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Redwood ?

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DannyV

Post subject: Redwood ?

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:05 pm

Contributing Member

Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 3:20 am
Posts: 2593
Location: Powell River BC Canada
First name: Danny
Last Name: Vincent

I've just come into a tidy pile of very nice looking, fairly stiff, old growth Redwood. I have never built with it and it is in fact the first time I have ever held a piece of the stuff in my hand. This wood looks great and has about the nicest medullar rays I have ever seen in a fine grained top wood. And it is exceptionally fine grained. Too fine to even count on half the board. I'm just not sure where Redwood would have it's best application in acoustic guitars. Where have you guys found that Redwood shines? What about the density or hardness? Does it dent easily? How would it's hardness compare to WRC or Spruces? I know there are no definite answers but I'm just curious where it's worked well.

If anyone is interested I have enough to post a few sets in the classifieds.

Thanks,
Danny

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jac68984

Post subject: Re: Redwood ?

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 12:28 am

Contributing Member

Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 11:43 am
Posts: 668
First name: Aaron
Last Name: Craig
City: Kansas City
State: Missouri
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro

DannyV wrote:

I've just come into a tidy pile of very nice looking, fairly stiff, old growth Redwood. I have never built with it and it is in fact the first time I have ever held a piece of the stuff in my hand. This wood looks great and has about the nicest medullar rays I have ever seen in a fine grained top wood. And it is exceptionally fine grained. Too fine to even count on half the board. I'm just not sure where Redwood would have it's best application in acoustic guitars. The top of the guitar mostly. Where have you guys found that Redwood shines? When used for a guitar top, finished and buffed out well, and in full sunlight. What about the density or hardness? Does it dent easily? Yes. How would it's hardness compare to WRC It's close or Spruces Softer than most spruce? I know there are no definite answers Correct but I'm just curious where it's worked well.

If anyone is interested I have enough to post a few sets in the classifieds. Of course.

Thanks,
Danny

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Last edited by jac68984 on Wed Aug 29, 2012 12:44 am, edited 1 time in total.

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jac68984

Post subject: Re: Redwood ?

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 12:34 am

Contributing Member

Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 11:43 am
Posts: 668
First name: Aaron
Last Name: Craig
City: Kansas City
State: Missouri
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro

Redwood is a great tonewood. I think it works well when paired with a back and side set a bit further down the liveliness ladder, like walnut, mahogany, mango, maple, koa, etc.

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Don Williams

Post subject: Re: Redwood ?

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 5:35 am

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Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:25 pm
Posts: 7207
Location: United States

Danny,

Redwood shines on a finger-style instrument. The tone is similar to cedar, but perhaps more airy. It is very soft. Take precautions when using it. I also came into a big supply a few years back and sold a bunch to OLF folks back then. There's almost always more room in the wood arsenal for redwood for folks. I'm building right now with some for a Size 5 instrument.

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Colin S

Post subject: Redwood ?

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:28 am

Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 7:29 am
Posts: 3840
Location: England

I love redwood, I think of the nearly 40 steel string guitars that I have made, the very best sounding to me was a redwood topped Cuban Mahogany OOO. Redwood seems to be WRC with attitude, you have the warmth and openness of WRC with the clarity and separation of spruce. Ot can be a bit splintery, so rout with care when doin the rosette and binding, but paired with a mahogany/ walnut spectrum wood it is superb.

I've still got a couple of sets of the LS waiting for that special (ie rich) customer.

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DennisK

Post subject: Re: Redwood ?

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:25 am

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Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:59 pm
Posts: 3623
First name: Dennis
Last Name: Kincheloe
City: Kansas City
State: MO
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur

It's my favorite top wood as well. The density seems to span the full range between typical WRC and spruce. Every source I've bought from has been quite different in terms of density, hardness, stiffness, damping, and brittle-feeling-ness. My favorite is some extremely light weight, fine grained, and low damping tops I got from Darren Hippner a while back. I built a little classical using one of those tops and Honduran rosewood, and it's my best guitar yet. Very lively, complex sort of sound.

I'm always happy to add more to my stash, so I'll be watching the classifieds

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WaddyThomson

Post subject: Re: Redwood ?

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:28 am

Contributing Member

Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:05 am
Posts: 9191
Location: United States
First name: Waddy
Last Name: Thomson
City: Charlotte
State: NC
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro

I'd be interested in a couple of sets. Get 'em up!

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Pete0530

Post subject: Re: Redwood ?

