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| Red Oak Back & Sides? https://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=49457 |
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| Author: | sdsollod [ Thu Jun 08, 2017 4:52 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Red Oak Back & Sides? |
I have a friend that wants me to help him make guitar. He has a ton of red oak and would like to use it for back & sides. I know white oak works nicely, but I've never seen anyone use red oak. Is there a reason (or several reasons) not to use red oak? |
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| Author: | Clinchriver [ Thu Jun 08, 2017 6:05 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Red Oak Back & Sides? |
sdsollod wrote: I have a friend that wants me to help him make guitar. He has a ton of red oak and would like to use it for back & sides. I know white oak works nicely, but I've never seen anyone use red oak. Is there a reason (or several reasons) not to use red oak? It will work, kind of ho hum and I really don't like the smell. Well quartered White Oak with heavy flake is spectacular, also very easy to bend. |
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| Author: | StevenWheeler [ Thu Jun 08, 2017 8:04 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Red Oak Back & Sides? |
I've built with Red Oak, makes a fine guitar. I paired mine with a Cherry neck. Far less ho hum looking than a Mahogany guitar with a mahogany neck. Pore filling it is a blast if your into that sort of thing. |
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| Author: | ernie [ Thu Jun 08, 2017 8:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Red Oak Back & Sides? |
Skip the ho and the hum , and go direct with red oak .I like it and use it .Got some from the sawmill on wed and it had a beautiful ray fleck figure. If you have experience with pore filling no worries if not, lots of excellent videos on pore filling .Jay lichty has one on epoxy pore filling and shooting water base laquer |
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| Author: | kencierp [ Thu Jun 08, 2017 11:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Red Oak Back & Sides? |
We kitted (KMG) perfectly quartered Red Oak OM and "D" size and reports back have always been favorable -- I'll look for some pixs. In my opinion its the White Oak that has the odd fragrance. |
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| Author: | ernie [ Fri Jun 09, 2017 7:34 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Red Oak Back & Sides? |
I cut some fresh r , oak on the TS yesterday , it had a funky odour , and a nice big splinter in my hand. The w.oak here in MO has a vy faint smell. They both bend well ; ring porous woods hickory , ash , and the oaks , bend readily. |
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| Author: | Alex Kleon [ Fri Jun 09, 2017 7:53 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Red Oak Back & Sides? |
I've used both red and white oaks for cabinetry and found that the occasional piece of red smells like fresh cow patties when you cut into it, but haven't found that with white. To me, white oak has a mildly spicey smell. Alex |
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| Author: | Haans [ Fri Jun 09, 2017 10:23 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Red Oak Back & Sides? |
White oak is denser than red. Generally speaking, red will have a slightly warmer tone than white. |
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| Author: | Alan Carruth [ Fri Jun 09, 2017 11:46 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Red Oak Back & Sides? |
Since this is not a whiskey barrel you're making, the variety of oak should not make much difference. I've used them both, and gotten very good results. Oak is one of my favorite woods. Just be sure to use well quartered stock. |
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| Author: | Bryan Bear [ Fri Jun 09, 2017 12:57 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Red Oak Back & Sides? |
Alan Carruth wrote: Since this is not a whiskey barrel you're making, the variety of oak should not make much difference. I've used them both, and gotten very good results. Oak is one of my favorite woods. Just be sure to use well quartered stock. Alan, beyond the usual reasons to recommend quartered stock for guitar making, are there oak specific reason you say that? I ask because I have some curly burr oak (white) in my stash waiting for the right project. I chose a rift sawn board because the irregular rays of the quartered stuff clashed (in my opinion) with the curl. |
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| Author: | truckjohn [ Fri Jun 09, 2017 2:11 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Red Oak Back & Sides? |
The only specific reason not to use it is that red oak pores are huge and bottomless... You can literally blow air into the pores and it will come out the other side. Otherwise - quartersawn red oak makes a fantastic guitar. The only guitar I have kept so far from my builds is a QS red oak back, sides, and neck paired with Lutz spruce top. Its fantastic. Now... I wouldnt do another red oak neck... Too hard to carve. Otherwise - its fine. |
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| Author: | Alan Carruth [ Sat Jun 10, 2017 4:56 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Red Oak Back & Sides? |
Flat cut oak seems to be less stable than I'd like, and the cross stiffness could vary a lot depending on the ring slope. Some people don't like the large ray fleck of quartered wood, and it's often rift cut with the rings close to 45 degrees. Personally I like it quartered, even with curly stock. |
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| Author: | David J Fisher [ Mon Jun 12, 2017 2:10 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Red Oak Back & Sides? |
I've cut / sanded red oak that smelled like cow excrement. I like the look of white, but I wouldn't let either of those stop me. |
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