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| Indian Rosewood Top??? http://www-.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=1110 |
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| Author: | WalterK [ Tue Feb 22, 2005 4:49 am ] |
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Hi Folks, I just had to throw this at you guys...Has anyone had any experience using East Indian Rosewood as Top material?? It sure would be beautiful!!! We've seen Mahogany and Maple tops do well, How about Indian Rosewood. Just a thought!! Thanks, Walter 
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| Author: | Michael Dale Payne [ Tue Feb 22, 2005 5:18 am ] |
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I don't know.. IRW or any Rosewood for that mater is so dense I may be hard to make it responsive on the bass side. When I use Koa for tops the bass side is thinned much more that when I use Spruce. With my limited expertise I just picture IRW being hard to voice. That said I can picture esthetically an all IRW with Curly Maple binding and D-45 style Paula purfling. That would be Flash with a capital "F" What would you use for neck wood? |
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| Author: | Dave Rector [ Tue Feb 22, 2005 7:52 am ] |
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I think I would go for a tiger maple neck on that. The contrast would be nice and the weight would help balance out all that heavy rosewood. .02 |
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| Author: | Don Williams [ Tue Feb 22, 2005 11:51 am ] |
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Never heard of anyone using rosewood for a top. East Indian is more similar to mahogany than other rosewoods, so perhaps you could, but I'd stick with convention. Then again, you might hit on something good if you try it eventually. Get a cheap set from Allied or other and give it a try sometime. The worst that could happen is it would be awful. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. |
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| Author: | Dickey [ Tue Feb 22, 2005 1:07 pm ] |
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I've contemplated this exact thing for a year or so. I have two sequential sets from Allied and the extra set of sides can become neck stripes. Go for it, you know it's gonna sound great. |
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| Author: | WalterK [ Tue Feb 22, 2005 1:47 pm ] |
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Well, was my question about rosewood tops really that dumb?? Really...I didn't know if anyone had tried it. I know that Koa is used and this wood called Dao is also used. Why not Indian rosewwod?? I promise not to ask any dumb questions....today. |
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| Author: | Dickey [ Tue Feb 22, 2005 3:34 pm ] |
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Michael P said it would be: "Flash with a capital F". Dave R said: "a rosewood topped guitar with a maple neck would have nice contrast." Don W said: "you might hit on something good if you try it." And Bruce D said, "I've contemplated this exact thing for a year or so. Go for it, you know it's gonna sound great. Okay, I figure it was the insulin overdose, but hey, "Watch it". 
Thought for the day: If you can't see the bright side, then polish the dull side while you're looking. |
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| Author: | Michael Dale Payne [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 1:39 am ] |
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Walter There is no such thing as a dumb question. the pursuit of knowledge is always the noblest of ventures |
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| Author: | Colin S [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 2:15 am ] |
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And "the gift of knowledge is the noblest gift of all" Colin |
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| Author: | Dickey [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 2:33 am ] |
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Okay Walter, we want pics, lots of pics.... |
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| Author: | WalterK [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 3:05 am ] |
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Bruce, You want pictures of what?? I didn't get your question.... I'm still recovering from my insulin overdose....really!! Walter 
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| Author: | Dickey [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 4:23 am ] |
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Okay, if you don't hurry I'm gonna beat you to it building a bookmatched top and back Indian Rosewood guitar. You better hustle, I'm grabbing this off the back burner and putting in some overtime...... But you get better first.... and I gotta pile of spruce doors I gotta get stashed. |
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| Author: | WalterK [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 4:43 am ] |
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Bruce, Since you are the Luthier why don't we do a joint effort experiment??? I can help you with some materials and you build it?? I'm still trying to learn, you know that!! I can't find anyone that has any experience with a rosewood top. How bad could it sound? Let me know..OK? WalterK 
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| Author: | jfrench [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 5:02 am ] |
