I found it bends quite easy at 315 degrees. Don't over-moisten, as lighter color areas tend to cup. I prefer bending it dry. Smells like pig s**t
when you work it with powertools.Bob
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| Author: | TomDodson [ Sat Oct 01, 2011 7:59 am ] |
| Post subject: | Opinions on Zebrawood? |
Just a quick one. How well would anyone who has used Zebrawood rate it as a tonewood? What is it like to bend, and is it comparable to any other woods in terms of workability and sound? Thanks, Tom. |
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| Author: | micahmed [ Sat Oct 01, 2011 8:12 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
I'm building one now out of it. I bent it with a fox style bender. Make sure you rap it in wet paper bc it will crack. |
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| Author: | Mark Groza [ Sat Oct 01, 2011 8:21 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
I haven't bent it yet, but have built many Native American flutes out of it and they have great clarity. When working with it, it is brittle and be carful of splinters when handleing it. |
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| Author: | theguitarwhisperer [ Sat Oct 01, 2011 12:14 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
I have a beautiful quartersawn fine grain old-growth 8/4 Zebrawood plank. I use it as a flat clamping surface for certain operations, such as clamping a fretboard to a veneer for an accent stripe. |
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| Author: | Rob Warren [ Sat Oct 01, 2011 12:25 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
I found bending to be a piece of cake. Jointing gave me some fits though. Even my best sharpening job left my planes just glancing off. I had a heck of a time with it. Ended up using the old sandpaper and level trick. Some people complain about the smell while working it but I didn't really notice it. I do notice it if I stick my nose in the soundhole though! All in all I thought it was worth the effort joining it, as my guitar came out beautifull and has a great rosewood-ish sound. Attachment: march2010 643.jpg
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| Author: | WaddyThomson [ Sat Oct 01, 2011 12:53 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
Zebrawood bends fine. It's a little difficult to work. Does not plane worth a flip, and dulls sandpaper fast. It makes a nice guitar though. Attachment: P1000955 (Large).JPG
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| Author: | Laurent Brondel [ Sat Oct 01, 2011 1:00 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
It smells wrong. |
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| Author: | Bob Shanklin [ Sat Oct 01, 2011 1:02 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
I found it bends quite easy at 315 degrees. Don't over-moisten, as lighter color areas tend to cup. I prefer bending it dry. Smells like pig s**t when you work it with powertools.Bob |
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| Author: | WudWerkr [ Sat Oct 01, 2011 1:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
Laurent Brondel wrote: It smells wrong. Maybe the piece you had came from the wrong end of the zebra !!  Not to steal the thread , secondary question . Zebra as neck wood on Mando ? |
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| Author: | DannyV [ Sat Oct 01, 2011 2:28 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
One of the nicest sounding SS I've played was a Zebrawood/Cedar built by Daniel Minard who hangs out here. That's a good combo for sure. I'm using it for appointments on a Bolivian Rosewood jumbo I'm building right now. I think it was John Hall who showed us a book matched binding idea that I'll use. It looked very nice. |
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| Author: | alan stassforth [ Sat Oct 01, 2011 3:18 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
Laurent Brondel wrote: It smells wrong. As Wud would say...
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| Author: | Markus Schmid [ Sat Oct 01, 2011 3:20 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
WudWerkr wrote: Laurent Brondel wrote: It smells wrong. Maybe the piece you had came from the wrong end of the zebra !! |
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| Author: | tomlang [ Sat Oct 01, 2011 3:51 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
Yeah, what they said. Beautiful wood, bends well, almost pore-less, splinters easily, don't even try to plane it, smells bad. With all that, it makes a beautiful guitar and so far, I have managed to make a couple of great sounding boxes with it. Recently, I used zebra cutoffs as binding on a mahogany L-0. It was quite striking. As a matter of fact my avatar is a zebra dred body with an extreem bearclaw top.  You would be well served to cut your sides to shape before bending so you won't risk splintering and cracking it as you contour the bent sides. Oh yes, cut the binding channels with care, use a new, sharp router bit, because this is another time it will easily splinter. I make at least 2 and sometimes 3 shallow passes on the binding channel. Is it worth the effort? Yes. Regards, Tom |
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| Author: | Ti-Roux [ Sat Oct 01, 2011 11:51 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
Avoid the planer 
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| Author: | TomDodson [ Sun Oct 02, 2011 3:39 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
Thanks for the advice guys  I really like the look of it. So for thicknessing, would i be better off sanding by hand or using a thickness sander? As for the smell, maybe i'll have to install an air freshener in the box! But the smell sounds like a serious consideration, a guitar which smells like a dung heap could be real off-putting to a possible customer!
