NotYou Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 Holy crap, this is the most amazing wood I've ever seen. The picture make it look like a giant turd compared to the real thing (florescent shop lights don't help much either). I just picked it up today and now I have a dilemma: I could make one guitar with vertical grain (parallel to the strings) or two guitars, LP sized, with horizontal grain (perpendicular to the strings). I think the vertical will look better, but this is really expensive stuff and the idea of making two is really tempting. Which do you guys think will look better? Or, do you think I'd be wise to make two no matter what (I'll be selling these, BTW). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 Vertical oriention. Expansion and contraction is significantly greater across the grain, and would likely screw with your functionality and stability. That is nice quartersawn bubinga(and wide). "waterfall" figure usually refers to a quilted figure this is just the look you get when the interlocked grain(normal) of quartersawn bubinga is very appearant. It looks like a great bit of wood make the best use of it FWIW; True waterfall figure can run between $30-$75bd. ft., Very nice quartered bubinga like this should run between $9-$15 bd. ft. If it has been dried for a long period of time the value may be 20% higher. Just thought I would toss that out so you have an idea as to the values at least currently on the market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotYou Posted November 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2008 (edited) FWIW; True waterfall figure can run between $30-$75bd. ft., Very nice quartered bubinga like this should run between $9-$15 bd. ft. If it has been dried for a long period of time the value may be 20% higher. Just thought I would toss that out so you have an idea as to the values at least currently on the market. If anyone here lives in the US, Rockler (Rockler.com), a big woodworking chain, has it marked %25 off this weekend. I have some normal bubinga that I want to use for back and sides, so I jumped on this for a top. It was still a lot of money, but well worth it. Edited November 15, 2008 by NotYou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 15, 2008 Report Share Posted November 15, 2008 I made this one out of that stuff...I ran it this way,which I think worked well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Posted November 15, 2008 Report Share Posted November 15, 2008 its great isnt it! i have a peice just like that, enough for one guitar anyways\ mine warped though so i have to find a way to get rid of the bow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted November 15, 2008 Report Share Posted November 15, 2008 What are the dimensions on the board? I'm just thinking of different ways to get two bodies from it, like splitting it down the middle and then taking each piece cutting in different proportions and slip matching it, but with LP sized bodies that wouldn't really work because they are quite symmetrical in dimensions. Another idea that ran through my mind was pushing one body all the way to the bottom left of the board, then rotate the template upside down and push it up into the upper right hand corner. This way you can decrease the height by slightly interlocking the lower horns. This would maintain vertical grain and doesn't need as much height. Is it close enough for two LP blanks? Best of luck and nice wood. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotYou Posted November 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2008 (edited) What are the dimensions on the board? I'm just thinking of different ways to get two bodies from it, like splitting it down the middle and then taking each piece cutting in different proportions and slip matching it, but with LP sized bodies that wouldn't really work because they are quite symmetrical in dimensions. Another idea that ran through my mind was pushing one body all the way to the bottom left of the board, then rotate the template upside down and push it up into the upper right hand corner. This way you can decrease the height by slightly interlocking the lower horns. This would maintain vertical grain and doesn't need as much height. Is it close enough for two LP blanks? Best of luck and nice wood. J You might be on to something. I didn't think of it before, but I might be able to just interlock the horns and get two bodies. I don't have the dimensions on me right now. I'll have to mess with it in the shop tomorrow. If not, it's not a big loss. I can still get one amazing hollow body out of it. Edited November 15, 2008 by NotYou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihocky2 Posted November 16, 2008 Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 How thick is it? Just remember Bubinga is heavy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 I'd call that a pomelle figure. Very nice, fairly common (have a few big boards with less figure than this, same type though). Waterfall (usually quilt) looks like this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihocky2 Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 I'm getting wood envy over here with pics like that posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackdog Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 I'd call that a pomelle figure. Very nice, fairly common (have a few big boards with less figure than this, same type though). Waterfall (usually quilt) looks like this: I have a piece similar to these. I could get a top out of it (center-seamed, not book-matched). How is it to carve ?? I have the feeling that it's going to be a pain... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 I'd call that a pomelle figure. Very nice, fairly common (have a few big boards with less figure than this, same type though). Waterfall (usually quilt) looks like this: I have a piece similar to these. I could get a top out of it (center-seamed, not book-matched). How is it to carve ?? I have the feeling that it's going to be a pain... Hard. But OK with my fave tools - an angle grinder and a random orbit sander. Mattia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotYou Posted November 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2008 I'd call that a pomelle figure. Very nice, fairly common (have a few big boards with less figure than this, same type though). Waterfall (usually quilt) looks like this: I didn't realize this thread kept going. Guess I should check back more often. That set on the right is gorgeous. I usually avoid book-matching, but that looks amazing. Do you have any plans for it yet? I'm going let that board I posted sit for a while. I live in Denver, where it's dry year round, and wood tends to shrink a little extra when I buy it. To everyone that was asking: I decided to make a hollowbody. I haven't settled on a design yet, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted November 25, 2008 Report Share Posted November 25, 2008 I didn't realize this thread kept going. Guess I should check back more often. That set on the right is gorgeous. I usually avoid book-matching, but that looks amazing. Do you have any plans for it yet? I'm going let that board I posted sit for a while. I live in Denver, where it's dry year round, and wood tends to shrink a little extra when I buy it. To everyone that was asking: I decided to make a hollowbody. I haven't settled on a design yet, though. The whole thing's a set for an acoustic guitar. Don't know when I'll get around to building with it, but I suspect it'll be a while... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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