ByronBlack Posted August 24, 2005 Report Share Posted August 24, 2005 Hey chaps, Have any of you used Oak, or English Yew for guitar making, and if so what are it's characteristcs, the reason I ask is because i've befriended a woodsman and he has some chunky pieces of oak and yew available, and was wondering whether these could be used for guitar making.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted August 24, 2005 Report Share Posted August 24, 2005 Well, isn't yew a tradional bow wood (as in bow and arrow)? Are you going to shoot arrows from the guitar strings? Just kidding. Just something to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclej Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 http://www.the-tree.org.uk/BritishTrees/yew.htm#Uses of the wood check out this link..it appears to be a pretty hard wood and as such should make a guitar with good sustain and brightness..looks like it's stable and works well and a couple of other things that i read said that it had a pretty grain..if you're going for a natural look a light stain might bring out the natural beauty one thing i read said that it is an extremely slow growing tree..that usually means hardness and a very tight grain. make sure that it's good and dry and go for it. i think you'll enjoy working it much more than the oak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 I kinda got the opposite impression here: European Yew Softwood... Moderately heavy and hard with medium strength, relatively low stiffness and shock resistance...Doesn't sound like anything I'd be interested in using for anything, except maybe as an acoustic top (although it appears that several UK and European builders have used it for back and sides as well, probably because it bends so well). As always, YMMV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByronBlack Posted August 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 I kinda got the opposite impression here: European Yew Softwood... Moderately heavy and hard with medium strength, relatively low stiffness and shock resistance...Doesn't sound like anything I'd be interested in using for anything, except maybe as an acoustic top (although it appears that several UK and European builders have used it for back and sides as well, probably because it bends so well). As always, YMMV. ← Thanks for the info and insight chaps, I think i'll make a replacement body for an excisting guitar with it to see how good it is before building a full guitar, there is some conflicting info, but the wood is cheap and dry, so i'll report back. What about oak, anyone had any personal experience of using that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Churchyard Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 I like oak myself... That's what I have in my bedroom. What about you, Metal Matt... Are you an oak man? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgmorg Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 I don't care much for the look of oak, but that's just me. I think it would make a great sounding guitar, though, and english oak is much better looking than american. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJPUC Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 your lucky....i got told to use my oak as firewood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgmorg Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 I was just kidding.. honest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jehle Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 I'd have a look at this link and be really carefull with Oak and Yew... http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=18098 Not so much for the Oak, but I'd protect my lungs from any Yew dust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee_ Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 If you use oak for the neck you'll have to finish it with a thick coat of poly or something. you can't use oil or other thin finishes because of the grain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 I have built two necks from oak, one finished with water based lacquer and one oil finish. The oil finish really let you feel the grain and might not be for every one, but I think that it’s OK. It brings kind of a rough feeling to the guitar, and that IS a rough guitar. If you go for the lacquer finish, be prepared to do a lot of grain filling. Its much like ash, really sucks up the filler and lacquer. What about the sound then? It is somewhere in between maple and mahogany. A little less high than the maple, but a little faster response than mahogany. The look? Quite boring if left unaltered, but for the back of the neck OK. Wouldn’t use it for a body, though. Its WAY to heavy to build bodies from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncertain Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 I own a rather interesting guitar. It's made by a company who've now closed down, called Palm Bay Guitars. The body is mahogany, and the neck is maple. Pretty standard. But the headstock is mahogany (scarf joint) and the boy and headstck are bot toped with yew. Comared to most mahogany bodies with maple neck and top, it adds quite a lot of sustain, and creates a much richer tone. It soudns similar to a les paul custom, even though it is a super-strat style body with a bolt on neck. So for me it's yew all the way. As for oak, I've only played/seen one guitar made of it, and it was damn heavy. Tone wise it didn't differ much from Mahogany, but did have added sustain. So if I were you, I'd definitely consider using some yew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByronBlack Posted August 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 I own a rather interesting guitar. It's made by a company who've now closed down, called Palm Bay Guitars. The body is mahogany, and the neck is maple. Pretty standard. But the headstock is mahogany (scarf joint) and the boy and headstck are bot toped with yew. Comared to most mahogany bodies with maple neck and top, it adds quite a lot of sustain, and creates a much richer tone. It soudns similar to a les paul custom, even though it is a super-strat style body with a bolt on neck. So for me it's yew all the way. As for oak, I've only played/seen one guitar made of it, and it was damn heavy. Tone wise it didn't differ much from Mahogany, but did have added sustain. So if I were you, I'd definitely consider using some yew. ← Cheers fella's, this is all really good info, i'm quite interested in using different woods and experimenting, especially as the wood is free :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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