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I hate to be a naysayer, but sometimes we take calculated risks, and sometimes we take risks. This, to me, is just a risk. Indian Rosewood is an extremely far cry from the woods we normally use for soundboards - woods we use for good reason. Even in the case of koa and Mahogany, they are much much softer wood than IRW, and more suitable for tops. The most likely scenario is that the only thing gained from this experiment will be disappointment... |
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| Author: | Dickey [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 5:16 am ] |
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Okay Walter you are on! The WB Dalbergia Latifolia Experimental Guitar Project or WBDLEGP for short. How about a Grand A? I like the shape and it will show off a lot of nice wood.... WBDLEGP is too long, lets shorten that to LEG Latifolia Experimental Guitar.... this sucker's gonna sing. Walter I have everything I need, so how's about your contribution being moral support, okay? Maybe you could go pester Michael P to do us a rendering, flamed maple bindings? Mahog neck with rosewood and maple stripes... addy bracing... |
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| Author: | Dickey [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 5:20 am ] |
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When I'm done we can put it up on the Luthier's Showcase for sale. |
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| Author: | Michael Dale Payne [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 5:40 am ] |
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[QUOTE=Dickey] Maybe you could go pester Michael P to do us a rendering, flamed maple bindings? Mahog neck with rosewood and maple stripes... addy bracing...[/QUOTE] Ok Bruce I am in... take some pics of the plates you want to use and I will use them for mapping the material. wetted or shellac coated. Try to keep reflections to a min. such as flash. Be thinking on the purf, end graft and rosette. Plate tuning may be an adventure but I know your up to it. |
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| Author: | Michael Dale Payne [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 6:20 am ] |
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when you make Bruce scratch his head...
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| Author: | Dickey [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 7:43 am ] |
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Wilco! |
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| Author: | Brock Poling [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 8:32 am ] |
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[QUOTE=Dickey] When I'm done we can put it up on the Luthier's Showcase for sale.[/QUOTE] Sure you can... you might even be able to say it will be a "one of a kind" guitar. 
I had the opportunity once to play an all mahogany guitar once. It sounded like crap. No sparkle, not much life in it. It wasn't that the tone was "bad". It just didn't want to make music -- it was kind of dead. |
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| Author: | John How [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 8:53 am ] |
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Naw, I'm sure some durn fool has already done it. Just kidding |
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| Author: | WalterK [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 9:28 am ] |
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I want the Patent and all copywrites!! I'll have my attorney call you in the morning with all the documents for you to sign!! Do I have an Attorney????
Anyways...are serious about this experiment?? You guys are having fun with me because I'm a Greenhorn wannabe Luthier!! Right?
Welllllllllllllllll? Never tempt an experienced guitar player; he'll play anything. Walter |
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| Author: | WalterK [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 9:29 am ] |
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I want the Patent and all copywrites!! I'll have my attorney call you in the morning with all the documents for you to sign!! Do I have an Attorney????
Anyways...are you serious about this experiment?? You guys are having fun with me because I'm a Greenhorn wannabe Luthier!! Right?
Welllllllllllllllll? Never tempt an experienced guitar player; he'll play anything. Walter Oh!! I want you to throw in one of those CHEAP TWEED cases too!! |
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| Author: | Michael Dale Payne [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 9:36 am ] |
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Walter my guess that Bruce means it. It seems to me he is pretty much a man of his word. besides it is just a guitar. Sometime or another some luthier had to ask him self "Hum I wonder if I could use this spruce as a top wood on this lute I have this Idea for?" Who knows maybe you started somthing Howard Hughes once was asked how he became so successful in the aircraft industry so quickly. He responded with (in a long slow Texas accent) "I paid real close attention to what the experts said could not be done. Ho and then then figured out the way to do it anyway" |
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| Author: | WalterK [ Wed Feb 23, 2005 1:03 pm ] |
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Michael...you could be right about Bruce. Sometimes he teases me and I'm not sure if he is serious or not. If I had the skills, I would start building it tonite. I'm a gambler and always have been. I have flown by the seat of my pants all my life; I have wings to prove it. I also have torn trouser seats from some rough landings!! WalterK
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