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A theme guitar for a friend in Austin.

I don't see a lot of this for sale in the traditional places (i.e. the sponsors here, ebay, etc...).

Couple of questions.

Anyone built a guitar out of this stuff? How did it come out? How was it to work with? I'm guessing stability is a strong point?

Where would I be able to find a decent set of back and sides?

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Jim Hansen

if you screw it up - you know what to do with it.

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It's this new idea from recent decades that everyone gets a participation award. - MUX

Never seen a guitar or guitar set made out of it but I have worked with it on a couple of other projects and made a krenov style smoother out of some scrap I had. The stuff I had was extremely dense, extremely stable, and probably the easiest wood I've ever worked with. Cuts like butter with edge tools, seemed to have no grain direction (could plane it any which way and still get a mirror finish-no tearout), and beautiful. Just amazing stuff. Could have just been the particular stuff I had, though.

Have one in the works right now.
It has acted pretty stable so far. There were a couple small cracks at the end of the back I had to CA, but they never moved in the 6 months I had them stickered up. The stuff bent very smoothly for me on the fox bender.
I can't recommend the guy I bought my set from but while I was looking I did find this group out of the Austin area http://www.mesquiteburl.com. They were very helpful in looking for something that would work, but I wound up buying from someone else whom I later had some problems with.
I think the biggest issue you'll have in finding good guitar wood from mesquite is that the trees just don't grow very straight. 6" off the ground and they start turning, forking etc. Good luck with you project.

Yea, I suspected finding large pieces was going to be a challenge.

Tonal quality isn't a primary concern. The guitar is going to be a gift to someone who is 'thinking' about learning to play.

Other than mesquite, are there any other native-to-texas woods that I could consider (for tops or back/sides?).


Thanks

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Jim Hansen

I don't know if Pecan is a good choice for an instrument, they do grow tall, but when I think of "Native Texan Trees" I think of the Pecan right after Mesquite.

René

Here is a link to a mesquite build by Steve Stevens of Breckenridge, Texas.
http://www.luthierforum.com/index.php?showtopic=2204&st=0
You may have to join up to view it, but it is interesting.

Bob

I believe pecan is generally very unstable.

this dude calls it Texas Rosewood!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFi9tyo-Rww

I have played two mesquite guitars. Both looked and sounded great. As for finding mesquite lumber, you can find several texas sawmills that specialize in mesquite, in fact they have an association you can find online. It might help to know, there are a few different species of mesquite, some of which grow taller and straighter than a lot of scrub type mesquite. Mesquite wood will very greatly in color depending on the color of the soil iin which it grew. It can vary from almost black to honey color. If you can't find another source, there was a mesquite sawmill in Kerrville just off interstate 10 on harper road, two years ago when I was down there.

Think builder in TX Vince Pawless (not full sure last name) uses mesquite. Pecan plenty big enoug. I know, had 3 huge trees native pecans at last house. After wife bought pecans for baking this year ready to move back