Instrument builders help....

[srhardwoods]

Looking for help especially from folks who build instruments. Is there a way to test a "tonal" quality of wood, or such a thing? Short story, we are recovering sinker logs from the Nottoway at a location that had a sawmill back in the 1800's, and was burnt in 1859. These logs, mostly Cypres but we have recovered pine, hickory and oak. One particular oak was burried in the mud for over 130 years and is solid black all the way through. I have planed and sanded a rift sawn piece of it and when tapping it with my finger nail, has a drastic different sound than other oaks. The Quartersawn pieces have nice flake to them and thought it would look great bookmatched asfronts and backs. I'm not an instrument builder so I have no clue in this area. Thanks for any insight/opinions

 

[JohnW]

Chris,

I got excited when I saw the pic and "Instrument Builders" in the title. My first thought was Brazillian Rosewood. You have an awesome and unique piece of oak on your hands. Looks to have some interesting streaking and great color.

Couple of thoughts about your question.

Not sure how easy 130 year soaked oak would steam bend for the sides. I'd guess it would bend fairly easily. But don't know.

Regarding Tone...Not trying to open up a can of worms but the side material of an acoustic guitar have very little to do with the final sound. Not completly zero% but very little as compared to the sound board, and overall shape and size. The back also contributes less to final sound...although more than the side material. Most builders are always looking for a unique piece of wood which you certainly have. So I think many builders would be interested in this wood regardless of tap testing.

Most builders use a tap test to determine if the wood has a "ring" to it. Again...all respect to that big can of worms here...the ring heard on a tap test is not as important as the ability for a wood to vibrate at the specific thickness you build and at specific locations on the instrument. The tap test as the top or back is made during final thicknessing is important and different than tapping an S4S board. That being said, some woods "ring" more than others and are generally considered to give us a better chance at a "good" sound. Sound however is subjective.

The top soundboard certainly effects sound but again, sound is subjective. I see that dark oak being used for sides back and head of a classical guitar with a redwood top and a combination of redheart/mahog/holley purfling.

Lastly...Some high end builders have great success using "sinker" redwood and sinker spruce for top soundboards. I have no idea as to the viability of using "sinker" oak for tops but... You might consider doing a search for "sinker tonewood" or sinker soundboards and find some builders that are into that sort of thing. They might be very interested in acquiring some of your sinker oak.

Hope this helps you put a value on what you have.

 

[srhardwoods]

John, thanks for the reply. I'll have to post pics of the flat sawn and quartersawn material once I surface it, but I was thinking the back would be beautiful bookmatched quartersawn with all the fleks in it. This piece pictured was a small piece I put in the kiln, and I surfaced it to 3/16's and sanded it. Didn't want to toss it out. will most likely use it for samples. Impressive grain with tight growth rings.

I like your visual on a classical build

I'll continue my search on tonewoods, thanks again.

 

[allisnut]

If you wind up with and short pieces that could become pen blanks - 3/4 x 3/4 x 5 1/2 or so - I'd be interested. Especially the black oak but any of the other recovered logs with tight, interesting grain as well.

Thanks,

Adam

 

[srhardwoods]

I'll have plenty pen blanks, when I got into the pith of the log it was busted up a bit, but I dried it anyways with pen blanks in mind. will send you a PM when I get them sized up

 

[Blueglass]

Your description of tapping sounds like the wood has promise already. From what I understand Oak is a good tonewood its stability is more the issue. I love the look of that piece. I'm a drum maker which is not nearly as critical as stringed instruments. I'm pretty sure I could find a use for it... he he he (Snide evil laughter)!

 

[CrealBilly]

I'm no expert here by any means so take what I say with a gain of salt - ok?

However running a sawmill like you do - I have handled my fair share of wood. I can "almost" tell if a log will produce good tone wood by the way the blade sings as it's cutting through the log. I think you may know what I'm talking about here... some sing, others don't. Anyways those that sing, I put a special mark (T) on the lumber with a lumber crayon. After the lumber has dried and when I'm looking for tone wood - I start by tapping the ones I marked first. I take a dry stick (dry 1x1 about 2' long) and wrap the board. If the board rings similar to a bell sound, I wrap it in several different places along the length of the board. I found a piece of tonewood will produce the same ringing sound (frequency) no matter where where it's wrapped at along it's length. Something about how the board vibrates when wrapped. You can also feel the vibration if you place you hand on the board and then wrap the board. If the board makes a thud when wrapped - I don't even consider it for tone wood. I hope this may have helped you? But I suspect being a sawyer you already got a handle on what will produce tonewood and what wont... You just might not realize it yet...

There is another way that I use to "fine tune" my tone wood selection. If you have a tuning fork. You can strike it and place the end of the fork on a board that you suspect may be good tone wood. If the board carries the frequency and amplifies the tone of the turning fork it should be ok as tone wood, if it doesn't then well it's not tonewood.

I have found since moving here to southern IL where Hard Maple grows like poke weed does in NC that Hard Maple and Swamp (Low Land) Ash - seems to produce the most tonewood per logs sawn, Poplar -is hit or miss, soft maple, oaks, hickory and upper land Ash- rarely...

Tuning Forks

Now that the water is clear as mud, that board you have pictured looks like it came from the Tar River - they don't call you guys tar heels for nothing (walking barefoot in the Tar River) :gar-La;

 

[srhardwoods]

THanks Jeff, yes there are times some logs give a distinctive sounds when sawing, funny how that works out. since this was only one log out of several dozen we recovered, I'm not sure what to do with it since it's only a small amount, so utilizing every bit of it is important. who knows, maybe it will go to my personal stash for a future project. I've always wanted to build an accustic guitar and thought the quartersawn pieces would be beautifull on a back or face. I have a few small pieces I've thought about mailing off for opinions

 

[danw]

I have only built one bass with oak as the primary wood. It sounds wonderful. Oak bends very well.