Timberking Posted August 6, 2003 Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 I have come into possession of some beech and sycamore planks. These species are common in my area and plentiful. I do know that both of these woods are dense and hard. Matter of fact , in years past, sycamore was used for chopping blocks and beech was used for thread bobbins. So they are both hard. I am thinking of using them for building necks and possibly bodies. Anyone have any experience with these species for necks or bodies, particulary for necks? Was wondering most about their stability. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butcherboy Posted August 7, 2003 Report Share Posted August 7, 2003 take a look at a sycamore leaf! looks just like a maple leaf right!! from the same species! not to sure about beach but sycamore is real good providing it has been cut properly and kilnded right. if you can get london plane which is a type of sycamore get it! it can have a real pretty grain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timberking Posted August 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2003 Hmmm..... Don't know if I can get any London Plane, but I do have some Arkansas Riverbottom Sycamore. Been reading up on it and sycamore along with beech is used for furniture, flooring, and wood turnings. The wood is hard and dense for both species. For a body, I figure if soft hardwoods like basswood and poplar can produce acceptable tones, then these woods would be ok for a body. From what I have read on these woods, both are stable with beech being more stable but sycamore should be ok too. Drying is the big key and we have a local kiln here that is drying some ash for me now. What the hell, nothing ventured nothing gained. I am gonna try both for necks. Laminate it up and see what happens. The wood was free so experimenting will only cost me my time and I would rather use local woods. The thought of ordering maple or mahogany neck blanks kinda irks me. Thanks for responding butcherboy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted August 7, 2003 Report Share Posted August 7, 2003 I'm looking into this some myself.. you got my curiosity going here.. lol.. I say let's practice making some necks out of these woods.. If it turns out to be bad choice.. then nothing lost.. If it turns out to be ok.. then we can just wait to see how good it does later on under normal use.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timberking Posted August 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2003 yeah, my thoughts too. Good practice material to start with. I am also thinking about some other species that might work. You know, we have a large variety of hard hardwood species here. Man, that beech I got really looks like it would work. They cut me the heartwood. It is beautiful. A nice, reddish color with lots of grain pattern. And hard as any maple I have handled. We'll see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCG Posted August 7, 2003 Report Share Posted August 7, 2003 I've often wondered about Oak. It seems to be used in abundance for furniture, but I've yet to see a guitar manufacturer. Has anyone tried it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted August 7, 2003 Report Share Posted August 7, 2003 We have an abundance of Oak in the south... but I've never tried to build a guitar out of oak.. simply because it would be big time heavy.. but also I've heard that it's not much of a tone wood... only way to find out is try it I guess.. maybe someone else has worked with some of these woods before... I just saw a Yamaha acoustic that has Sycamore wood sides... so I know it has been used before... there is also a figured Sycamore that looks neat.. maybe could be used as a new style veneer.. but only time will tell... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted August 8, 2003 Report Share Posted August 8, 2003 It literally depends on where you are - American sycamore is Platanus occidentalis , while English sycamore is actually a maple, Acer pseudoplatanus, also known as London Plane. English sycamore appears to be similar to Bigleaf or Pacific Soft Maple, although I personally haven't ever worked with it. It's a traditional European tonewood for violins ( backs and sides). American sycamore has an interlocked grain that might make it less than ideal for a neck - when quartersawn, it is sometimes called American lacewood, and I've seen it used for both solid bodies and acoustic backs/sides. Never seen it used for a neck, but that doesn't mean it won't work. A laminated neck would boost the stability, and turn a flatsawn board into a quartersawn glue-up that should be quite attractive. I'm planning on using it for a Tele project that I'm hoping to start this fall. If you've got a good supply of dry lumber, it would be worth trying. Beech is reputed to be strong, but prone to splitting and hard to work by hand - it's often used for butcher blocks and bowls, because it doesn't leave a taste/odor in foods that are in contact with it - beyond that I know nothing about it. Please make sure that whatever wood you use for a neck is thoroughly dry - I've seen an air dried maple neck blank turn into a longbow blank after being resawn and brought into the house Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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