Can You Use Wood Like This As A Top?

[Moreau]

If i were making a guitar and wanted to use something like this as a top, what are any issues concerns i should have? are these quartersawn or flat? does it matter? will it warp? any advice would be great. thanks

wood top

Edited January 29, 2005 by Moreau

[rhoads56]

No need to use quartersawn for the body AT ALL. Those pieces are flat sawn.

[Moreau]

kool. i wasnt sure, some ppl swear by quartersawn. thanks for the info tho.

[silvertonessuckbutigotone]

most people use quarter sawn for the neck, its more relevent then.

[toddler68]

Make sure your body pattern will fit on that. Ten inches seems pretty narrow to me, unless you are doing a neck through and only capping the wings - and that's still pushing it. For reference, I think my Ibanez is like 12.5 inches across.

Also, I've heard cocobolo is hazardous to your lungs. I'd advise wearing a dust mask when cutting or sanding it. A respirator would be better.

[guitar_ed]

Great looking wood, but not wide enough for a Tele or Strat, which are about 14 inches.

Guitar Ed

[javacody]

Many people develop severe reactions to Cocobolo, so be careful. If you live with other people, please don't subject them to the Cocobolo dust.

[Moreau]

yeah i didnt buy it anyways cuz if im gonna get a cocobolo top, itll be covering the whole bass or guitar. that stuff is so darn sexxy tho. i love cocobolo. but yeah i know about the dust issue. its a shame something so beautiful can cause so many problems.

[bindernut]

I've neve made a guitar, though I wouldn't mind trying, maybe just a body to start with, i don't know..... But I do do some wood work time to time. Cocobolo does indeed cause problems for many people, but not everyone. Wear a good dusk mask. Or go to an auto parts or auto body supply place, and for about 25 or 30 bucks you can get a disposable 3M respirator. These work great! serveral professional car painters I know use these. I like these, as i think they seal around the edges better than a traditional dust mask, and i think they're more comfy. Get a couple masks, & when you work with the cocobolo, have a friend hold a shop vac up to suck up the majority of the dust. Once you get a finish on the wood, it'll not cause problems for people anymore.

Mark