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| Author: | Ian Cunningham [ Sun Oct 02, 2011 7:38 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
You can't even plane it ACROSS the grain? |
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| Author: | micahmed [ Sun Oct 02, 2011 8:27 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
TomDodson wrote: Thanks for the advice guys I really like the look of it. So for thicknessing, would i be better off sanding by hand or using a thickness sander? As for the smell, maybe i'll have to install an air freshener in the box! But the smell sounds like a serious consideration, a guitar which smells like a dung heap could be real off-putting to a possible customer!The smell goes away or atleast for me it did. And I would thickness is with a thickness sander. And don't even think about planing it gross grain. You'll just rip it up. Found that out the hard way. |
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| Author: | Clay S. [ Sun Oct 02, 2011 8:51 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
The finished guitar doesn't have a strong smell. You could use Spanish cedar linings for those who like to stick their nose in the soundhole. The sides can get a little rippley if you work them too thin. |
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| Author: | Bob Shanklin [ Sun Oct 02, 2011 11:48 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
I find it only smells bad when machining. Goes away quickly. Bob |
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| Author: | Daniel Minard [ Sun Oct 02, 2011 12:40 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
As Bob said, go gently with the water when bending. I got all kinds of cupping in my sides from spritzing too heavily. The blonde stripes seem to absorb more water than the darker wood & swell like crazy.I plan to use SS II next time. Otherwise, I think its a great tonewood. With all of the minor issues mentioned above. Avoid planing! Use a scraper instead. I didn't have any trouble jointing the back, but dug in while planing the back strip & had to glue a huge splinter back into place. The wood I used didn't smell so bad. A little funky, but I kinda like the smell of a barn. |
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| Author: | bluescreek [ Sun Oct 02, 2011 12:41 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
I think this is a fantastic wood in both tonal qualities and look. I will say that we should name this Zebramanurewood . It sure don't smell like a rosewood . Joking aside the things you need to be aware of with this wood is that it is common for wind break and voids . The benefits of the wood is the contrasting grain . Look at this close so you don't grab a piece with the wind break or cross grain fracture |
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| Author: | theguitarwhisperer [ Sun Oct 02, 2011 3:45 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
Is "wind break" what I think it is? Maybe THAT'S whyit smells so horrible!
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| Author: | WudWerkr [ Sun Oct 02, 2011 5:41 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
theguitarwhisperer wrote: Is "wind break" what I think it is? Maybe THAT'S whyit smells so horrible!  like that do ya !
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| Author: | TomDodson [ Sun Oct 02, 2011 6:06 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
Daniel Minard wrote: As Bob said, go gently with the water when bending. I got all kinds of cupping in my sides from spritzing too heavily. The blonde stripes seem to absorb more water than the darker wood & swell like crazy.I plan to use SS II next time. Otherwise, I think its a great tonewood. With all of the minor issues mentioned above. Avoid planing! Use a scraper instead. I didn't have any trouble jointing the back, but dug in while planing the back strip & had to glue a huge splinter back into place. The wood I used didn't smell so bad. A little funky, but I kinda like the smell of a barn. Thanks Some bend it dry i hear. I really like the look of it, so i think I'm going to use it for the next build which will be a baritone, can't wait to start it!
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| Author: | Corky Long [ Mon Oct 03, 2011 11:28 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Opinions on Zebrawood? |
Laurent Brondel wrote: It smells wrong. Sure does - I made the mistake of thickness sanding some on the same day that I resawed and sanded several Alaskan Yellow Cedar tops. The combined funk was industrial strength. |
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