
My last classical was white oak. Love the looks and sound! Clinton



Any thoughts on exploiting the white oak for a classical? I have 6 sets laid in for future use and would appreciate any light that you can cast upon the subject. Thanks.
Author:  David Newton [ Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
I have 2 sets of flame White Oak that I'm anxious to use, and pairing it with a Black Walnut neck and either Red or Sitka (from Alaska) top in my "American Boy" series that I've begun, with a current build in Cherry / Walnut / Sitka.
Wish I could get Texas Ebony in a piece big enough for a fret board, it may have to be Osage, but I hold out hope.

On a similar note, I've seen a fiddle made of Oak, except for the Oak top, it could have been successful.
Author:  Alexandru Marian [ Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
Douglas, I just played a factory guitar which happened to sound very nice for the money, it was cedar and walnut. But when I checked more closely, the back was plywood... I would say that ANY solid wood (and even crappy plywood) will make a good guitar if the soundboard is well made...
Author:  John Arnold [ Tue Jun 21, 2011 11:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
Image

Image

Image

Image


Quote:
Wish I could get Texas Ebony in a piece big enough for a fret board

This guy has some.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290549693479&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Author:  JSDenvir [ Tue Jun 21, 2011 11:57 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
Beautiful guitar John. Did you stain or fume the oak?

Thanks

Steve
Author:  ernie [ Tue Jun 21, 2011 12:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
Thanks for the photos I have been collecting 1/4 sawn w, oak for a while ,and thought that I was the only kook doing so, after seing those great pics, I am a believer. Mo has some of the nicest w,oak. I believe a good chunk of it is exported for the making of wine barrels. Is that a w. oak headstock veneer , and w. oak neck ????????????
Author:  ep44 [ Tue Jun 21, 2011 2:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
A friend of mine built me a red oak guitar. It has killer looks and sound to match. Will post some pics as soon as I find out how to. Help appreciated.
Author:  Steve Saville [ Tue Jun 21, 2011 3:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
You want pictures?

Rosette - alternating manzanita and red oak -
Image

Rosette - manzanita surrounded by red oak -
Image


Image

Image


Image

Image
Author:  David Newton [ Tue Jun 21, 2011 3:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
Thanks John A.
This guy may not be too far from me.
Author:  cphanna [ Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
Regarding oak for sides and back, absolutely. Why not? Now, this next bit is STRICTLY a personal preference, so accept it as only that. I much prefer the looks of quarter sawn red oak to quarter sawn white oak. Truly, white oak can be absolutely spectacular when quarter sawn, and it's one of the traditional woods of the arts and crafts design movement. But all that figure gets a little overpowering for my personal taste. I see no particular reason why red and white oak couldn't be used equally in guitar construction.
Further, oak is a very good bending wood, so I say go for it.

A proviso is that oak of any variety is going to require pore filling. It'll be like filling the ends of a bunch of soda straws. You must do some experimenting on scrap before you apply finish to your instrument.
Author:  John Arnold [ Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
Quote:
Is that a w. oak headstock veneer , and w. oak neck ????????????

The neck is mahogany with a white oak headstock veneer.
Quote:
Did you stain or fume the oak?

It is stained with water soluble walnut aniline stain. In addition to the walnut stain, the neck required some black stain to match the oak. Otherwise it would have been too red.
Author:  ep44 [ Tue Jun 21, 2011 6:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
http://s1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd4 ... =slideshow
One of two oak guitars that Larry made.
Author:  Dave Rickard [ Tue Jun 21, 2011 9:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
Gene, I dropped by Larry's shop several times when your guitar was being built.
Love the eagle. Larry's a great inlay artist and he makes a great sounding Guitar.

I'm have a get together at my shop on July 9th, you should come by!
Author:  Larry Ayres [ Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Oak back?
Dave Rickard wrote:
Gene, I dropped by Larry's shop several times when your guitar was being built.
Love the eagle. Larry's a great inlay artist and he makes a great sounding.

I'm have a get together at my shop on July 9th, you should come by!

Thanks for the kind remarks Dave. Larry Ayres
Page 1 of 2 All times are UTC - 5 hours
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/