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Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=39542		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Colin S [ Fri Mar 01, 2013 8:22 am ]
Post subject:  Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
I've just finished a guitar using new woods to me, both the Beng B&S and the white spruce top came from my good friend Grant Goltz, I believe the beng is a new wood to guitar making and this may be the first finished guitar. I have made something over 60 guitars now and when I first strung this one up I was totally amazed with the voice, it seems to combine the bell like quality of a Sobell and the richness and tonal complexity of George Lowden. I believe it is the best sounding steel string I have built, and that is on day one!

B&S, Cambodian Beng
Top, White Spruce
Neck, mahogany
FB/bridge/binding, Madagascan rosewood
Headplate/purfling rosette, Beng
Finish, Liberon finishing oil

Some not very good pictures, the weather is awful here.

Colin


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Author:  MaxBishop [ Fri Mar 01, 2013 8:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Very beautiful and unusual guitar, Colin. How dense is the Beng?

Max
Author:  Robbie_McD [ Fri Mar 01, 2013 8:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Wow! The figure in the Beng is startling!
Very nice execution, glad it sounds as good as it looks!
The purfling is very cool!

Rob
Author:  LarryH [ Fri Mar 01, 2013 9:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Lovely guitar Colin. I like everything about it especially its unique er...everything. Beautiful.
Author:  Chris Ensor [ Fri Mar 01, 2013 9:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Very nice build! I love the purfling choice and that back is way cool. Any chance you are going to post a video? beehive
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Fri Mar 01, 2013 11:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
You ARE the man, Colin. Beautiful results, as usual!
Author:  Link Van Cleave [ Fri Mar 01, 2013 11:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Nice Colin,
But I have thought that about everyone of your guitars !
What was your finishing schedule for the Liberon.
Link
Author:  grumpy [ Fri Mar 01, 2013 11:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Was this your first build with white spruce?
Author:  Steve_E [ Fri Mar 01, 2013 12:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Stunning Guitar!

I think that one is a keeper. BTW, Love the Liberon finish. Nice to see a natural looking guitar.

Steve
Author:  Colin S [ Fri Mar 01, 2013 1:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Thanks everyone, it's amazing how after making a lot of guitars, one can still surprise you.

Mario, yes this is the first time I have used White Spruce, but most certainly won't be my last. It reminds me of the very best Adirondack and then some, I have used Lutz, which is of course a White Spruce/Sitka hybrid and liked it. I don't like Sitka, or at least it doesn't suit my building style, so I thought I might see if the Lutz gets the qualities I like from its White Spruce line, it seems to me now that the Sitka dilutes the qualities of the White.

Link, the Liberon Finishing Oil is used by a number of the very high end clasical builders over here, it is used very similarly to Tru-oil or the other wipe on finishes, seal coat of shellac, then wipe on a couple of very thin coats a couple of times a day, fine sand with 4-500 grit every four coats. It didn't need any leveling or power buffing, just buffed up with swirl remover.

Colin
Author:  Colin North [ Fri Mar 01, 2013 4:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Looking really good Colin, you sound well pleased with it.
As always, your work is an absolute inspiration.
Author:  Tony_in_NYC [ Fri Mar 01, 2013 5:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Beautiful job as always. I can't wait till you post a pic of this at the AGF and someone asks what the tonal properties of Beng are!
Seriously though, that is some sweet looking wood. It looks like burl in the lower bout areas. Outstanding! And I also like your purfling. I assume you made it yourself? Very classy.
Author:  Ken Franklin [ Fri Mar 01, 2013 7:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Colin S wrote:
this may be the first finished guitar.


