Official Luthiers Forum!

I've put the cart before the horse and ordered the back and sides before I've picked up the specialty tools I'll need for my first build. Ordered a set of Indian Rosewood back and sides and it arrived today. Problem is one of the sides has a slight split in it. If I follow the grain of the split downward, it appears I'll barely have 5" to work with as long as it doesn't move farther inward. I'll be building a DN body shape. Martin specs claim their sides are 4 3/4" on the 14 fret DN. I'll be putting flame maple binding on the guitar, not sure about any purflings yet. Will this split cause me problems and should I return the set and ask for a refund?
Thanks!

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Bobby Masten

Without looking at it, I'll offer 2 suggestions.
1. If you've got 5" excluding the "split" it's fine. Some woods are very prone to splitting like this, but EI Rosewood isn't usually bad. I guess a return is possible, but since you've got 5" workable wood I don't think it's necessary.

2. OLF member, and all around nice guy JR Hall lives in Columbia. Have him look at it, and get his opinion. (I'm in Grover NC ~100 miles from Columbia.)

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

I assume the split starts at one end and runs along the length of the side.Also assume you have 5"of width that is crack free. If that is the case your ok if the crack is tight and not from some sort of distortion.Again i'll assume the crack is tight and if it is I would put some thin CA glue on it to keep the crack from running and before side bending remove the cracked area when you trim to width.

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

You say you don't have the tools yet to build, so if not in a hurry, return it for a new one.If you want to go with that set, i would stablize it with CA to keep the crack from running,then cut to size for bending.If you have 5" wide you will be alright anyway.Good Luck! Mark

I do like the coloring and tap tone on this set, so I've pm'd JR to see if he'd mind taking a look at it. The split starts from the side instead of the end.

My current acoustic is mad rose b/s w/spruce top. I'm thinking of pairing this with a sinker redwood top to expand my tone choices. Anyone have a recommendation of which supplier to choose for this top?

Thanks all!

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Bobby Masten

the side of 4 7/8 is with the top and back included. Also take the split end for the neck area , that is even less so I doubt that you be too bad.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I have seen some nice redwood tops on fleabay, might be worth taking a look.

what John of BluesCreek is saying is spot on...I'd take that side set and rip it @ 5" and save the cutoffs for future use as bindings...just make sure you are ripping the blanks with the same grain pattern being cut off (i.e. pay attention to the book matching aspect of the set)

heck, many side sets are sold that are barely 5" from the get go!