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 10:17 am

Walnut

Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:10 am
Posts: 29

Built a 000 a few years back with a redwood top and walnut b&S. Nice for fingerstyle. Extremely soft, dents easily. Perhaps consider a little more thickness than spruce.

Pete

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Goodin

Post subject: Re: Redwood ?

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 10:46 am

Contributing Member

Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 7:15 pm
Posts: 1041
First name: Gil
Last Name: Draper
City: Knoxville
State: Tennessee
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Professional

I have heard redwood is not well suited for dreadnoughts because it would be too bassy for such a big guitar. Anyone built a dread with redwood and care to comment?

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DannyV

Post subject: Re: Redwood ?

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 10:56 am

Contributing Member

Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 3:20 am
Posts: 2593
Location: Powell River BC Canada
First name: Danny
Last Name: Vincent

jac68984 wrote:

DannyV wrote:

I've just come into a tidy pile of very nice looking, fairly stiff, old growth Redwood. I have never built with it and it is in fact the first time I have ever held a piece of the stuff in my hand. This wood looks great and has about the nicest medullar rays I have ever seen in a fine grained top wood. And it is exceptionally fine grained. Too fine to even count on half the board. I'm just not sure where Redwood would have it's best application in acoustic guitars. The top of the guitar mostly. Where have you guys found that Redwood shines? When used for a guitar top, finished and buffed out well, and in full sunlight. What about the density or hardness? Does it dent easily? Yes. How would it's hardness compare to WRC It's close or Spruces Softer than most spruce? I know there are no definite answers Correct but I'm just curious where it's worked well.

If anyone is interested I have enough to post a few sets in the classifieds. Of course.

Thanks,
Danny

I know, I kinda walked right into that one Craig.

The only way to know for sure is to put it on a guitar to find out for yourself. I'll just have to do that. [:Y:]

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Daniel Minard

Post subject: Re: Redwood ?

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 10:57 am

Koa

Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 3:57 pm
Posts: 775
Location: Powell River BC Canada
First name: Daniel
Last Name: Minard
City: Powell River
State: BC
Country: Canada

Hey Danny;
My first guitar was a redwood / H. mahogany dread. Huge sound! Especially considering it was a first instrument & we had a lot less information about making a guitar sound good in the early 80s.
The only thing I didn't like about it was the dark (almost purplish) colour clashed horribly with the mahogany.
I haven't used redwood again, but with a supply of tops so close at hand, I'd be tempted to try it again. Call me when you've sliced the wood up. I'd love to drop by & take a look.
Time for a visit anyway, now that my summer work madness is calming down.
Cheers! Dan

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DannyV

Post subject: Re: Redwood ?

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 10:59 am

Contributing Member

Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 3:20 am
Posts: 2593
Location: Powell River BC Canada
First name: Danny
Last Name: Vincent

Colin S wrote:

I've still got a couple of sets of the LS waiting for that special (ie rich) customer.

Here's hoping for a good bump in the economy over on your side Colin. Thanks for the comments.

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DannyV

Post subject: Re: Redwood ?

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 11:31 am

Contributing Member

Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 3:20 am
Posts: 2593
Location: Powell River BC Canada
First name: Danny
Last Name: Vincent

Filippo Morelli wrote:

Excellent tonewood. In my family's possession are 3 redwood topped guitars - one classical/EIR (fantastic instrument), a double top steel string and a 00 size steel string. Needless to say I have a good size stash of redwood and consider it fantastic tonewood. I would not compare it to cedar - stiff redwood top will give the best spruce top a run for its money when it comes to volume. Very responsive.

Filippo

That's what I was hoping to hear Filippo! What was your double top method? Sounds like a very versatile wood. I look forward to giving it a try.

Thank you all for your favourable responses. I'll try to get a few sets up on the classifieds.

Cheers,
Danny

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Ken Franklin

Post subject: Re: Redwood ?

Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 1:21 pm

Koa

Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2005 4:49 pm
Posts: 1209
Location: Ukiah, CA

Goodin wrote:

I have heard redwood is not well suited for dreadnoughts because it would be too bassy for such a big guitar. Anyone built a dread with redwood and care to comment?

My second guitar in 1974 was an EIR and redwood Dread. It was a well-balanced instrument with exceptionally clear trebles but plenty of bass too. Some observations about redwood: It can split rather easily. There is a wide range of density. In Brian Burns testing some sets had the highest Q numbers he had ever found. Generally I leave my redwood tops a little thicker than spruce tops but not as thick as WRC.

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