Beautiful guitar Colin. I like Cambodian beng too. It looks great with an oil finish. I made a baritone last April that was an eye opener for me. Paired it with a Port Orford cedar top. It has an Arm-R-Seal oil finish. I liked it so well that I bought another board for more guitars. Not as fancy as your set but nice straight grain with some character. My son made a guitar a year before mine so I guess he beat us both, and he's probably not the first either.
Author:  Quine [ Fri Mar 01, 2013 8:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Beautiful guitar. I haven't heard of beng wood before....but it sure looks amazing
Author:  ChuckH [ Fri Mar 01, 2013 11:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
I'm interested in the tone of the white spruce. I have several tops I got from Grant Goltz a few years ago but haven't used any yet. You think it would be ok on a dred?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Author:  MaxBishop [ Sat Mar 02, 2013 10:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Colin and others who have used Beng - any idea what the density is? I've been checking the internet and haven 't found any specs. BTW, some of those sites say that Beng is an endangered species. Any comments?

Max
Author:  grumpy [ Sat Mar 02, 2013 10:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
The reason I asked if this was your first use of white spruce is that I suspect -that- is the prime mover regarding this guitar's great tone. I've cut, and used, white(and black) spruce and it is a great, yet little known, tonewood....
Author:  Don Williams [ Sat Mar 02, 2013 11:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
grumpy wrote:
The reason I asked if this was your first use of white spruce is that I suspect -that- is the prime mover regarding this guitar's great tone. I've cut, and used, white(and black) spruce and it is a great, yet little known, tonewood....


Would love to acquire some White Spruce to try out...

(hint hint...)
Author:  Colin S [ Sat Mar 02, 2013 11:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
grumpy wrote:
The reason I asked if this was your first use of white spruce is that I suspect -that- is the prime mover regarding this guitar's great tone. I've cut, and used, white(and black) spruce and it is a great, yet little known, tonewood....



Mario, I guessed that you would have used it before, I'm one of the '80% of the tone is in the top' builders, I think we only colour it with the B&S etc, which is why I said that I thought it was probably the White that makes Lutz good, and yes it is by far my favourite N.American topwood now.


Oh and Chuck I don't make Dreds at all, but my guess is it will be superb.


Colin
Author:  Pmaj7 [ Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Who sells white spruce?

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Author:  mqbernardo [ Sat Mar 02, 2013 1:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Collin, congratulations! It´s an amazing guitar, as always! do you have sound examples?

pat macaluso wrote:
Who sells white spruce?

I believe that Grant Goltz (active at the luthier comm) sells it, or at least he did at one point. (like Collin pointed out)

MaxBishop wrote:
How dense is the Beng?

Sorry, i just found this funny out of context, but i´d also like to know.
Author:  Ken Franklin [ Sat Mar 02, 2013 4:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
MaxBishop wrote:
Colin and others who have used Beng - any idea what the density is? I've been checking the internet and haven 't found any specs. BTW, some of those sites say that Beng is an endangered species. Any comments?

Max


I've seen the recent threads about beng being endangered but it's not on the CITES lists and Cambodia is a member country. Makes me wonder. In any event I got my beng from Pine Creek Wood Co. in Oregon. The site states that it was sawn in the 1990s so certainly before any recent logging.

Without measuring I'd say the density is about 50 lbs/cu.ft.
Author:  Steve Kinnaird [ Sat Mar 02, 2013 9:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Ken Franklin wrote:
Colin S wrote:
this may be the first finished guitar.


Beautiful guitar Colin. I like Cambodian beng too. It looks great with an oil finish. I made a baritone last April that was an eye opener for me. Paired it with a Port Orford cedar top. It has an Arm-R-Seal oil finish. I liked it so well that I bought another board for more guitars. Not as fancy as your set but nice straight grain with some character. My son made a guitar a year before mine so I guess he beat us both, and he's probably not the first either.


*Bing, Again!* ( As Ned Ryerson would say)

Great work, Colin, love that back. Have you changed your peghead?

Steve
Author:  Randolph [ Sat Mar 02, 2013 10:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Stunning guitar Colin! Your finish does look amazing. What a great feeling it must be to have such an unusual blend of woods turn out to be your best sounding guitar yet! By the way, if these are your bad photos, I'd love to see some of your better ones! Bravo!!!
Author:  Colin S [ Sun Mar 03, 2013 5:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cambodian Beng/White Spruce OM
Steve, no this is my usual solid headstock, but I don't do them very often, I much prefer making slot heads when ever I can.

Colin
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