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Help ID this softwood for an Archtop
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=43004		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  munen [ Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:20 am ]
Post subject:  Help ID this softwood for an Archtop
Hello guys, Im planning on building an archtop and for that purpose I have a piece of "spruce" or at least it was sold to me as it.
It´s suposed to be a sitka spruce, but to me it looks different and feels heavier im thinking it could be some other conifer like Helmlock or douglas fir, though I haven´t handled any of these to really know either.
The density is 530 grams/dm3 and the colour is some what darker than usual.

Image
Image
Author:  Dave Stewart [ Thu Mar 20, 2014 8:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Help ID this softwood for an Archtop
Could be! Nicely quartered .... almost cedar coloured.
Sitka's all over the map ... I've had .350 to .440g/cc, although I've heard of .530 at the high end.
If it rings nicely, go for it!
Author:  munen [ Thu Mar 20, 2014 8:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Help ID this softwood for an Archtop
Thanks for the reply Dave. Right now at its current dimensions its hard to tell a tap tone, it sounds like high pitch but short.
If not this wood im also considering using spanish cypress that I have in boards or even Braz cedar (c. odorata) and maybe paint the top dead black, and leave the back and sides natural cypress. I like the looks of that too.
But im really striving to start with this guitar that´s been on my head for about 2 years.
By the way, your work is amazing
Author:  Dave Fifield [ Thu Mar 20, 2014 3:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Help ID this softwood for an Archtop
I believe that's Sitka Spruce - I have some that looks almost the same.
It should make a very nice guitar!

Cheers,
Dave F.
Author:  John Arnold [ Thu Mar 20, 2014 6:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Help ID this softwood for an Archtop
Doug fir has a very distinctive plywood smell.
Hemlock has no resin canals.
Author:  munen [ Fri Mar 21, 2014 7:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Help ID this softwood for an Archtop
Thanks for the help, Im leaning to think that it might be Douglas Fir.
I found a chart of woods densities where it says that Fir has a .530 density just like the piece I have.
And the smell is different to spruce I think.

This is a Doug Fir photo I found and looks quite like the wood I have.
Image

So the question now is if this wood is suitable for an archtop?
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