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Working With Spalted Maple


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I plan on using a spalted maple top for my guitar project. How soft is it really, and are there specific steps to be used to stablize the wood? does it tear out easily on the router, or handle like normal maple? I am wanting to use a tung oil finish on the guitar, but i don't know if this will be hard enough.

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There are no hard and fast rules for Spalt, it really depends on the individual piece you get.

Some spalt can be 95% hard Maple and 5% soft, then again some pieces can have the overall feel of Balsa Wood, which is very spalted, so it just depends.

Spalted Maple = every piece is individualistic, it depends on what you get as to how to treat it.

Spalt is sort of an 'advanced' class of woods, relying on the fact that you have several tricks up your sleeve and know when to whip exactly what out depending on what you're looking at in front of you. :D

There are different methods to stabilize spalt. One way is to use 2-part epoxy thinned with Acetone. There are others.

The amount of spalting will also effect the tone. If you get a piece that is still very hard Maple, you'll get a Maple-like tone. If you get a severly spalted piece, one that feels like balsa wood, then, well, it won't sound much like Maple.

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