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Looking for Magnolia
http://www-.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=44250		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  David Newton [ Tue Sep 30, 2014 10:37 am ]
Post subject:  Looking for Magnolia
If anyone knows of anyone who has a few nice boards of Southern Magnolia wood to sell, I would appreciate information please.

To everyone else, it is pretty useless wood, no interest to guitar builders at all...

Just FYI, I have already claimed "Looking for Magnolia" as my olde-time string-band name.
Author:  Lonnie J Barber [ Tue Sep 30, 2014 1:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
Would it go well with Dogwood?


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Author:  David Newton [ Tue Sep 30, 2014 3:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
Quote:
Would it go well with Dogwood?


Why yes, no reason a fine combination, honoring the old South, could not be made up with Dogwood back & sides, Magnolia neck, and a Long-leaf Yellow Pine top.

Here is a Magnolia neck on a Red Gum & Spruce Size-1 guitar.

Image

Image
Author:  Alex Kleon [ Tue Sep 30, 2014 4:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
Thats some nice down home cooking, David!

Alex
Author:  Lonnie J Barber [ Tue Sep 30, 2014 6:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
It sure is. I know the dogwood is sure beautiful in the spring here in Tennessee


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Author:  dzsmith [ Tue Sep 30, 2014 6:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
I always thought Magnolia was boring, but that neck is quite lovely!
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Tue Sep 30, 2014 8:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
Isn't Magnolia a lot like Tulip Poplar?
Author:  David Newton [ Tue Sep 30, 2014 8:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
Waddy, I've never built a neck of Poplar, but I've worked on plenty of Poplar necks.
Best I can say is they are "similar". Magnolia is whiter, and the grain is more "homogenous". The off-color parts are brown not green like Poplar. Magnolia is also harder than Poplar, similar to Bigleaf (soft) Maple.
Of course it varies from piece to piece, but that piece up there ^ was a beauty, and I'd like to find some more like it.
Author:  Ken Franklin [ Wed Oct 01, 2014 9:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
David Newton wrote:
Waddy, I've never built a neck of Poplar, but I've worked on plenty of Poplar necks.
Best I can say is they are "similar". Magnolia is whiter, and the grain is more "homogenous". The off-color parts are brown not green like Poplar. Magnolia is also harder than Poplar, similar to Bigleaf (soft) Maple.
Of course it varies from piece to piece, but that piece up there ^ was a beauty, and I'd like to find some more like it.


Over time the green in poplar turns brown.
Author:  mcgr40 [ Wed Oct 01, 2014 12:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
I have never seen a piece, but it seems to me that 15-20 years or so ago the old man that taught me the difference between cuban mahogany and honduran also said that some magnolia would produce a fine ribboned lumber like mahogany. He also had a bit of praise for quartered "slippery" elm(pronounced "ellum"by him, certain he was never in texas), also. Never seen that either, but he did spend alot of time around old country sawmills. He must have seen at least a few really good pieces of these or he would not have told me to look for them.
Author:  ryanmiddlebrook [ Sun Oct 12, 2014 9:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
David,
We (Steve Kinnaird and I) have a fair amount of Sweet Bay (Magnolia Virginiana) lumber. You're probably looking for the grandiflora species, but they don't visually look too different. If you would like me to snap some pics, I will.
Author:  David Newton [ Sun Oct 12, 2014 2:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
ryanmiddlebrook wrote:
David,
We (Steve Kinnaird and I) have a fair amount of Sweet Bay (Magnolia Virginiana) lumber. You're probably looking for the grandiflora species, but they don't visually look too different. If you would like me to snap some pics, I will.


Please do!
Author:  ryanmiddlebrook [ Mon Oct 13, 2014 1:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
Here's some pics from the "attic."

Attachment:
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1413225503.613225.jpg


5/4" appx. 9x20" this one has some pinks and greens.

Attachment:
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1413225585.979416.jpg


5/4" appx. 10x25" more yellowish khaki. Some knots.

Attachment:
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1413225653.295220.jpg


2/4" appx. 4x40"

We have a fair amount. I'm just trying to give an example of what we have. A tree was given to us that we had milled up. Unfortunately bugs ended up getting a good portion of the wood, but we still have a good useable stash. Knots and irregularities are part and parcel, but judicious usage will yield a fair amount of clean wood.
Author:  Steve Kinnaird [ Mon Oct 13, 2014 10:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
David, that is a beautiful guitar!
I love thinking outside the box, and especially when it yields such nice results.

Steve
Author:  David Newton [ Tue Oct 14, 2014 8:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
Thanks Steve. I think I'd like to rummage your attic!
Author:  ryanmiddlebrook [ Tue Oct 14, 2014 2:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
Come on David. You're close enough to make it worth your while.
Author:  Steve Kinnaird [ Tue Oct 14, 2014 11:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
Indeed. Grab Carol Benoit and the other guys from LOST and come on up!

Steve
Author:  David Newton [ Wed Oct 15, 2014 10:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
Woo-hoo, Road Trip!
Author:  Steve Kinnaird [ Wed Oct 15, 2014 10:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
Only if you promise to sing for us!

Steve
Author:  David Newton [ Wed Oct 15, 2014 12:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
I will sing, but usually I only do sad songs, and songs about murder.
Let me see if I can put together a group for a day trip.
Author:  Corky Long [ Thu Oct 16, 2014 10:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
Lonnie J Barber wrote:
Would it go well with Dogwood?


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Sorry to go sideways on this thread, but you've caught my interest. Have you built anything with dogwood? I'm very interested if so. I cut some dogwood a couple of years ago and I've never cut anything harder or denser. One would assume that that would mean a nice crisp ringing tone when tapping the wood. Well...... no. The dogwood I've handled seemed to be the deadest sounding wood I've found yet. A weird combo. Super hard, but no taptone at all......

I concluded I'd use other woods, rather than take a risk on something that might really dampen the sound.

Anyone have any perspective? Thanks.
Author:  Lonnie J Barber [ Thu Oct 16, 2014 10:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
I've never built anything with dogwood. Maybe someone on here has


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Author:  John Arnold [ Thu Oct 16, 2014 4:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
Quote:
Have you built anything with dogwood?

I have used dogwood for a fingerboard. Its claim to fame is that it wears smooth with use. The other places I have used it (splitting maul handle, router baseplate) certainly have proved that to be true. It just seems to get slicker and slicker. I have often thought that it would work great as a veneer on the back of an unfinished neck.
I agree that dogwood has a dead taptone, but so does a lot of maple.
Author:  Lonnie J Barber [ Thu Oct 16, 2014 4:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
Good answer John. I hope others chime in. It grows around here I might be able to get some


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Author:  David Newton [ Wed Oct 22, 2014 3:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Looking for Magnolia
Here's a vid of this guitar by the new owner. I can't believe how full it sounds.

http://youtu.be/G71U4oux4Hs?list=UUdkIE ... GKcvpz5wkQ
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